This year, 23 students are traveling to Italy and Switzerland with Meredith Abroad. Faculty members Becky Oatsvall, Catherine Rodgers and Ellen Goode are accompanying the group. The group departs May 15 and will return June 28.

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 Switzerland, first to Stechelberg where the Swiss Alps are dazzling. They then settle for the remainder of their stay in Lugano, a lovely town in Ticino, the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland.

The program provides students with an introduction to European culture with a focus on art and architecture. Courses include Modern Drama, the History of Architectural Interiors and Furnishings, and Arts, Artifacts & Culture - the Continent.

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.

Click here for 2005-2006 pictures from Italy.