CLA Study Abroad Roundup
While campus was quiet this summer, CLA faculty and students were busy around the globe. Here's a roundup of the college's faculty-led study abroad programs from this past summer.
Ann Johnson, The Hague, Netherlands:
In this argumentation and debate class, students will debate the relationship between the U.S. and the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. Over the years, we have observed historic trials at these courts. We will also debate the legalization of prostitution following the Dutch model. The trip gives students access to major international institutions and opportunities for academic, professional, and personal growth.
Pravina Cooper, Florence, Italy:
"CSULB students arrived in Florence, and after an orientation, we visited the Accademia to see the statue of David and the Uffizi Gallery to see some of the best of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael," Cooper said. "We did a workshop on commedia dell'arte in Florence and visited the museum of well-known director Franco Zeffirelli, where we had a personal meeting with the director's son, who runs the foundation. Students tried their hand at costume design. Students witnessed the Festival of San Giovanni, with its costumed parades, its Mass at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the famous fireworks. Highlights of the trip were a visit to Rome, the city of la dolce vita, and the Vatican, and a day trip to Venice to see firsthand the city of Carnevale and commedia."
Mary McPherson, Lisbon, Portugal, and Madrid, Spain:
"June 2026 was a great time to be in Spain and Portugal," McPherson said. "Students got to 'feel like a local' while watching the World Cup games on big outdoor screens with crowds full of Spanish and Portuguese pride. Aside from class, students had the opportunity to see world-famous castles, old Roman ruins, bullrings, famous artwork, UNESCO heritage towns and more. We painted traditional Portuguese tiles and learned how to cook paella in Spain and pastel de nata in Portugal. It was a great trip with memories to last forever!"
McPherson's next program, in Kyoto this winter, is already full, but she will offer it again in winter 2028. She also offers internships in Cape Town, open to current students and recent graduates in all majors, as well as her intercultural communication course there.
Barbara LeMaster, Dublin and Cork, Ireland:
Barbara LeMaster's Ireland study abroad program was held within the largest deaf community in Dublin, Ireland, with an overnight visit to the second-largest Irish deaf community in Cork. Students stayed in the Deaf Village Ireland (DVI) deaf student dorm rooms, taking Irish Sign Language (ISL) from Irish Deaf Society (IDS) teachers, with afternoon lectures from deaf community members held in the Irish Deaf Museum. All lectures were in ISL and were interpreted into ASL and Irish English. One lecture in British Sign Language (BSL) was interpreted into Irish English, ISL and ASL. Three recent graduates of the ASLD interpreter program worked with LeMaster as an interpreter team to provide ASL interpreting for the pop-up BSL lecture on language deprivation.
Danielle Kohfeldt, Oxford, England:
This summer, Dr. Danielle Kohfeldt led 16 CSULB students on a short-term study abroad course in Oxford, England. There, students spent three weeks studying social psychology, using cultural sites and everyday experiences to examine social and regional identities. In addition to visits to Oxford's historic colleges, libraries, museums and parks, a highlight was a three-day trip to Liverpool, where students explored how the Beatles and Liverpool Football Club have shaped sense of belonging, pride and the city's global identity. Across Oxford, London and Liverpool, students connected social psychological theory to the ways that place, history, music and sport bring communities together.
Haiping Wu, Shanghai, China:
Haiping Wu accompanied four CSULB students to Shanghai this summer. "Hosted by Shanghai International Studies University, the program included Chinese language courses, visits to historical sites and museums in Shanghai, and cultural activities such as traditional performances and banquets," Wu said.
Scott Wilson and Steven Rousso-Schindler, Wuhan and Enshi, China:
This summer, Dr. Scott Wilson and Dr. Steven Rousso-Schindler of the Department of Anthropology led students to Wuhan and Enshi, China, for a three-week "Ethnographic VR and Ethnographic Film Production Field School." In Wuhan, students collaborated with Chinese students at South-Central Minzu University and trained in professional VR and video-camera techniques. In Enshi, they conducted ethnographic research and filmed Tujia community members performing ritual dances and funeral ceremonies, farming local produce and caring for ancient Golden Nanmu forests.
Christina Derme and Pamela Kreiser, London and Edinburgh, United Kingdom:
Christina Derme and Pamela Kreiser led students on an 18-day trip to London and Edinburgh, where they studied nonverbal communication and conflict resolution and toured famous historical landmarks. In London, students had a guided tour that included Borough Market, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Westminster Abbey, and went to Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park. In Edinburgh, they had a guided tour of the historic Old Town, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Mary King's Close. Students also ate traditional food, learned about the culture and explored independently.
Jessica Brooks, Athens, Greece:
"History 310/Classics 310, 'The Greek World,' is a fast-paced class where students learn from visiting historical sites and experiencing Greek culture firsthand," Brooks said. "This summer's highlights included exploring the Athenian Acropolis, reconstructing direct democracy at the Athenian Agora, racing at the ancient stadium of Olympia, swimming in the Ionian and the Aegean seas, walking across a 3,300-year-old Mycenaean bridge, pizza at a Venetian port under a castle, and visiting new archaeological excavations on a special tour. We visit 26+ sites in 12 days – it is a life-changing trip."
