May Term 2024 Travel Courses
APPLY!
Application is available through this link! For Call of Service in Colorado, the application will remain open until January 2024. For international courses for May, the application is now closed for May 2024, although the link will remain active for applicant access to their applications.
Students should complete both the Application and Waiver of Liability through the link above. The application consists of required information, a personal statement of interest, and an optional application for the Walt Scholarship.
Off-Campus Programs Showcase will be held in Hubbell Hall on October 4 from 1-2pm. Come and learn more about the programs below!
DEADLINES
Application Due (application, waiver of liability, and Walt essay if applicable): 10pm, Wednesday, October 18th, 2023
Program Cost (100%): January 9, 2024
Airfare (100%): Each travel course has a unique deadline. The travel course leader will provide this information once established with airline or travel agency.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Walt Scholarship application is part of the SC Travel Course / Semester Application. This year there will be students in each May Term international travel course and students in the spring semester abroad programs who will receive scholarship funding! Apply for the Walt Scholarship to be one of those students by uploading a short, 1-page essay at the time of your application.
The Gilman Scholarship is an external grant awarded to Pell Grant receiving students. The fall application deadline for this scholarship is Oct. 5, 2023. You can apply for the Gilman scholarship even while waiting to learn of your acceptance into a Simpson program.
CURRICULUM DESIGNATIONS
If a course has been approved for general education designations within the Engaged Citizenship Curriculum or Simpson Core Curriculum, they will be abbreviated after the course title.
DOMESTIC COURSES
Call of Service
Leaders: Rev. Mara Bailey, SC Chaplain & Rev. Eric Rucker, Director of Youth Theology
Cost: $825
Students will travel to Colorado for a multi-site experience of action and reflection. This will include six days of direct service in Denver at a variety of non-profit organizations who address issues including homelessness and poverty, working with immigrant and refugee populations, and people with developmental disabilities. Students will also live closely together in a community setting throughout and engage personality typing materials to learn about themselves and their leadership styles. Impact from this service will be amplified through reflection that takes place through two reflection papers, nightly peer-led reflection groups, a final one-on-one reflection meeting with the instructor, and a three day retreat a YMCA of the Rockies to end the course. More information here!
INTERNATIONAL COURSES
Europe: Remembering WWII: London, Paris, Normandy, & Munich (GP)
Leaders: Becca Livingstone, History & Judy Walden, History
Program Cost: $3200
Estimated Airfare: $1300
Total: $4500
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $300 for meals not covered by the course.
History can be described as the stories that we tell ourselves about the past. What better way to explore this than through the example of World War II? This travel course takes you to Britain, France, and Germany to see how these three countries tell their national stories of World War II. What meaning does the war have for these nations and how they view themselves? How do they want their wartime experiences to be remembered now and by future generations? Explore how the memory of WWII is constructed by Britain, France, and Germany, focusing on different aspects of their wartime experiences, addressing questions of good/evil, guilt/innocence, bystander/collaborator, winner/loser, perpetrators/victims. You will have the opportunity to visit museums, memorials, and other sites of interest in London, Normandy, Paris and Munich to see how different nations find meaning in the past and how they commemorate it in the present for the future.
India: Tibetan Diaspora in India: Religion and Culture
Leaders: Jed Forman, Religious Studies & Aswati Subramanian, Biology
Program Cost: $2100
Estimated Airfare: $1500
Total: $3600
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $100 for meals not covered by the course. $100 for course materials.
This course will explore the Tibetan diaspora in India, both its cultural, institutional, and religious dimensions. In 1959, hundreds of thousands of Tibetans fled their homeland to follow their spiritual leader, HH The Dalai Lama XIV, into India. Since then, they have rebuilt many of their institutions, communities, and homes across India.
Our May term will focus on two primary Tibetan diasporic communities. First, we will stay at the serene Sera Jey monastery in South India, situated in the lush, forested areas of Karnataka. Here, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a Tibetan community of some 5,000 monks and other members in the surrounding lay community. We will learn about Tibetan culture, practice, and how it is informed by Buddhist beliefs, as well as enjoy the natural and architectual beauty of the area. Students will experience Tibetan food, dance, art, as well as interact with Tibetan-speaking students at the monastic Secondary School.
Next, we will head to Dharamshala, situated at the foot of the Himalayan Mountain Range in Northern India. There, we will immerse ourselves in a bustling Tibetan community that has become a central hub for travelers the world over. Dharamshala is also the resident capital of HH The Dalai Lama. We expect to have a meeting with him! We will take day hikes in the Himalayan foothills and enjoy breathtaking views. In addition to its natural beauty, Dharamshala is also the political seat of the Tibetan Government in Exile. We will also have an opportunity to explore these institutions and learn about the political challenges Tibetans in diaspora face.
Ireland: Revolutions, Rebellions, and Reunification? (GP / GS)
Leaders: Adrienne Gathman, Political Science & Amanda Martens, Psychology
Program Cost: $3675
Estimated Airfare: $1100
Total: $4775
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $400 for meals not covered by the course.
Throughout May Term, we will explore the complicated history of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland via visits to major historical and contemporary sites throughout the island, such as Leinster House in Dublin, Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast, and the Museum of Free Derry. We’ll also explore the even more contentious politics of the Seven Kingdoms from Game of Thrones with visits to filming sites such as the Dark Hedges (Kingsroad), Dunluce Castle (House Greyjoy), and Downhill Strand (Dragonstone Temple). This course will take us on a road trip around the island visiting sites and cities, big and small, allowing you to explore it all including the beautiful, natural offerings such as Giant’s Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Blarney Stone with some castles thrown in as well. By way of a cultural reflection, photography project, and pre-trip research assignment, you will gain a greater understanding of Ireland and much of what it has to offer. Join us for two weeks in the Emerald Isle…and find out why it’s called that firsthand! Check out this flyer and calendar to learn more!
