Waldorf Communications Students Travel Europe
Sixteen Waldorf College students had a chance to travel to Europe for three weeks in May with the Communications Department.
“This trip was one of the best things that I have ever experienced!” Mallory Lovik, a senior from Forest City, said. “I am inspired to travel and experience life to the fullest because of this trip. I met friends that I will hold dear, saw some of the most incredible sights in the world, learned history and art, and had so much fun.”
The 16 students left May 2 with Professor David Damm ’73and Waldorf alumnus Matt Dettman ’98 (BA). The group spent its first four days in Rome, visiting the Coliseum and Roman Forum, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums, the Trevi Fountain and the port city of Ostia Antica. Along the way, they saw the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s Pieta and statues by Bernini.
In Florence they had a chance to see Michelangelo’s David, the Uffizi Gallery and the towering dome that kicked off the Renaissance.
Venice is a city of canals and one of the unique cities in the entire world. Students had a chance to take a gondola ride, eat some incredible seafood and explore the city of Casanova.
Following three days of rest on the Italian Riviera in the area known as Cinque Terre, the group took a night train to Paris for four days of fun in the French capital. While there they had a chance to see the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo at the Louvre, and Impressionist paintings at the Orsay Museum, and to climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
“I had always hoped I would be able to see such things as the Mona Lisa or Tuscany,” junior Caitlin Leitzen said. “I did not think I would be able to check it all off at the age of 21.”
Leitzen left the trip while in Paris to join the two-week Honors Trip to Turkey and Greece with Professor Bob Alsop.
The final city of the trip for the other 15 students was London, where four days were spent with the Elgin Marbles and Rosetta Stone at the British Museum, attending the musical “Wicked” after a meal of fish and chips at a London pub, seeing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London and enjoying the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
Students attending the trip were Andrew Blum, Jessica Damm, Toni Erdahl, Gabby Gonzales, Brianna Gray, Nicki Gray, A.J. Groebner, Krysta Hanson, Kristin Huls, Caitlin Leitzen, Kaleigh Little, Mallory Lovik, Renae Nelson, Tyler Snell, Yolanda Warner and Abbie Wibe.
In addition to the historical sights, architecture and works of art, students experienced many outstanding meals.
“I enjoyed all aspects of the trip but my favorite was the new cuisine at each location,” Blum said. “I had a chance to enjoy shrimp pizza in Rome, a lardo appetizer in Florence, lots of varieties of gelato throughout Italy, and fish and chips at a London pub.”
The trip is offered to communication majors at Waldorf so they can learn about the art and history of many of the western world’s historic places. As with past trips, students returned to Forest City with a better understanding of how European culture helped to shape American life.
“Each group of students who have attended a study abroad trip has found it to be a life-enriching experience,” Professor Damm said. “When students come back for homecoming or email me, one of the first things they mention is the Europe trip and how they wish they could go again. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn about and experience new things.”
Students attended class for six Sunday nights in March and April learning about what they would see and experience. Each student wrote two papers about the art and artists they would encounter then wrote journals while at each site.
Trips were also taken in 2004, 2006 and 2008, 2010 and a trip is planned for 2012.
