If you have traveled overseas during your time at Harding, then you have the opportunity to travel again with a program that started in 2007.
H20verseas, a program that became underutilized, gives students who have participated in one of the semester-long programs to spend another semester overseas, in Scandicci, Italy. Students will stay at the La Scuola Biblica, the home of Avanti Italia.
According to Harding’s website, this program has more flexibility in the areas of curriculum, board arrangements, travel and total cost. According to Dean of International Programs Jeffrey Hopper, benefits of this program include individual benefit choices, taking an Italian language class, additional travel opportunities and increased independence. H2Overseas is customized according to the needs, interests and financial commitment of each student.
“Many universities offer year-long programs; the longest that Harding offers is one semester,” Hopper said. “We wanted to offer the chance to spend two semesters overseas.
Senior Ryan Gardner, who traveled to Harding University in Australia, said he would definitely be open to going overseas again because of the great experience he had the first time.
“I believe the oversea programs are one of the best things Harding has to offer, so expanding these opportunities is a great thing,” Gardner said. “Those are memories I will treasure all my life, and I have no doubt that spending another semester abroad would be just as awesome of an experience.”
Senior Anna Evans said although she enjoyed her experience in Greece, she cannot see herself participating in a second overseas program.
“Some students may be able to fit in two semesters studying abroad, but I can say for my schedule it would have been difficult to be gone for two whole semesters during my college career,” Evans said. “Just being gone for one semester was a hard enough adjustment. I think the benefits of being abroad are great, but there are also many benefits of being on campus. So, I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on those experiences as well.”
Junior Krista Nolte, who went to HUF, said she would be open to going to Italy a second time.
“It was the best time of my life,” Nolte said. “Why not go again?”
Hopper said that the staff in the International Programs office is ready to assist former study abroad students in taking another overseas trip to Italy.
“While many of us are citizens of the U.S., we are also citizens of the world,” Hopper said. “We are a young country with shallow roots and brand new cultural developments. To gain an understanding of our place in the world, I think most of us need more than a semester outside our traditional geographic and cultural boundaries.”
