Barrett program unlocks study abroad for first-year honors students
First-year Barrett students studying abroad in Italy earn core honors credit and tap into the growth of study abroad early on in their academic career with the Barrett Global Honors Flex program. Courtesy photo
Twenty first-year students from Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University are spending their second semester studying abroad in Rome, Italy.
Traveling in a tight-knit honors community with one Barrett faculty member, these students earn 15 credits — half of their required honors curriculum — in their first year. This unique opportunity, known as Barrett Global Honors Flex, allows them to jumpstart their academic and personal growth early in their college journey.
“I’ve learned that I can do a lot more than I think I can,” said Violet Lenz, a film major at the Sidney Poitier New American Film School. “It’s easier to figure things out than it seems.
“I think it's helped me grow so much as a person, growing my own confidence in my abilities. But it also has grown my worldview and my ideas about people and life. It's definitely life-changing and gives you a lot of real-world experience."
Of the 15 credits, nine are taught by Barrett Honors faculty member Joseph Foy. Students study core Barrett curriculum, like HON 272 with Foy, learning about literature, philosophy and monuments.
“There have been so many rewarding moments with the students on this trip,” Foy said. “There have been the ‘aha’ moments when students see an ancient ruin or statue and connect it to their learning about history or art.”
Oftentimes, these connections come as “unexpected moments of recognition,” as Foy describes.
Foy noticed his students connecting their study of "Frankenstein" in the classroom to the Spanish Steps in Rome, with additional pieces Mary Shelley wrote on expatriates living in Italy.
Seeing monuments like the Campo de’ Fiori, where the philosopher Giordano Bruno was executed for beliefs contrary to the church, helps the classroom learning of philosophy come to life.
The program is run in a hybrid format, tapping into ASU’s online learning platform. Students start their Barrett coursework online in January before they study abroad, and complete the rest of the curriculum in person during the 12 weeks they are in Italy. Students choose their remaining six credits from courses offered onsite by partner CIEE. Students can enroll in classes like International Journalism, Beauty and Pride of Italian Film or Essential Italian, which cater to diverse majors and interests.
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Maya Richman and Hannah Horton attend a group Italian cooking class while in the Barrett Global Honors Flex program.
Courtesy photo
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Barrett students learn problem-solving skills and independence, like navigating the metro for class and other intercultural learning experiences.
Courtesy photo
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Barrett students engage in group intercultural activities like dinners, excursions and walking tours outside of class.
Courtesy photo
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Barrett students take walking tours of historical sites, like the Teatro di Marcello while in Italy.
Courtesy photo
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Maya Richman and Hannah Horton attend a group Italian cooking class while in the Barrett Global Honors Flex program.
Courtesy photo
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Barrett students learn problem-solving skills and independence, like navigating the metro for class and other intercultural learning experiences.
Courtesy photo
-
Barrett students engage in group intercultural activities like dinners, excursions and walking tours outside of class.
Courtesy photo
-
Barrett students take walking tours of historical sites, like the Teatro di Marcello while in Italy.
Courtesy photo
-
Maya Richman and Hannah Horton attend a group Italian cooking class while in the Barrett Global Honors Flex program.
Courtesy photo
-
Barrett students learn problem-solving skills and independence, like navigating the metro for class and other intercultural learning experiences.
Courtesy photo
-
Barrett students engage in group intercultural activities like dinners, excursions and walking tours outside of class.
Courtesy photo
-
Barrett students take walking tours of historical sites, like the Teatro di Marcello while in Italy.
Courtesy photo
“I’ve learned a lot about the Italian perspective on journalism in my International Journalism class,” said Joana Cano, a first-year sports journalism major based at the Downtown Phoenix campus. “I want to cover the FIFA World Cup or be a sideline reporter for the Mexican National Team one day, so it’s been cool to explore the global side of journalism.”
Studying abroad as first-year student offers distinct advantages. Students learn independence, intercultural skills and adaptability early on in their academic career, and can apply these throughout their full academic journey at ASU — and beyond.
“The goal of this program is to provide an early opportunity for honors students to develop global perspectives and experience different cultures by living and studying abroad in their first year at Barrett,” said Jason Briggs, the senior director of Barrett’s Office of Global Initiatives.
So far, students have reported exactly that.
Maya Richman, a Spanish major in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, reflected on her growth: “Traveling here has been so different from trips with my parents. I’ve learned how to become completely independent and figure things out that they normally would — and do it all on my own!”
“Going abroad my first year helped me get comfortable in new environments early,” said Allison Bean, an out-of-state student from Nevada who has already navigated two big changes in her short time away from home — moving to Arizona and then studying abroad in Rome.
Beyond the classroom, students explore surrounding regions, deepening their cultural immersion.
“I think a lot of these people that are on this trip I'm going to stay friends with throughout all of college, even when we go back to Tempe," Bean reflected. “I think the connections I make here are really deep because we're all experiencing the same things — the challenges and the joys.”
Next year, the program will expand to 40 students, splitting into two groups, allowing students to experience Rome and Milan. Participants will spend six weeks in each city, swapping locations midway to help students experience different aspects of Italian culture.
Applications will reopen for the program in the summer for students hoping to participate next year.
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