By The Keystone Newspaper By Kara Armstrong
This summer, a group of eight to twelve KU students will study abroad in Athens, Greece, the center of the ancient world. The program, running May 22, 2025 to June 16, 2025, will be led by KU faculty members Dr. Brandon Krieg and Dr. George Sirrakos.
“It’s going to be beautiful, it’s going to be cultural and the food is going to be amazing,” said Krieg. “There is so much to recommend.”
Students will produce their own lyrics, stories, short plays, travelogues and research while completing two General Education courses (6 credits):
Photo Credit: Dimitris Kiriakakis on Unsplash
WRI 108: Introduction to Creative Writing (category A4)
This course provides an introduction to creative writing in the genres of fiction, poetry, and drama, creative nonfiction, and nonfiction. Students will craft original creative works and revise based on critique and theoretical study of the writing process. Students will also read and analyze published works of poetry, fiction, drama, and nonfiction to serve as models for their own writing.
EDUC 120: Hip Hop and Multicultural Education (category D)
This course will investigate the connections between Hip-Hop culture, approaches to educating traditionally marginalized youth and the way in which schooling can be constructed and disseminated in Hip-Hop. Students will analyze the culture of Hip-Hop in an educational context and consider why rappers are effective teachers, how Hip-Hop is structured in ways that support argumentation and communication, and the ways in which traditional content courses can be taught using components of Hip-Hop culture. Once an understanding of Hip-Hop culture has been established, the term ‘multicultural education’ will be interrogated and lead students to question whether or not multicultural education has true meaning in current research and practice in education. This course will combine scholarship and theory with considerable exposure to various Hip-Hop songs and artists.
“Being in a new place causes your eyes to open much wider,” Krieg said. “It’s easier to pay attention, and it’s easier to notice things. Writing at that time can be really good because you’re really having interesting experiences, and you’re able to bring that into your work in a way that sometimes is harder when you’re just in your everyday life and used to the things you’re seeing.”
Students can expect guided tours of major landmarks such as the Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon, the Temple of Nike, and the Monasteries of Meteora. Students will also explore the Ancient Delphi, Poseidon’s Temple and beaches including Glyfada. In addition to group exploration, there will be three to four “self-guided” days, where students can plan their own itineraries.
Students must have completed CMP 100, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and possess a valid passport to be accepted in the program.
Students will pay a non-refundable deposit of $300 and a program charge of $3,200 in addition to their regular tuition rate. Students may be eligible for financial aid. Included in the program charge are accommodations (triple or quad hotel rooms), group-led excursions, in-country transportation and some group dinners.
Additionally, students should budget about $2,500 for non-KU costs such as flights, meals, a passport, international health insurance and personal expenses.
Interested students should apply by Jan. 15, 2025. Upon application, a $39 application fee is due. If a student is accepted and participates in the study abroad program, the application fee will count towards the program fee.
Contact Dr. George Sirrakos with any further questions about program details at sirrakos@kutztown.edu. For general study abroad questions contact studyaway@kutztown.edu.