LRCCD to offer study abroad program – The American River Current

The Los Rios Community College District offers a study abroad program, where students can earn credits while experiencing a different culture across the Atlantic Ocean.

“No matter what makes you an interesting person, and that’s a lot, being a student studying abroad will make you even more interesting and even more awesome,” said Gregory Beyrer, Los Rios faculty representative in London for the fall 2024 semester.

Each fall semester, the study abroad program travels to London, United Kingdom, or Barcelona, ​​Spain, with spring semesters taking place in Florence, Italy.

“The goal is to give students the opportunity to spend time in another country,” Beyrer said. “The courses are the same in terms of what is on the transcript and they are UC and CSU transferable.”

Although transitioning to a completely different continent can be difficult for students, the program is designed to make this transition as easy as possible.

“They don’t want to put too great an educational burden on you, because the truth about studying abroad is that the educational experience you get from it comes more from the experiences you have rather than the manual learning you do in the country. class,” said Ellie Hokerson-Brun, program ambassador who studied in Barcelona in 2023.

It is a full semester of credits, but the program is designed to give students time to get out and experience the city in which they live.

“During the weeks we had quite a bit of free time to go do things around Barcelona,” Hokerson-Brun said. “Sometimes we would meet at a museum or park during the week.”

The course is designed with a focus on educating students about what life is really like in the country where they are temporarily living.

“The program incorporated subsidized cultural activities so that we could participate in British life,” Beyrer said. “There’s actually a course that everyone takes called ‘British Life and Culture.’

Studying abroad is a big commitment, but it is an option open to all American River College students if they want to have a unique and memorable experience while continuing their education.

“It’s truly a unique opportunity and I don’t think there’s any other experience you’ll have in college or beyond that will teach you more about yourself and the world than living in a country foreigner in my early 20s and late teens,” Hokerson-Brun said.

The deadline to register for this upcoming semester in London is June 5, with the semester running from September 5 to December 6.