Twenty-eight students from the 14 state-owned universities will spend nearly three weeks in Europe, including stops in Madrid, Rome and London, as part of the 1999 State System of Higher Education Summer Honors Program.
The students will explore the renaissance and reformation movements as well as their counter-movements across the actual landscapes where the events occurred and where the people who took part in them lived. They will be able to study many unique artifacts in the only places they can be viewed.
The summer honors program has been designed to demonstrate and illustrate how the renaissance and reformation served as a bridge between the ancient and modern worlds. They represented periods of transition and synthesis as well as exploration, discovery and destruction.
The renaissance created a new spirit, stimulated by a revival in learning that focused on art and printing.
The reformation was sparked in part by abuses and corruption within the church, but also was fueled by other political, social, geographic and economic factors. A key influence was the dissolution of the manorial and feudal systems and the rise of capitalism.
“I chose the renaissance and reformation for a number of reasons,” said Dr. Edward Chute of California University of Pennsylvania, which is hosting this year’s program. “Our summer program is interdisciplinary in style, while we are striving to give specific (attention to) academic disciplines.”
Students will spend two weeks taking classes at California University before departing for Europe. Participants in the program will earn six credits, which will transfer to their home university.
The central feature of the academic experience will be the time the students will spend examining, exploring and enjoying the original artifacts of the renaissance and reformation in the museums of Europe. Students will visit museums in Florence, Italy; Nuremberg, Germany; and Utrecht, The Netherlands. Participants also will have the opportunity to spend time studying in the Vatican and San Marco libraries.
This is the 15th year that the 14 state-owned universities have offered this unique learning experience to select honors students. Each year a different university hosts the program.
Each of the students participating receives a scholarship that covers the cost of tuition and fees.
The students selected to attend the 1999 Summer Honors Program from each of the universities are:
Bloomsburg—Sandra Horne of Stillwater and Dawn Sediers of McConnellsburg.
California—Jennifer Landis of Lancaster and Lee Sines of Meyersdale.
Cheyney—Adrienne Anderson of Annapolis, Md., and Shelly Ann Serette of Queens, N.Y.
Clarion—Heidi L. Marzolf of Franklin and Jolene R. Elliott of Curllsville.
East Stroudsburg—Kristina Osmulski of Wilkes-Barre and Sabina Szumal of Bensalem.
Edinboro—Joshua Balik of Darlington and Michael Spec of Freedom.
Indiana—Jennifer L. Ferrell of Indiana and Joanna Stone of Lititz.
Kutztown—Megan Baily of Slatington and Jason Ritz of Conestoga.
Lock Haven—Susie Spangler of Wapwallopen and Meredith Lang of Rixford.
Mansfield—Heather Kenney of Scottdale and Peggy Grover of Millerton.
Millersville—Jamie L. Kurtz of Reading and Anneke M. Severein of Bird-in-Hand.
Shippensburg—Robyn M. Burns of Wyalusing and Travis Myers of Chambersburg.
Slippery Rock—Jennifer Geibel of Butler and Catherine Frankenburg of Woodstown, N.J.
West Chester—Michelle Filling of Lancaster and Rhyan Grech of Ocean View, N.J.
The State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, offering more than 215 undergraduate and more than 100 graduate degree programs. Nearly 350,000 System alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
In addition to the 14 state-owned universities, the System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh.