The first orientations for Cerritos College’s Study Abroad Program will be held on Thursday Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. and on Tuesday Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. in the Board Room.
The Study Abroad program will take place in Madrid, Spain and will begin in the Spring 2012 semester.
Bill Farmer, vice president of academic affairs said, that all that is needed is 25 students to sign up for the program.
Students can sign up for the program at http://programs.capa.org/CerritosMadrid.
The deadline to sign up for the Study Abroad program is Nov. 1.
“The students will study the first three weeks [at Cerritos], and then they’ll move to Madrid.
“And they’ll spend 10 weeks in Madrid studying and traveling for the remainder of the semester,” Farmer said.
All students must be enrolled in 12 units in order to participate in the Study Abroad program.
“Financial aid is available, [students] should see the financial aid office if they’re interested,” Farmer said.
Students will be able to visit cities that are taught in classes including Cordoba, El Escorial and Granada.
Students will receive a metro pass to explore cities within Madrid as well as living in apartments while they are in Spain.
Spanish instructor Froylan Cabuto and economics and women’s studies professor Diane Keenan were the professors chosen for this program.
Cabuto will be teaching Elementary Spanish (Spanish 101 and 102) and Spanish Conversation while Keenan will be teaching Principles of Macroeconomics, Global focus (Economics 201), American Political Institution (Political Science 101) and Woman in the Global Economy.
Keenan said that these classes will be comparing the United States system to the Spanish system.
“In the economics class, we are going to be exchanging money, so we are going to observe the currency markets there.”
Keenan, who has visited Spain before, expressed her how excited she was about the program.
“[Spain] is a great country to visit, there is a lot of interesting history there, it’s a great culture, great food and to visit is very interesting,” she said.
Cabuto also shared his plans for what he will do in his part of the program.
“I will be integrating the culture of Spain into my classes with my students,” he said.
Cabuto will have his students visit museums and learn about the different paintings.
“[The students] will be required visit certain monuments that are historical. Before we go on any [excursions], I will make sure the students understand the historical background and culture of the city,” he said.
The cost of the program will be $6,999, including airline fees and enrollment fees.
The fees will include housing in the apartments, airfare going to and from Spain, and the cities they will be visiting.
Valerie Ayala, psychology major, said “Students can benefit from the different culture and different language.”
She also said, “ It sounds interesting, but I prefer to be on campus next spring.”
However, John Morfin, radio and broadcasting major said that students could see things that they wouldn’t normally get to see.
“[Study Abroad] sounds cool, but it’s not for me.”
Other meetings will take place on Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. in LC 155 and on Sept. 14 meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the board room.
Students can ask any questions during the meetings.