Studying abroad at Herron is more than tourism. This summer's trip through Italy stole our students' hearts and kindled their creative energies. 18 students covered nearly 160 miles on foot and consumed countless gelati while exploring art history and European culture across various destinations such as Rome, Siena, Florence, and Venice. Enjoy a few of their highlights through the lens of Instagram and some post-study reflection.
"My favorite experience while I was in Italy was when we went to the Roman [Forum]. We climbed to the top of the hill and had a wonderful view of the Triumphal [Arch] of Titus. I could just imagine what the city could have looked like back then, and even in its ruined state, it was still breathtaking. Behind that was the [Italian] Renaissance buildings that we know all too well, and the additional length of the city that was added centuries afterward. During this time, there was a 5K run going on for breast cancer. All of these different time periods clashed with one another at the same time, and it was so extraordinary to see how all of these relics and modern day advances balanced each other."
—Alyssa Hostetler, visual communication design major
"[Michelangelo's] David: more beautiful and more gigantic than I could have ever expected. My week in Florence was amazing, but this has to be one of my top highlights! I gave a presentation on this piece for [a] class."
—Gabriel Akre, painting + sculpture major
"One of the things I loved about the study abroad trip was touring the city we were in, with the class, to get our bearings and then getting to wander on our own or in [groups]. It is true what they say: getting lost is the true way to experience any place."
—Leena Dobouni (B.F.A. Printmaking '17)
"[Venice Biennale] was easily the most enlightening art experience of my life."
—Aaron Dodd, sculpture major
"The Venice Biennale was an extraordinarily thoughtful experience – a gift, really – within a much larger, deliberated continuum. The energy was very humanitarian, very hopeful, in ways that both aligned with cycles of the past and with the current political climate, without once being dismissive of fears or harsh truths."
—Joelle Stille, art history + sculpture major
"Advice I have to anyone thinking about studying abroad: just do it — apply, go, experience! […] There may not ever be a better time for you to go and learn so much in such a short period about culture, the world you are living in, and you!"
—Sydney Patberg, art education major
