SUU Bringing Community World Travel in 2018

Published: January 10, 2017 | Author: Haven Scott | Read Time: 3 minutes

With stops in China, France and England, Southern Utah University’s new Community on the Go program took groups of adult community members from all walks of life to places around the world in 2017.

In 2018, Community on the Go trips are slated to be equally as intriguing — if not a bit frightening.

This year, SUU’s community travel lineup begins in May to the ancient Inca Empire in Peru. Once considered the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, the Incas ruled the highlands of Peru from the early 13^th century until succumbing to Spanish armies in 1572.

Architecture highlights the Peru trip, with sites such as Ollantaytambo, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, or the temple of Qorikancha, selected. Traditional cooking lessons, textile weaving demonstrations and dancing lessons are also included in the itinerary.

SUU experts leading the trip are Dr. Emily Dean, associate professor of anthropology, and Dr. Iliana Portaro, assistant professor of Spanish. An archaeologist specializing in prehistory of the Andean region of South America, Dean has conducted both archaeological and anthropological fieldwork in Peru. Portaro, a native of Lima, Peru, received her Ph.D. in Latin American literature and cultures, and specializes in Peruvian literature and women’s studies.

In October, Community on the Go takes flight to Transylvania for Halloween. From the banks of the immortal Danube River, to the lush farm valleys and mesmerizing mountain peaks of western Romania, to the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, this voyage is sure to excite those who love history and science fiction. In Romania, Bran Castle, more commonly known as Dracula’s castle due to similarities of the setting in Bram Stoker’s famous novel Dracula, is a favorite stop among tourists.

SUU Professors Kyle Bishop, a nationally recognized expert on the horror genre, and Dr. Grant Corser, knowledgeable traveler of the Transylvania region and expert on the psychology of fear and its connections to things that go bump in the night, will lead the expedition.

And in December, Community on the Go will voyage to Germany and Austria for Christmas in the Alps. The journey begins in Munich before traveling to the historic castles of Füessen and a tour of The Sound of Music movie site in Salzburg. In Austria, travelers will visit art museums with the option to attend an opera if desired.

“Both Germany and Austria have rich Christmas traditions that appeal to community members,” said Kurt Harris, SUU’s Director of Learning Abroad. “I am personally excited that we will be visiting one of the most famous and popular destinations in the world, Neuschwanstein castle.”

Housed in the SUU Office of Community and Academic Enrichment (CAE), Community on the Go is a program designed to offer community members immersive, educational experiences while traveling the globe with SUU specialists, said CAE Executive Director Melynda Thorpe.

“SUU expert-led trips allow for groups of 20-30 to explore various parts of the world in a fun, affordable, and educational setting,” Thorpe said. “Community on the Go seeks to provide those who travel with an academically rich, affordable and fun vacation. Our employees handle the logistics, such as transportation schedules, attraction tickets and hotel reservations.”

Much like a study abroad program for adult members of the community interested in educational travel, Community on the Go trips are designed to offer fun, affordable, educational travel experiences, and to build community relationships with SUU faculty experts leading the trips. Activities are flexible and designed using community feedback.

The new CAE office at SUU provides experiential learning opportunities for community members that appeal to a variety of educational interests, and to reconfirm the partnership between the community and learning that resulted in the very establishment of the institution in 1897. Five programs have been created to appeal to enhance quality of life in the areas of social, intellectual, professional and cultural development, including; Community Education, Community Professional Development, Community on the Go, Road Creek Inn (SUU’s Capitol Reef field station), and Summer Experience (a southern Utah-based experiential learning program).

For more information on 2018 SUU Community on the Go trips, or to reserve your spot with a deposit, visit suu.edu/onthego, call (435) 865-8259 or stop by the office at 136 W. University Blvd, Suite 003, Cedar City, Utah.

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Tags: Community on the Go Community and Professional Development International Affairs

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