NW Valley Times

Junior business management major Adia Hopkins studied in Florence, Italy, for the 2024 spring semester. Courses such as Florentine Neighborhood Walks, Art and Community, Food, Drinks, City were among the academic offerings available through Grand Canyon University's (GCU) study abroad program. This initiative provides students with opportunities to travel internationally for a semester or summer break while taking classes that count toward their degree.

Adia Hopkins immersed herself in Italian culture, cuisine, and history during her four-month stay. Jessica Landes, coordinator of the Global Initiatives program at GCU, explained the importance of global awareness: “In our mission statement, we emphasize how important global awareness is to us,” said Landes. The Global Initiatives program also includes international internships, global education trips, and faculty-led programs where GCU faculty lead cohorts of students to study internationally.

The study abroad program began in 2013 when the GCU Honors Institute transitioned into a college. Initially partnered only with the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), it has since expanded to include several other partners such as Semester at Sea, Students International, CIS Abroad, Living and Learning International, and Bond University in Australia.

Hopkins utilized the partnership between CIS Abroad and GCU to travel to Florence for her 2024 spring semester. “I have grown up traveling a little bit, so I knew I wanted to go study abroad coming into college,” she said. She appreciated her class schedule which included traditional courses mixed with nontraditional walking courses around Florence’s historical landmarks.

Another student who participated in the program is junior finance major Evan Hutson who studied at the University of Limerick in Ireland during the same semester. Hutson noted that living on his own helped him see the world from a new perspective: “There are aspects of it that are scary and nerve-racking," he said. "But some of the best times come from once you push past that.”

During his time abroad, Hutson traveled to 14 countries while delving into European culture and community alongside other international students. He highlighted an economics class where he learned about different economies outside of the United States: “It was the best four months of my life.”

GCU's study abroad program offers opportunities to travel to 60 international locations including Italy, Spain, England, Australia, Japan, South Korea India New Zealand Landes emphasized continued efforts raise awareness more students involved: “Developing your cultural and global awareness effective communication critical thinking all play huge roles while you are abroad.”

GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected].