Spring Break Immersive Learning Trips
Two Principia-sponsored trips during spring break included intensive learning experiences. Five students traveled to San Francisco with Mass Communication Professor Stephanie Bauer and Visiting Professor Paul Van Slambrouck for a photo-documentary field program. “The group spent the days crisscrossing the ‘City by the Bay,’” Slambrouck notes. “The immersive program was so hands-on and intensive that it rivaled the learning outcome of an entire semester on campus.” The group stayed at Arden Wood, a Christian Science care facility in the heart of the city.
The trip was an ideal match for junior Laura Cluthe, an art major with a keen interest in photography and photojournalism. Laura regularly contributes photos for the Pilot, the College’s student-run magazine, and is a part-time photographer for Principia’s Marketing Department. “This opportunity allowed me to expand my portfolio and get practical experience telling stories through photographs,” she says. “I gained confidence as a street photographer and got out of my comfort zone by talking with strangers to craft a story. I love all of the opportunities that Principia gives students to travel and apply the skills they are developing in college to the world around them.”
A Quick but Deep Dive into Greece
For 10 students from a range of majors taking Graphic Design I or II taught by Art Professor Dan Kistler (C’79), an optional field experience in Greece provided a dynamic backdrop for sketching, taking pictures, and seeing art and history up close. The group visited the Acropolis Museum, National Archaeology Museum, Palamidi Fortress, and other ancient sites. Observing contemporary life throughout the trip was fascinating as well, including the array of graffiti full of political and social commentary in Athens—some by well-known graffiti artists.
Junior Adrianna Swarts shared her appreciation for the trip: “No matter where we went in Athens, we were never far from an amazing view of the Acropolis,” she says. “You can search online to learn about places, but there are many things you only experience by going there. For example, there are sections of Athens built on the rocks leading up to the Acropolis, and the rock is so massive and oddly shaped that people have boulders in their backyards. Some homes have reinforced glass patios in the yard instead of a lawn, so that passersby can see the ruins of ancient structures beneath. The whole experience was amazing!”