The PCC 2015 fall semester study abroad program offers a once in a lifetime opportunity that allows students to take in the sights and culture of picturesque Florence, Italy while they complete their required college coursework.
In the past, PCC has also offered trips to Oxford and Beijing.
“This trip gave me the opportunity to explore and learn new cultures and lifestyles from my own,” said photography major Concepcion Gonzalez about living abroad in Oxford in 2012. “This trip gave me the opportunity leave my comfort zone and try things I would have never tried before. It also gave me an opportunity to travel to different country like I have always wanted to.”
PCC is one of the few colleges that has Florence in their study abroad rotation. In fact, non-PCC students from San Diego and Oregon have inquired about the trip, according to Roger Marheine.
“The trip is life changing,” said professor Dan Raddon.
Raddon, an assistant professor of business administration at PCC, is nearly if not just as well traveled as his cousin Ryan, the electronic music artist known as Kaskade. He received his B.A. in Japanese from Brigham Young University and a masters’ degree in international business from Arizona State. He lived in Hokkaido, Japan for almost two years, and has traveled throughout Central America and Europe, including a stint in Italy.
Raddon will be teaching personal finance, introduction to business, and introduction to management.
“I am most looking forward to conducting field trips to businesses in Italy,” said Raddon. “We also hope to see the Ferrari plant.”
Business education is relatively new to the abroad program, according to Raddon. Becoming business savvy along with learning a foreign language will hopefully prove to be very useful once students earn their degree and start applying for jobs since there is such a demand for bilingual employees, he adds.
“It’s a very fun city for students,” said Marheine, who will also be accompanying and instructing the students on the trip.
Marheine studied English and comparative literature with an emphasis on European continental history and literature during his time at the University of Wisconsin.
He has also traveled throughout Europe and speaks of Florence as one of his favorite cities to visit because of its rich culture.
Marheine will be teaching modern drama, introduction to the novel, and introduction to the humanities.
Besides business, English, and humanities, students will take beginning and intermediate Italian.
Each class offered is transferable to a CSU or a UC, and in most cases both.
In addition to living in Florence from Sept. 11 to Dec. 7, the students and instructors will enjoy a three-day, two-night excursion to Rome and day trips to Siena and San Gimignano.
Interested students should visit the PCC Study Abroad Programs website.
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