Learning Abroad: LPC Students in Spain

LPC launched its first faculty-led study abroad program for academic credit this June. Students traveled to Sevilla, Spain, where Professors Katie Eagan and Elizabeth Wing Brooks taught English 45 (Studies in Fiction) and Humanities 11 (Culture and the Arts I: Ancient World to Renaissance). Thanks to the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), students stayed with Spanish families and experienced daily life and culture firsthand.

The intensive program combined classroom learning with excursions throughout Andalusia. Students connected their studies of literature, art, architecture, and history to places they visited, including the ancient Roman city of Itálica, Córdoba, Granada, and the Royal Alcázar and Alhambra. They explored Roman ruins and the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Roma influences on Spanish culture, as well as difficult histories involving colonization, the Inquisition and Reconquista, Francoism, and migration.

One student reflected on seeing the Roman ruins alongside their coursework: “The intersection of what we were learning in our book and seeing it at the Roman ruins was definitely a highlight when it came to seeing what you’re learning right in front of you.” Another described the experience as “the best academic experience I have had until this point.” Students also grew personally through navigating a new country independently, using Spanish, taking public transportation, meeting new people, and adapting to cultural differences. They confronted challenges including heat, jet lag, culture shock, time management, and disability in a different environment. Their coursework also encouraged them to consider the impacts of cultural tourism and how to become more conscientious travelers.

When asked whether they would recommend study abroad to other community college students, the response was an enthusiastic yes. One student wrote, “My only regret is that this trip wasn't any longer.” Another shared that the experience made them “bolder and less shy” and more comfortable connecting with strangers.

LPC’s Study Abroad and Global Education (SAGE) website provides information about scholarships and other opportunities to learn abroad. We encourage readers to explore these opportunities and consider supporting the Global Education Fund through the LPC Foundation. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this first study abroad experience possible!

LPC Mission: Las Positas College is an inclusive, learning-centered, equity-focused environment that offers educational opportunities and support for completion of students’ transfer, degree, and career-technical goals while promoting lifelong learning.

College Priorities:

Equity:

Establish a knowledge base and an appreciation for equity; create a sense of urgency about moving toward equity; institutionalize equity in decision-making, assessment, and accountability; and build capacity to resolve inequities.

Student Success & Completion:

Increase student success and completion through change in college practices and processes: coordinating needed academic support, removing barriers, and supporting focused professional development across the campus.

Health and Wellness:

Establish a knowledge base and an appreciation for health and wellness in the workplace; create a sense of urgency about wellness in decision-making, assessment, and accountability; and build capacity to support wellness.

Learning Abroad: LPC Students in Spain

College Priorities:

Equity:

Student Success & Completion:

Health and Wellness:

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