Westminster College Class Culminates in Italy

After a semester of study in the Westminster College classroom, the class members of "Southern Italy" visited the land they had investigated in books.

Twenty-one students studied the literature and culture of Southern Italy. The emphasis of their study was on gender, the Mafia, and basic Italian language. The class culminated with a two-week trip to Italy where the students experienced the culture of modern-day Italy.

"I had such a wonderful time, I didn't want it to end, but certain themes came to light during my trip," wrote Katie Keener, a French major from Butler, in her journal. "The passion and confidence of the Italian people; their ability and indeed insistence on enjoying life and family, the natural beauty of the regions we visited; the red tape and exasperating inefficiency that we came across; and the differences in ideas concerning sexuality, litter, and stray animals."

The class was team taught by Dr. Carol M. Bove, professor of French, and Dr. Phyllis G. Kitzerow, professor of sociology. "I had a wonderful time watching what we had studied come to life. The many different cultures that influenced Sicily were fun to trace in the ruins and customs that we saw on our trip," said Kitzerow. " I think the time and learning together during the semester before the trip make this experience much more than the usual tourist travel. I will remember so many moments and so many people from the trip."

Each semester Westminster College offers several "travel classes" which spend most of the semester in the classroom then finish in the country that had been the subject of study. For more information, contact Dr. Jesse T. Mann, associate dean of the college, at (724)946-7123 or e-mail mannjt@westminster.edu.