Posted on Friday, May 30, 2025
Students drew more than creative inspiration from their Maymester study away excursion through Florence and Rome, two Italian cities that influenced each other through their Renaissance and religious ties.
“In Rome’s Sistine Chapel, the 600-year-old building houses 65 individual compositions, more than half being done by Florence native Michelangelo,” said rising junior Collin Hardin. “It is also the site of the Conclave, the gathering of the College of Cardinals to appoint the pope of the Catholic Church, which happened just before our trip. I enjoyed being able to see several filming locations for the 2024 movie “Conclave,” some being in the Sistine Chapel!”
Hardin said it was surreal to experience the beauty of Rome on the day of the first American pope’s inauguration in Vatican City, an enclave surrounded by Italy’s capital.
“We could see multiple police escorts and convoys transporting either celebrities or world leaders to Saint Peter’s Square for the inauguration,” he said. “We went to the Vatican the next day and saw the rows of hundreds of chairs being put up and the takedown of cameras and barricades around the square. It was special to be in that area for such a historic moment.”
Prior to traveling to Italy, students spent the spring semester in Associate Art & Design Professor Austin Wieland’s Sculpture I course working on hands-on projects in clay to understand different processes, techniques and tools used in the medium.
“We met biweekly to look at important works from major sites we would visit and prepare the students for travel,” he said.
During the first four days of their study away trip, students spent time at Florence’s Leonardo Interactive Museum, the Uffizi Gallery, Accademia Gallery, Cappelle Medicee (Medici Chapels), Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana (Medici Library), the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi’s Dome at the Duomo of Florence, the Baptistery, the Opera del Duomo Museum the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata, Giotto's Bell Tower and the Museo Galileo.
Rising senior Hannah Edwards expressed awe when viewing some of the iconic pieces they learned about in person.
“It was amazing to see art history before your eyes surrounding you,” she said.
For the latter half of their 10-day journey, the group made the trek to Rome to visit the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the Borghese Gallery, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums.
One of the major highlights, Hardin said, was at the Colosseum, an ancient site with a tragic past.
“It was interesting to hear about the Colosseum being built on Emperor Nero’s luxurious estate, and how his reign led to the Colosseum’s construction,” he said. “Another bit of history that caught my attention was about the Christian cross that’s inside the Colosseum. I learned that it was a symbol for martyrdom and remembrance for Christians who died there during the Roman persecutions.”
For the students, this trip offered a unique experience compared to just seeing an image in a slideshow presentation, according to Wieland.
“It gave them the chance to see the scale and context of the objects we discussed in class in a museum setting, and they could walk around or get close to significant works,” he said. “Ultimately, I hope this trip gave students the chance to broaden their perspectives by being immersed in a different culture.”
He expressed his appreciation to Louis and Mary Kay Smith for their commitment to global education.
“Without the Smith family, a trip like this could be financially out of reach for some of our students,” he said. “Studying abroad can build a student’s confidence and independence as they learn to navigate new cities, countries, cultures and languages. With the Smith family's continued support of study away programs, they are helping shape students’ lives and instilling a love for future travel.”
1-Onyinye Asogwa, Computer Science
5-William Yin, Mathematics
9-James Blackwood, Information Technology
11-Wes Dodson, Athletics (Football)
15-Mandi Bono, Office of the VPAA
16-Justin Thurman, English
20-Yson DeBlois, Film and Media Arts
21-Jennifer Booker, Advancement (Alumni & Community Relations)
25-Nicole Joseph, Athletics (Cheerleading)
27-Haley Kimberly, Nursing
28-Laine Scott, English
Baseball
Recent graduates Adam Dorn and David Smigelski were named to American Baseball Coaches Association’s NCAA Division III All-Region Team.
Theatre Opportunities at LaGrange College
If you're going to be a new student at LaGrange College this fall, here's a look at many of the opportunities available to you in front of or behind the Price Theater curtain.
Category: Arts and Culture, Academics, Students
Keywords: Travel, History
