Program Summary

Nestled in the heart of the Balkan peninsula, Bulgaria is the easternmost member state of the European Union. As a territory on the crossroad between Asia and Europe, Bulgaria features a fascinating history and a multiethnic society that distinguishes it from traditional Western European destinations. For five centuries, Bulgaria was a province of the Ottoman Empire, and in the twentieth century it experienced both fascism and communism. In 1989 it embarked on a transition to capitalism and liberal democracy, and in 2007, Bulgaria joined the European Union.

The trip to Bulgaria during Spring Break 2025 is an intensive cultural and learning experience that continues “on the ground” the survey of Southeastern European media, history, and culture undertaken during the first part of COMM 419H World Media Systems. Through visits and exploration of cultural and historical sites, tours of the capital Sofia, and visits of local media institutions, students will learn how the country navigates its tumultuous history, multiethnic society, and divided geopolitical allegiances between Western Europe, the United States, and Orthodox Russia.

The travel component is integrated into the three-credit course COMM 419H World Media Systems. This course is designed to train you to think critically and holistically about the history, culture, and media in Southeastern Europe. Through the lens of media, the focus is on how political, economic, and socio-cultural environments influence the intense transformations of Southeast European societies. In this course, we use an interdisciplinary analytic framework that intermixes media studies, history, politics, and social theory.

About Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an East European country, neighboring Türkiye, Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, and Serbia. With a population of 7 million, Bulgaria’s territory is comparable to the U.S. state of Tennessee. There are three main ethnic groups including, Christian Orthodox, Turkish-speaking Muslims, and Roma. The country is mountainous and has a long coast on the Black Sea. Even though Bulgaria is the poorest member of the EU and has one of fastest shrinking populations in the world, it is a safe and welcoming society with a liberal democracy and a rule of law. It features a vibrant media system with primarily privately-owned, commercial media as well as a solid public radio and television channels.

This program is open to Penn State students at University Park. Priority will be given to Schreyer Scholars and Bellisario students. Schreyer Scholars who have not taken the prerequisite COMM 410, but are interested in the course, are encouraged to apply, and will be interviewed.

Estimated Costs

The program fee of $1,500 includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy) in Sofia, daily breakfast, welcome and farewell dinner, in-country ground transportation, public transportation for select site visits, and select cultural site visits. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,100 via scholarship toward this fee approximately 30 days prior to travel. Additional need-based funding may be available for Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.

Students are encouraged to apply for funding through our provider, World Strides. Please note that the deadline for the two $3,000 scholarships for any March program is November 15. Additionally, $500 grants from the International Financial Assistance Program are available through World Strides, with a deadline of at least 90 days prior to departure.

Out of pocket expenses include roundtrip airfare to Sofia ($900-1,100), site visits not covered by the program fees, meals, passport, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.

Application Process

Interested students should complete the application form and return it by e-mail attachment to both Dr. Martin Marinos and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Friday, October 18, 2024. However, decisions will be made on a rolling basis upon a review of the application; the academic department will facilitate course registration. Accepted students will be asked to commit to the program by 5:00 PM on Monday, December 2, 2024.

Program Summary

Life in Cambodia is rapidly changing. While still struggling with widespread poverty, its economic growth is among the fastest in the world over the last two decades. This rapid economic growth has huge implications for youth and young adults as they adapt to the changing economic opportunities and educational choices. These opportunities and choices exist against the backdrop of both current cultural changes that comes with globalization and the still recent historical trauma of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Genocide of the 1970s, which killed nearly a quarter of its population, then its subsequent decade long occupation by Vietnam.

This honors class will provide students with background information on the recent history and culture of Cambodia and give students in-depth experiences with local non-profit organizations that assist youth and young adults as they adapt to their rapidly changing world.

The travel component will take place over two weeks in May 2025 in and around the city of Siem Reap, a mid-sized city in northwest Cambodia that provides both employment and educational opportunities for the region. Local non-profit organizations in Siem Reap will provide our class the opportunity to visit and interact with their staff at the sites where they support the educational journey of youth and young adults.

Because Siem Reap is situated near the seat of the ancient Khmer Empire, which dominated Southeast Asia over a thousand years ago, the travel component of this class will provide students the opportunity to learn about the current challenges confronting youth and young adults in Cambodia while immersing themselves in the Khmer culture and history that define Cambodia’s past and ground its future path. Students will spend time learning onsite from local non-profit organizations. They will also visit and learn about the world-famous cultural sites at the center of the ancient Khmer Empire. These sites include Angkor Wat, which is considered to be the largest religious structure in the world, and Bayon, with its huge representations of Buddhist deities.

Students will earn 3.25 honors credits for this experience by registering for HDFS 497 in the spring semester for 3 credits and HDFS 499 for .25 credit during the summer session. There will be at least seven 1-hour classes during the spring 2025 semester during which students will learn about the history of Cambodia and the different organizations that we will visit. Once we have selected the students for the course, we will coordinate the class meeting time based on everyone's availability.

Travel

There will be a recommended flight to/from Siem Reap, but participants are responsible for making their own arrangements and for arriving within the time window specified.

Eligibility

This program is open to all Penn State students, at any campus and in any major. Priority will be given to Schreyer Honors Scholars, Paterno Fellows, and HDFS majors/minors.

Estimated Costs

For travel in Summer 2025, students will be charged a “flat rate” for the associated 0.25 credit course rather than paying regular tuition. The flat rate will be $200 for both in-state and out-of-state students. There is also a program fee of $2,180 which includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy), daily breakfast, select meals (two lunches and three dinners), transportation within Cambodia including airport transfers, and select cultural site visits (subject to change). Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,500 via scholarship effectively lowering the program fee to $680. Additional need-based funding may be available for Schreyer Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.

Out of pocket expenses include roundtrip airfare to Cambodia, site visits and meals not covered by the program fees, passport, visa processing, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.

Application Process

Complete the application form and return by e-mail attachment to both Dr. Hobart Cleveland and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Program Summary

The Penn State McCourtney Institute for Democracy awarded the 2019 Brown Democracy Medal to Irish Scholars David Farrell and Jane Suiter who spearheaded various deliberation initiatives that led to the Irish Citizen's Assembly, a landmark exercise in deliberation integrated with the Irish government. The Assembly resulted in tremendous legal and cultural change in Ireland, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and a referendum to lift Ireland's abortion ban. Students will travel to Ireland to learn from Irish scholars and citizens about the cultural, economic, and political context of the Irish Citizens' Assembly.

Course Design

Through readings, lectures, a three-week tour of the country of Ireland, and interviews with citizens and legislators, students will develop an understanding and point of view of the significance of deliberation as instrumental to political, cultural, and constitutional change. Working in groups, students will articulate their understanding through twelve-fifteen-minute documentaries that emphasize salient, relevant, and interesting insights about the social and political impact of the Irish Citizens' Assembly.

In addition to visiting iconic Irish landmarks and meeting poets, musicians, and historians, students will consider the elements of Irish culture which have made the Citizens' Assemblies so successful.

Enrollment

Students will be enrolled in CAS 299H, The Culture of Deliberative Democracy in Ireland, 3 credits (honors).

Eligibility

This program is open to all Penn State students.

Estimated Costs

Three credits of summer undergraduate tuition/fees, program fee ($3,700), education abroad administrative fee ($150), transportation to Ireland (purchased by student), estimated in-country costs of $1600 (meals and personal expenses). The program fee includes lodging, in-country transportation, select cultural experiences, and select meals. Summer tuition is charged at in-state, lower-division rates for all students. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,200 via scholarship for the program fee by completing an application in SRS.

Application Process

The application will be available through the Penn State Education Abroad website in early October 2024 and must be submitted by January 23, 2025. Decisions will be released by February 7, 2025, and the commitment deadline is February 19, 2025. Please check the Education Abroad program page for any changes to this timeline.