Where in the World is MCC? Study Abroad Tours Italy and Greece

In 2022, the inaugural MCC Study Abroad trip took students, faculty, and staff to Ireland. The first trip was a success, so three faculty members and thirteen student passengers embarked on another journey this May. The two-week adventure in intercultural studies included stops in the cities of Florence and Rome in Italy, the cities of Delphi and Athens in Greece, and a 3-day cruise that included visits to the Greek isles of Santorini and Mykonos. Some of the trip highlights included visiting the Colosseum, the Basilica of St. Peter, and the Acropolis. In conjunction with the trip, instructors offered an intersession class in which student travelers could earn three credit hours.

Dr. Robin West, Associate Professor and Study Abroad Coordinator, was one of the faculty members that accompanied students on the trip. “This experience, in my opinion, did more than anything we do on a college campus to promote the KCTCS goal to cultivate diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion,” said West. “Study abroad promotes the goal to enhance the economic and workforce development of the commonwealth”. Another faculty member on the trip, Kellie Arnold, stated, “Understanding diverse cultures plays a vital role in education”. In fact, thanks to their worldwide experience, students who study abroad often find gainful employment sooner and with a higher salary than their peers.

Faculty member Krista Shaw played a vital role in this trip, as she accompanied students on MCC’s first study abroad trip last year. She stated, “Studying abroad challenges students academically and personally, helping them develop skills like flexibility and awareness”. Shaw continues, “These skills are applicable no matter their career”.

Students will have another opportunity to experience MCC’s Study Abroad program next May as the group will embark on a 10day adventure to Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Austria.

MCC is able to provide study abroad opportunities thanks to the support of Dr. Judy Rhoads and other scholarship donors through the Rhoads International Scholarship.