Seton Hill University will host three study-away opportunities during its M-Term, which runs May 8-30. The M-Term study-away program offers students the opportunity to earn University credits while exploring diverse cultures.

The 2009 M-Term programs will take place in Spain, France, and England.

Judith Garcia-Quismondo, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, and eight students will study in Spain May 8-30. While there, students will complete six credits of their liberal arts core curriculum in three weeks, earning three credits for Spanish, which satisfies the language requirement, and three credits for the first section of the Western Cultures requirement.

The group will arrive in Madrid then travel to Málaga, a southern region of Spain, where they will spend their first weekend. Next, they will travel to Córdoba from May 10-30, where they will live with local families for three weeks. Students will visit the Mosque, the old Jewish quarter, the Moorish quarter, the Arab baths, the ruins of Medina Azahara and local palaces, gardens and churches. The group will also travel to Granada.

Students participating in the trip to Spain include Jamie Clark of Connellsville, Pa., Matthew Dowdell of Oakdale, Pa., Dawna Gilvarry of Latrobe, Pa., Lauren Graham of McKeesport, Pa., Lauren Miller of Greensburg, Pa., Rachael Rodriguez of Fayette City, Pa., Melissa Stevenson of Greensburg, Pa., and Alexandra Thompson of Pittsburgh, Pa.

“The students have a curiosity for other people’s cultures and a desire to learn and communicate,” said Garcia-Quismondo. “I hope all of them expand their horizons. I desire that they are able to communicate in the language as much as they can.”

Michèle Chossat, Ph.D., associate professor of French, and Greta Carroll, of Somerset, Pa., will travel to Hyeres, France, May 8-30.

Hyeres is located on the French Riviera. Carroll will complete French courses and have the opportunity to practice language skills every day. This program will fulfill three credits of the French curriculum.

Guided visits of Hyeres will allow Chossat and Carroll to enjoy its lively and medieval center, its traditional markets, shops, and cafes, as well as its port and unique peninsula. Chossat and Carroll will also visit neighboring towns of Toulon, Marseille, Nice, and Cannes. Carroll will have the opportunity to learn more about a typical provincial village, taste local foods, and discover local artisans.

Karen Glass, assistant professor of theatre, and Terry Brino-Dean, Ph.D., associate professor of theatre and theatre program director, will travel with 19 students to London, England, May 14-22.

Students will experience a performance at the New Globe Theater, walking tour of Shakespeare’s London, backstage tour of National and Royal Shakespeare Company Theaters, and day trip to Stratford. Students will complete three credits which satisfies the artistic expression requirement of the liberal arts curriculum. Although this is a study-away program offered by the theatre program, seven of the 19 students are from majors other than theatre.

Seton Hill students traveling to London in May are Laura Barron of Grove City, Pa., Amanda Bish of Pittsburgh, Pa., Chelsea Bloam of St. Mary’s, Pa., Joseph Catalano, of Greensburg, Pa., Mathew Corridoni of Saltsburg, Pa., Katheryn Fabbroni of Pittsburgh, Pa., Jasmine Goodman of Springville, Pa., Brittany Huffman of Tyrone, Pa., Katherine Ingram of Springdale, Pa., Darah Jones of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Mathew Leslie of Butler, Pa., Stephanie Lowden of Latrobe, Pa., Jeanette Lundell of Greensburg, Pa., Bethany Merryman of Erie, Pa., Sarah Noone of Blairsville, Pa., Anderson Parker of Alexandria, Va., Gabrielle Scanga of Gibsonia, Pa., and Melissa Schwenk of Johnstown, Pa.

“The study-away program focuses on how theatre structures influence your experience of a performance. Hopefully, students will become more aware of these factors and be better able to decode an experience as a step toward learning to manipulate an audience experience,” said Glass.