You may not be making plans for May 2016 yet, but students at High Point University are! HPU’s Office of Study Abroad is pleased to offer 13 Global Experience programs to 15 countries on six continents for undergraduate students in the New Year. These programs are short-term, faculty-led study abroad or study America courses, often referred to as ‘Maymesters.’ The courses provide students with hands-on experiences abroad, such as drawing on-site in Italy, visiting with business leaders in Germany or living with a host family in Costa Rica. They also give faculty members the opportunity to add international experiences to a course they are teaching and create innovative ways to deliver content that will challenge students and bring courses to life.
Students on our 2015 HPU’s Global Experience trip to France photographed Paris during the “Maymester” course on documentary photography. Their objective: to find a new way of photographing the city while exploring its past and future.
“The students jumped right in taking photos of famous sites, but tried to do it with a different viewpoint and with an eye for composition, color, texture and leading lines, all the things we had discussed in class before going,” says Benita VanWinkle, assistant professor of art, who led the trip. “They really did a great job of editing, learning and photographing Paris from the old to the new.”
Caitlin Maressa, a rising junior and communication major, spent her time photographing Parisians in their daily activities. She also enjoyed photographing graffiti and street musicians. She says the trip enriched her knowledge of the French culture and helped her grow as a photographer.
“I could go on for hours about Paris, but what the trip really did for me was open my eyes,” Maressa says. “It made me think more about other cultures and different lifestyles. I found myself drawn to the style of the Parisians, and I was fascinated by everything they did. One thing I loved about the French culture is how social they are. I really enjoyed the aspect of going to a café for a cappuccino and sitting to take in the gorgeous streets of Paris.”
2016 will take HPU students to three new locations: Australia, Costa Rica and Scotland. The application deadline for these programs is November 2, and we hope you’ll encourage your student to consider one of these programs. More information can be found on our website. Students can contact the Office of Study Abroad (email [email protected], call 336-841-9280, or stop by our office in 142 Cottrell Hall) for more information and to receive an application.