During the spring 2027 semester, English professors Jana Mathews (Ph.D.) and Emily Russell (Ph.D.) will be co-leading a study abroad in a variety of areas in Florida, Hawai’i, Appalachia, and Japan. This spring semester study abroad is designed to fit various student needs. What makes this opportunity different from past study abroad programs is that students will be able to earn almost an entire English minor. This means that during the time abroad, five out of six classes will be completed for the minor. In addition to this, students can earn required credits such as the intercultural competency (ICMP), the ethical reasoning competency (ECMP), or the Rollins Foundations in Liberal Arts (RFLA) at the 300 level. Students will be housed on Rollins’ campus and continue to have the freedom to be a part of on-campus organizations.
When asked about how this came to fruition, Russell and Mathews both noted that they were greatly inspired by environmental studies professors Barry Allen (Ph.D.) and Lee Lines’ (Ph.D.) previous immersion-like trips and asked them how to go about this kind of study. By using that framework, the two began conferring on ways that would allow this idea to become a reality. “We felt like now was our time,” said Russell.
When asked about why they chose to travel to these specific locations, Mathews said that “we really wanted to explore the idea of teaching a whole semester on experience.” Both Mathews and Russell agreed that travel is an incredible tool, as it is a great way to be educated about culture, media, and national identities and one that will help prepare students for their careers.
Russell said that “for the rest of students’ lives, they’ll be traveling and tourists. So even if they’re going to different sites, we are offering kind of a model how to go to an unfamiliar place, and this is how you think critically about what you see there.” This program does not have any prerequisites and is open to students of all majors.
Due to the number of credits this study abroad covers, this option will benefit all kinds of students. Mathews said, “Working with students and traveling with them has been the sort of single greatest pedagogical experience of both of our lives, which is why we continue doing it.” This allows for strong connections to build both between students and professors. “We don’t know them [the students] usually before they come on these trips, but they’re the ones that we are still in contact with 10 years later, 15 years later [and] we’re going to their weddings, we’re going to their baby showers… they become part of our network forever,” said Mathews.
The deadline to apply was Sept. 28, 2026. The cost of the study abroad semester will be around $3,500; however, all international and domestic travel will be included. Scholarships are available if finances are an issue in any way. Students are encouraged to contact jmathews@rollins.edu and erussell@rollins.edu with any further questions.
Comments are closed.