Honors Program students have the opportunity to participate in Study Abroad trips that are comprised solely of Honors students. Trips occur during the spring of odd years and are connected to the HON 390: Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar course in the given semester. Trips are coordinated in conjunction with the Global Education Office on campus, and include airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, some meals, tickets for some events, tips, and international health insurance.
May 2023: The British Isles
The Honors Program will travel to Ireland, Wales, and England in May 2023. Specific dates are not set but will be around May 8-18. The trip includes roundtrip airfare out of Columbus, hotel accommodations and a travel guide who will lead the group from the west coast of Ireland around the Ring of Kerry, through Blarney, and up into Dublin. Following a tour of Ireland will be a jaunt over to Wales, through the British Midlands, into Stratford and Oxford and finishing up in London. The group will enjoy sightseeing famous landmarks such as St. Patrick's Cathedral, Anne Hathway's cottage, Big Ben, and Buckingham's Palace. The trip combines guided tours as well as plenty of free time to explore personal bucket list destinations.
May 2019: Grecian Odyssey
Thirty two Honors Program students along with Dr. Swanson, Professor of Mathematics, toured the world famous Acropolis and Parthenon, admired the ruins of the temples of Hera and Zeus and tasted Greek cuisine on their Grecian Odyssey tour in May 2019. The group explored Athens, the Corinth Canal, Mycenae, Epidauraus, Olympia, Delphi, Meteora, the Termopylae Pass, and Cape Sounion.
May 2017: Irish Heritage Tour
Dr. Swanson, Professor of Mathematics and the Director of the Honors Program, led a group of 21 AU Honors students to the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in May 2017. The multi-city tour provided students with the opportunity to experience firsthand the culture of Ireland. The tour was tied to the Spring 2017 Honors 390: Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar course, during which students studied various topics related to Ireland, including the Easter Rising of 1916, the Gaelic language, Irish film and the poetry of W.B. Yeats.
The itinerary included time spent in Dublin, Cork, Kinsale, and Killarney and students saw such sights as the St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grafton Street, Blarney Castle and the Rock of Cashel as well as Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and the city of Edinburgh, Scotland.
May 2015: Italy: The Grand Tour
In May 2015, 15 Honors students traveled to Italy for an 11-day trip to Italy along with Dr. and Mrs. Swanson. These students participated in the Honors 390-: Honors Interdisciplinary Seminar course during the Spring 2015 semester. This course covered a variety of topics related to Italy, including Italian Opera, Italian Art, Global citizenship and Italy, and Contemporary Issues in Italy.
Upon arriving in Italy, participants visited Venice, Florence, Pisa, Assisi, Pompeii, the Sorrento Region, Capri, Ostia Antica, Rome, and Vatican City and were able to see masterpieces such as Michelangelo's David, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Sistine Chapel, and the Colosseum. The group also participated in authentic Italian experiences including a gondola ride in the Venitian canals and eating a great deal of pizza and gelato!
