Northwestern students to study in Italy and Czechia this summer

Northwestern College students will head to Italy and Czechia this summer as part of two study abroad programs offered by the college’s global education office.

Dr. Jason Lief, associate professor of religion, will teach a class that explores religious beliefs and practices in Italy. Students will participate in a two-week spiritual pilgrimage that follows the journey of St. Francis from Assisi to Rome, and in doing so, will have the opportunity to examine their own faith. The pilgrimage will take students through rural Italy, where they will stay in hostels, homes and monasteries in small towns and villages. Morning and evening worship will be part of each day.

The summer study abroad program to Czechia—the country formerly known as the Czech Republic—will compare and contrast Czech sports, fitness and leisure pursuits with those in the U.S. Daily hikes and runs will be part of the schedule, as will the opportunity to interact with Czech college students while staying at two universities. Members of the class will also tour a Czech Olympic training center, visit a town famous for its mineral water spas, and explore castles and villages. Kyle Ochsner, head strength and conditioning coach, will teach the class.

Both courses are worth four credits and fulfill Northwestern’s general education cross-cultural studies requirement.