Students in Action
Students Study in Rome
RALEIGH, N.C. (March 20, 2024) – A group of Wake Tech students has returned from a life-changing study abroad experience in Rome.
Fourteen students in World Civilizations I traveled to Rome over spring break, from March 8 to March 16. For many students, the Study Abroad trip brought what they were learning in class to life.
"I loved this trip and all of the amazing places we were able to visit and tour," said student Georgia Wallace. "Seeing the ruins in person was an entirely unique experience. There is so much beautiful art and architecture all throughout Rome."
During their trip, the group toured all the historical landmarks, including the Pantheon, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Plus, they visited places many tourists would not typically go. For example, students took a day trip to Tivoli to see Hadrian's Villa and Villa D'Ese. They even went underground at Basilica San Clemente to find a Mithraic temple from the 1st century and donned VR headsets at the Circus Maximus to see a virtual chariot race.
"It was important to me for the students to get off the beaten path, because students are surprised at the full scope of Roman history," said Humanities Department Head and Director of Global Education Dr. Rebecca Berry, who led the trip. "For example, when they visited the Basilica di San Clemente, they saw a first-century temple to Mithras situated under two floors, representing different eras of a Christian church. This helps students to understand the interconnectedness of Rome through the ages."
Culinary Arts major Brooklynne Sahr used the experience to learn more about international cuisine.
"You can learn so much from the food everywhere you go," says Sahr. "I value this experience so much from all the food that I tried and the homemade pasta I got to make, and now I love cooking even more than before!"
Sahr says the best part about the experience was "the memories that came with it, and the new lifelong friends" that she made.
Upon their return, students were required to complete a project reflecting on how they will implement the knowledge, skills and perspectives they gained through the experience. Berry says the goal was not only to gain a better understanding of history but also a new appreciation for intercultural competency.
"I want students to see travel not from a position of viewing and consuming, but rather of learning, analyzing and interpreting," she says. "Also, I hope they'll gain the confidence to travel on their own throughout their lives and to continue to broaden their awareness."
Sahr advises anyone with an opportunity to incorporate Study Abroad in their educational pursuits to do it because "it's something you won't regret!"
Wake Tech's next Study Abroad experience takes place at the end of the month, when students in Art History travel to Paris. Future trips include Salzburg, Austria and Tokyo, Japan. Learn more at studyabroad.waketech.edu.
