If students are looking to expand their horizons and study abroad, both Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College will be putting together a trip for Florence, Italy for spring next 2017

DVC Professor Carolyn Seefer, who taught in Florence in 2007, is excited to get the opportunity to do so again ten years later. She said the greatest benefit to studying abroad is experiencing life in a different culture.

“Studying abroad is much richer than simply being a tourist who visits a place for a few days,” said Seefer.

This experience is designed to help students change their world perspective, explore other cultures, learn more about themselves and build their resumes.

LMC Instructor Ken Alexander was also grateful for his couple of trips to Florence in both 1999 and 2010. His favorite part, being in the same city that was once called home to some of history’s most influential artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

“It will change your life. You will never be satisfied. Once you travel, you will always want to travel again,” said Alexander.

The program has been a part of the Contra Costa Community College District for 30 years and has most recently taken students to France. Future trips to England and Spain will be discussed.

“Studying abroad is truly a life changing experience. I hear over and over from past study abroad students that they return to the United States as different, better people due to their experiences studying abroad,” said Seefer.

Students must be 18 years or older, have a GPA of 2.25 or higher and must have completed at least 12 college units to meet the requirements to participate in the program.

The fee for the trip to Florence will be $7,995 per person, but Alexander said it is very well worth it for the experience, adding that to independently live somewhere like that for three months would be much more expensive.

“You can buy stuff and it will get old, but you can buy experiences and they will last forever,” Alexander said.

However, there is still financial aid for students that apply and qualify. The Gilman Study Abroad Scholarships are free to apply for by participating students and aims supports students that are usually underrepresented in study abroad. The American Institute For Foreign Study is also offering three scholarships for the spring program to Florence.

Students will depart Jan. 28 and will be returning from Italy exactly three months later, April 28.

There will be a meeting held at the Brentwood Campus on September 12 from 3 to 4 p.m. in Room 14 to learn more about the trip and the program.

For more information on the upcoming meetings and trip information contact the Study Abroad Office at 969-2507 or visit the programs main page on Facebook at facebook.com/dvcstudyabroad.