Bonaventure students on a previous EF trip
Photo Courtesy: Andrew Dombek
BY: ELIZABETH KAMROWSKI, STAFF WRITER
Students at St. Bonaventure University have the opportunity to participate in a new study abroad program titled, “The Black Experience in Europe.”
Each year, the leaders of Education First College Study Tours decide what they want students to learn about before planning that year’s theme accordingly.
“They send their people out to the communities to see what’s available, to see what people want, what will work, and then they develop these ideas,” said Andrew Dombek, co-chair of Bonaventure’s study abroad program. “A lot is going on now with diversity, equity and inclusion.”
This year, participating students will travel to London, Paris and Amsterdam from May 16 to May 25, 2024.
EF trips are shorter than the other study abroad programs offered at Bonaventure, and Dombek believes that this works as an advantage for the program.
“This is a very short time, so I think it works into a lot of peoples’ schedules better. You’re not devoting your whole summer,” said Dombek.
Samantha Gavin is the program’s other co-chair. She offers a race-and-crime course at Bonaventure. Gavin believes that this course will align well with the theme, The Black Experience in Europe.
“I offer a race-and-crime course currently, so we really dive into the racial issues and historical aspects of the U.S. aspect,” said Gavin. “This Black experience trip is going to allow us to see it [crime] from the European aspect.”
There are two sections to this European experience. The first section is traveling to Europe, and the other section is taking an online course. Gavin said that this course is still awaiting approval, but it will be a race-and-crime-comparative special-topics course.
“We’ll be able to, when we’re there, experience the European side of it, but then when we come back and do the online portion, it’ll be comparing what we’ve learned there to what we’ve seen throughout our history when it comes to the racial aspect,” said Gavin. “Also looking at how that’s influenced crime in the U.S. and how it’s influenced crime in Europe, how they compare, and how they differ.”
There is no application process or limit to the amount of students that can sign up, according to Gavin. She and Dombeks said they encourage students of any background to participate..
“[On] Any of the posters that they [students] see around, there’s a QR code they can scan, and it goes right into the website, and they can sign right up from there,” said Dombek.
Dombek said one of the benefits of going on this adventure is the opportunity to engage with European culture.
“When we’re in Paris, we’re going to get to go to one of the community markets and see the culture and life down there, ” said Dombek.
Gavin said that the goal of study abroad programs is for students to learn. She believes that this program’s way of teaching is different than others.
“We’re not in a classroom for this type of study abroad. My study abroads are a bit different in that aspect,” said Gavin. “The learning is going out and doing.”
Dombek said he believes that this program stands out from other study abroad programs at Bonaventure.
“It’s shorter, it’s more compact, you’re very active, and there’s little rest time,” said Dombek.
Dombek said that this experience is going to give students a chance to see different cultures, and they will get to apply what they’re learning now to real-life situations.
“Our goal is to have students experience something that is out of their norm,” said Dombek.
Dombek said that students will have the opportunity to see that they aren’t isolated in the United States, and that other cultures experience many of the same difficulties and challenges Americans do.
“Problems with race, problems with the way people are treated, the ways that people treat each other, and that we need to see sometimes that it’s not just America — it’s everybody,” said Dombek.
Dombek said he hopes this experience will inspire the next generation of decision makers to make a difference.
“It would be good for the students who will one day be the decision makers to see how things have already happened [in Europe],” said Dombek.
Gavin believes that students should participate in this trip, since similar EF trips have gotten a lot of positive feedback.
“Students have had really good experiences, said Gavin. “They’ve learned a lot, and it’s memories for a lifetime.”
kamrowes23@bonaventure.edu
