There is so much to be learned from art across the globe. We are fortunate to have had three study abroad trips this summer led by our Arts faculty!
At the beginning of May, students were taken to the cities of London in England, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Paris in France to study art across three different countries. They were led by Art Advisor Van Mangus and Director of Field Experiences Zac Olson. The group spent 11 days exploring the artistic locations of these three cities. This course addressed art museums, galleries, and monuments within each country. Throughout this excursion, they learned how to discuss art, how these art objects reflect their historical context, and how to understand the visual cues that communicate the artists’ objectives. Mangus shared his experience with us. “Walking through the streets of London, Paris & Amsterdam is an experience to be remembered for a lifetime. Zac Olson and I just returned from taking 22 students on a backpacking excursion through Western Europe for our third time. Being culturally immersed for almost two weeks using public transportation and traveling by rail through each of the countries allowed for an international paradigm that gave each student the opportunity to open their eyes to new perspectives. Standing in front of the world’s most famous artworks can only be described by someone who has taken the time to experience it in person.” A couple students had this to say about the trip:
“I will literally never forget this trip. It was the coolest experience and I’m so grateful I was able to see all of those countries. I appreciate all the work that was put into the trip because it seriously made it amazing!!”
“Thank you so very much for this trip. It was truly incredible and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without this study abroad opportunity created by Zac and Van. I really appreciate how flexible and fun you both were. The best professors to experience the world with!”
In the middle of the month, art and history studies were undertaken in the Italian cities of Rome and Florence. Dr. Tara Field led them in an immersive two-week trip, offering students the unique opportunity to explore the rich cultural and artistic heritage of central Italy. Traveling through the historic cities of Rome, Florence, Pisa, and Siena, they examined the artistic achievements of ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. These iconic cities served as their open-air classrooms as they engaged directly with some of the world’s most celebrated artworks and monuments. Students learned how to critically analyze and discuss art within its historical, cultural, and geographical contexts, developed skills in visual literacy and historical interpretation through firsthand encounters with masterpieces. Dr. Field shared what it was like to lead this trip. “Leading the study abroad trip was such a rewarding experience. I studied abroad to Italy in undergrad, and it changed my life. Since then, it has been a lifelong goal to lead this trip, and it was everything I could have hoped for. We spent a week in Rome and another week in Florence, with a day trip to Pisa and Siena. Throughout our preparation during the semester, we studied Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque art history. While there, students completed journal and sketching activities on site in ancient ruins at the Roman Forum, at the Vatican, Uffizi, and other museums, as well as countless churches and piazzas. What made the experience especially meaningful for me was seeing students connect classroom learning to real, lived encounters with art and history. Watching them stand before works in person and develop their own interpretations was incredibly rewarding. For me, leading this program reaffirmed the importance of active learning. I look forward to offering more study abroad trips in the future!”
“Studying abroad in Italy was such an eye-opening experience. I learned so much about Italian culture as well as Italian history. We saw so many cool things and got to experience a lot of amazing art and architecture. The instructors were both great and very knowledgeable about all the cool things we saw. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!” — a student
And right now, some of our Music students are finishing up their journey to Austria and Hungary, led by Dr. Bryant Smith. They are studying musical history, culture, and locations in Austria and Hungary with specific activities in Salzburg and Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary. They also got to explore two more countries with day trips to Munich, Germany and Bratislava, Slovakia. The course offers opportunities to experience music in a variety of settings, including historical and contemporary sites, museums, concerts, and cultural events to help students develop cultural appreciation and refine musical skills.
“A life changing experience I’ll never forget!” — a student
It is always amazing to see how excited students return from their trips and knowing that they will take those experiences with them forever. For more information about our Study Abroad at Utah Tech University, visit: https://studyabroad.utahtech.edu/
By Allyson Twitchell, Marketing Coordinator for the College of the Arts
Cover photo by Diogo Fagundes on Unsplash
Additional photos provided by Van Mangus, Tara Field, and Bryant Smith