Italy & Portugal through Photography (AR / ACE)
Leaders: Luke Behaunek, Student Development & Tayler Keitzer, Student Development
Program Cost: $2800
Estimated Airfare: $1100
Total: $3900
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $400 for new photography equipment, if not already owned. $100 for meals not covered by the course.
Italy and Portugal are two countries rich in historical significance, great food, amazing architecture, and beautiful landscapes. Through the Renaissance and Age of Discovery, these countries have contributed enormously to the world we experience today. Feel like you’re walking back in time as you experience adventures in both Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre) and Portugal (Porto, Sintra, and Lisbon). Our travels abroad will include both guided experiences and free exploration opportunities to become acquainted with the rich cultures and histories of both countries. English is widely spoken in both countries, so these locations are easy to navigate without previous language experience! This course will allow students to absorb the countries through photography, capturing the environments through hands-on learning that will provide you with useful skills to take into your lives at or after Simpson. Through photo assignments and creation of images, you will learn new perspectives, artistic techniques, manual photography skills, and Adobe Photoshop strategies. There is no photography experience required to apply for this course, but students must provide their own camera. If you’re interested in an immersive and life-changing experience traveling abroad and are up for adventure, we hope you join us! Check out this video presentation to learn more.
Italy: Merchants of the Veneto: Food, Fashion, Fitness, and Ferraris in Northern Italy (GP)
Leaders: Mark Green, Business Admin and Economics
Program Cost: $3100
Estimated Airfare: $1400
Total: $4500
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $400 for meals not covered by the course.
Course participants will analyze the challenges and opportunities facing enterprises operating in Italy’s agricultural, fashion, fitness, and manufacturing heartland. The in-country experience begins in Milan (Lombardy), where we will tour the Duomo and Galleria; view Michelangelo's Last Supper; and visit two legendary design studios: Fondazione Albini and Fondazione Castiglioni. Optional evening activity: The Blue Note Jazz Club. Next we transfer to Bologna (Emilia Romagna) with stops in Maranello at Ferrari headquarters and Modena for a tour of the Maserati factory. We will spend a day at the FICO Eataly Food Theme Park and have a cooking class (pasta!). Next stop: Bassano del Grappa. Bassano is in the Veneto, which is one of Iowa's Sister States. Shakespeare fans take note: a side excursion to Verona includes a visit to Juliet's balcony! From our base in Bassano, we will visit representative companies in: rural agriculture (e.g., viticulture and winemaking); apparel/fashion (e.g., Diesel), fitness (e.g., Technogym); and the H-Farm start-up incubator. Opportunities for outdoor activities in Bassano include hiking, fishing, white-water rafting, cycling, and golf. Finally, we will take the train from Bassano to Venice. Here we will study the history of Venice and assess tourism’s impact on the lagoon. We will tour artisan workshops, attend La Biennale di Venezia (Venice International Art Exposition), and visit the famous Lido barrier island. This course is an approved substitute for Mktg 338. Contact Professor Mark Green for more information about that option.
Little Cayman: Coral Reef and Marine Biology on Little Cayman Island (SR)
Leaders: Ryan Rehmeier, Biology & Environmental Science & Lindsay Ditzler, Chemistry
Program Cost: $4370, if previously scuba certified, fee is reduced by $760
Estimated Airfare: $930
Total: $5300
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $90 for personal diving equipment. $60 estimated for immunizations, although this may vary by student insurance.
Have you ever dreamed of visiting an island in the Caribbean and living like a marine biologist, at least for a little while? Do you want to get scuba certified and dive to explore life found in coral reefs, sea grass beds, and intertidal environments? Do you want to learn to identify the common fish and other creatures found on healthy coral reefs? Do you want to swim with frolicking sea turtles, watch spotted eagle rays flop on top of the water, and look eye to eye with giant groupers almost as big as you? Do you want to help young staghorn coral grow big and strong by cleaning them of pesky algae in a coral nursery 60 feet underwater? Do you want to dive at night on a reef and see the bioluminescent dinoflagellates light up the water to welcome you to their home? Do you want to participate in research projects that will inform and improve conservation efforts for coral reefs and the wildlife that inhabits them? If you answered YES to these questions, join us for an unforgettable educational experience on Little Cayman Island in May 2024.
London: Media, Culture and Sports in London (GP)
Leaders: Mark Siebert, Multimedia Communication & Brian Steffen, Multimedia Communication
Program Cost: $3225
Estimated Airfare: $900
Total: $4125
Other anticipated costs: $165 for US Passport, if not already owned. $600 for meals not covered by the course.
Culture in the United States is largely driven by private companies who produce content that makes money. Disney, the National Football League and The New York Times do their own thing without much government control. The United Kingdom is different. They have a Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports responsible for promoting and building UK culture. This department was responsible for the delivery of the 2012 Olympic games, for example. This May Term trip – with visits to many of Britain’s iconic sites – will allow students to see how the government is involved in promoting British culture to the world. The BBC, the British Film Institute, Wimbledon and Wembley Stadium all export British culture – from football to the monarchy to high tea to music. Of course, there is much history to explore, too. Students will learn to make their way around a city of 9 million people and explore places that influence our culture even today. (American television stole/copied American Idol, The Office, Veep and House of Cards from British television, for example.)