Southern State Community College, in partnership with EF Study Abroad, is offering current students as well as community members the opportunity to study abroad in Italy and Greece May 18-27, 2025. Reservations are currently being accepted until Feb. 1, 2025, according to a news release.

Aligned with the travel experience, Southern State offers a one-credit hour lab-based course, Success on the Global Stage (COLL 1110) that runs concurrently with the trip and the weeks following. This course is highly recommended but only required to qualify for the $1500 scholarship, funded by the Sara M. Barrere Memorial Trust Study Abroad Scholarship Fund.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

Recall and apply basic travel skills (passport application, proper packing, airport navigation, navigating foreign cities, using public transportation)

Identify and recognize the cultural norms and expectations of the host country

Learn to properly engage with local cultures and individuals within the host country

Develop self-awareness, motivation, goal-setting, and self-management skills

Apply discussions to real-life situations in the host country

Discuss their experiences and identify their assumptions about their own culture and the host country

Critique their pre-conceptions about the host country

Adapt their travel journals to compose a reflective travel narrative

Studying abroad allows students to explore international culture and travel within a structured but flexible timeframe. The program is designed to build core competencies and soft skills needed to thrive in many career paths in an increasingly connected world. By matching traditional teaching methods with the impact of experiential learning, the curriculum will be brought to life through exploring new cultures and experiencing transformative moments.

“Studying abroad is a wonderful way for students to bring learning to life and become better global citizens,” said Southern State Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Erika Goodwin. “There is never a safer, more economical way to travel and expand your knowledge of the world than with a study abroad trip. EF Study Abroad provides hands-on, student-centered tours that are memorable and fun. It is an experience with such an impact one never forgets.”

The study abroad program is led by Southern State’s Professor of English Jeff Wallace, Philosophy Instructor Sam Ginn, and the Dean of Articulation and Transfer and Brown County Campus Director Dr. Peggy Chalker.

Professor Wallace has been leading these trips for the past 15 years. “The change and growth I see in my travelers is amazing,” Wallace shared. “They come back with a new sense of confidence that can only be discovered by getting outside of their comfort zone. They know that they can go anywhere, do anything, and not just survive but thrive in new surroundings. Suddenly, the world isn’t so big or frightening for them anymore.”

As mentioned above, scholarship opportunities are available for those enrolled in the course: Success on the Global Stage. For information on the Sara M. Barrere Memorial Trust Study Abroad Scholarship, please visit https://www.sscc.edu/financialaid/forms/scholarships/barrere-travel-abroad-scholarship-application.pdf.

Students enrolled in College Credit Plus are permitted to participate and must be at least 16 years of age. Students younger than 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

For questions, and to learn more, please email Professor Wallace at [email protected] or call 800-628-7722, Ext. 3675.

To view the planned itinerary and learn more about this great opportunity, please visit https://www.sscc.edu/academics/study-abroad/index.shtml.