Student Experiences
“My summer in Florence was a dream! Such a beautiful city filled with so much art and life. Prior to studying in Florence I had never been to Europe, so I was nervous for the program. However, all of those nerves were for nothing because I had a great experience. My favorite parts of the trip were going to Venice with the entire program as well as my weekend trip to Cinque Terre with my roommates. As for the program director Vince, he was always more than willing to help every one of his students no matter what. Do not pass on Italy Abroad Program!”
“The time that I spent in Italy during the Fashion Art Design Tour was an educational and eye-opening experience. Not only did I get the opportunity to learn more about Italy and the culture, but I also broadened my knowledge of fashion history as well as the intersections between fashion, art, and architecture. During the time I spent in the Italy Abroad Program, I made new friends and saw life through a different perspective. Overall, the experience was one that I will always remember and be grateful for. I would highly recommend anyone who wants to travel and broaden their horizons by experiencing education and life in a different country to sign up and study abroad with the Italy Abroad Program."
“Traveling to Italy through the Italy Abroad Program was an enlightening and immersive experience. As a college student who started college in the heat of a global pandemic, this abroad program was a leap out of my comfort zone, but I am so happy that I had this opportunity offered to me and followed through with it. First off, Vince, the founder of the program and lead liaison for all the events and trip plans, did an excellent job at being inclusive and informative with his emails leading up to the trip. The price breakdown was very straightforward from the beginning, the website is easily accessible and well organized, and Vince himself would always respond to emails with my questions swiftly and promptly. Prior to the trip, I felt very confident and prepared as well as excited for the immersive itinerary that Vince had sent out to everyone. I cannot speak highly enough of this trip after it concluded. I met my best friends, earned credit for immersive hands-on experience, saw world famous travel destinations like Capri and the Amalfi Coast, explored many Italian towns and had the opportunity to learn about Italian culture first-hand. One of my favorite memories with the group, although it is very challenging to pick just one memory, was our initiation dinner at the castle in Ischia. This was such a unique opportunity and really catalyzed my already growing excitement for the trip in general. I was able to meet the professors and other students in a more casual yet elevated setting, see a portion of Ischia from a lovely view and try foods unique to the island. A second memory from this trip that will stick with me would be wine tasting in Sorrento at a winery called Sorrentino. Similarly, we got to try a unique house-made meal in pairing with wine made at this location. What was unique about this, however, was getting the opportunity to walk through the grounds of the property and learn about the different conditions various grapes need to make different types of wine. The program overall was an incredible experience filled with fun, cultural immersion, laughter, wonderful food, and unique eye opening adventures and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an active and immersive trip to Italy.”
“My month abroad in Rome was such an incredible experience. This was my first trip to Europe, and in just 4 weeks, I was able to learn so much about this beautiful city, travel with new friends to four other countries, and create unforgettable memories. They say that the people you study abroad with eventually become your close friends, and that's absolutely true. In fact, my roommate in this program has become one of my best friends. Take advantage of this opportunity - you never know what could happen! As for Vince, he organized everything with the utmost professionalism. He always made sure to go above and beyond to ensure we felt comfortable with being so far from home. For instance, one time, my roommate and I forgot our passports in our apartment so Vince took the train from Rome to Sorrento all the way to the place we were at to deliver them. You really can't find another program director who would go out of their way to help fix a student's careless mistake. This is just one of the many examples that demonstrate his commitment and dedication towards this program. Thank you Vince for all that you do and for this amazing experience!”
“When I started to plan and prepare for the study abroad program in Italy, I had no idea that this trip would impact me the way it did. Some of my most memorable experiences were in Ischia, Salerno, and Pompeii. It was one of our first days in Ischia when we went to the Negombo Thermal Baths and learned about the healing properties of water. Salerno, the first full day there, we did a walking tour that showed the inner beauty of the city, and that Salerno was one of the first cities in Europe to start a medical school, and they had women doctors that were professors teaching at the school. In Pompeii, we did a guided tour of the city of Pompeii and learned about the history of the old town and the impact of the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. There was so much to learn during this study abroad, not only about the culture and history but also about myself. And when I think of all the new people I met during this trip, it’s spectacular; it has impacted me in more ways than one, forming new relationships and bonds that will forever be there even if they live hundreds to thousands of lives miles away. I will always be grateful for the connections I made and will continue to grow them. I didn’t know anyone who was going, and it was frightening. But once I landed, I was making friendships. We all got to see the different sides of each other, from the good to the bad, spending day after day together. This experience has also helped me to understand the importance of food, health, community, and the people. When I look back on this trip, I will think of the friendships made and the lessons learned about history, vineyards, health, etc. This trip was something so unexpected and wonderful, and I’m so grateful for the experience of getting to be part of the opportunity of seeing part of the beautiful country of Italy.”
“My experience abroad with Vince was astounding and unforgettable. I had the rare opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful and historical cities on earth, Florence Italy, for a month and make weekend trips to Rome, Milan, Venice, Cinque Terre, Barcelona, and Paris. The structure of the tour was so that there was a schedule and planned tours, but you were not obligated to attend all of them. This was great because there was always something to do if you didn't know what to do, but you also had the freedom to do what you wanted to do. Vince is incredibly knowledgeable about the cities we toured in Italy and made sure we had fun, but also stayed safe. We got to "get lost" in every city without truly being lost. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to live in a little flat with the other students in my group. We would have little homemade "family dinners" that felt like we were living the local life. At night we enjoyed the nightlife where we met locals and other travelers. I met two of my best friends on this trip and this experience has shaped and solidified our friendship forever. I am so happy to have had this life experience and I look back on it so fondly. This was my first and only introduction to traveling abroad and it was a blast! I definitely hope to go back some day soon!”