This year, 14 students are traveling to Italy and Switzerland with Meredith Abroad. Faculty members Greg Vitarbo and Jim Waddelow are accompanying the group. The group departs May 19 and will return June 26.

The program begins with four weeks in Sansepolcro, Italy, a small town located in the beautiful Tiber Valley about halfway between Florence and Rome. From Italy, the group travels to Stechelberg, Switzerland where the Swiss Alps are dazzling.

The program provides students with an introduction to European culture with a focus on art and architecture. Courses include Warfare, Culture and Social Change in Western History, Music Appreciation and Arts, Artifacts & Culture - the Continent. While in Italy, Waddelow will organize a small ensemble of musicians to study and perform Italian chamber music.

While they are abroad, members of the Meredith team will be sending frequent reflections in a journal format. These entries will be posted on the website regularly so that the Meredith community can track the travelers' progress. Be sure to check back often to see where they are and what they are doing.