Some students are already thinking about Spring Break, even though fall semester has just begun. Many clubs and organizations at Eastern have planned trips for Spring Break, but there is one trip that was planned, not by a club, but by a class.
One of the INST480 capstone courses is called Text in Context. This spring, it will have the subtitle “Italy,” and from Feb. 27 to Mar. 8, the class will fly across the Atlantic and travel to Florence, Rome and Venice.
They will also take a side trip to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis. The trip will include structured tours of the cities, as well as lots of free time for exploring.
Dr. Caroline Cherry, head of the English department, is the professor for this class. She has led capstone trips many times before to many different places besides Italy. Last year this same course went to Ireland.
According to Cherry, the course will discuss the history, art, literature and architecture of Italy, specifically the classical and early-to-late Renaissance periods. During the trip, the students will keep a journal; they will then write a paper on something concerning Italian culture or history that they observed on the trip.
But this trip is not just for students of the class. Anyone associated with Eastern can go along, just as long as they acquire a passport and sign up with a roommate. Whoever takes the class must take the trip – if they want credits, that is.
The trip costs $2,538, whether you take the class or not. The price includes everything except meals. Students can use an ATM machine either here or in Europe to obtain Euros to use as spending money.
There are still plenty of spots available on the trip; at least 25 students must sign up, otherwise the trip will be canceled. The deadline for sign up is Oct. 30 – with a deposit of $400 – and the last day to get a full-refund is Nov. 26.
Will Cunningham 
Mikaela Brown 
Sophia Hunter