Science students can study abroad amidst rigid graduation plans.
The deadline nears for students to grab at one of the ways the college enables them to go abroad and still stick to their graduation plans.
Feb. 15 is the last day students can apply to the Organic Chemistry in Spain summer program, which combines Organic Chemistry II with the picturesque landscape and vibrant culture of San Sebastian, Spain.
“My trip to San Sebastian was honestly one of the most memorable things that I have done,” said Luciano Esquivel, a third-year biology major who attended the program in summer 2011. “I've always wanted to go to Spain and what better way than to go over there and even get credit for school? I loved the scenery, the culture, the siestas and the people. There is honestly not one thing about the experience that was bad.”
Conversational Spanish (SPN 319S) is also part of the program and is taught along with CH 310N, the second class in the organic chemistry sequence. The organic chemistry class has been taught by Dr. John Colapret for the past two years but will be taught instead by Dr. Kristen Procko the second summer session this summer.
“So many of the students are on the pre-professional track,” said Dr. Procko, who is also the Research Educator for the Organic Synthesis Stream of the Freshman Research Initiative. “This may be one of the few opportunities that they get to spend a significant amount of time in a foreign country. Because the class size is smaller than the typical organic lecture, I plan for the course to be more interactive than is possible with a larger class size.”
All students are welcome to apply for the program, and the deadline for applying to the program has been extended to Feb. 15. This summer the program will take place July 9 to August 13.
“The first thing I did when I got to San Sebastian was unpack my stuff at my dorm, and go straight to the beach (it was night time already) and just sit down on the sand,” added Esquivel. “As I sat on the sand I just thought to myself ‘Wow, I'm actually here.’ It was truly a magnificent feeling to sit there, enjoy the ocean breeze, see the lights and soak up the fact that I was there.”
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