This semester (Spring 2022) I took an art, architecture, and engineering class focusing on Rome, Italy. I think this is the only course I have ever taken with two professors from two different departments. One of our professors is an engineer, and the other teaches history and was born in Italy. The class started out virtual, so I was very excited when we got to go back to in-person classes a couple weeks into January. However, unfortunately we were not able to travel to Rome like expected as a result of CDC recommendations regarding international travel. This was pretty devastating, especially given that this was my third trip cancelled as a result of COVID. In addition, I was really looking forward to traveling with friends and peers, which is one of the most unique aspects of studying abroad in college in my opinion. It also would have been really helpful to go to Italy with someone (our professor) who is Italian and speaks the language. I certainly still plan on going to Italy one day, but I do not think it will be under any circumstances similar to how this trip was planned.
I've attached my final presentation for this class, research on Roman Baths, as a sample of my work. Towards the end of the semester, myself and the rest of the students in this course chose a topic for our final presentation. Examples would include the Roman Colosseum and games, aqueducts in Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica, etc. I chose to research Roman Baths for my presentation. In high school I did a study abroad trip to England where I took English Literature, and we visited Bath, England. We did a tour of a Roman Bath there, and it was one of my favorite parts of the trip so I thought this would be a great topic for me.
I found my research on Roman Baths to be quite interesting, especially some of the social aspects of the baths I learned about. The most impactful aspect of the course, however, was getting to learn with my fellow UHP peers. I like UHP classes because they are usually smaller and more interactive than your average college course. HNRS 3065 was no exception. If you would like to know more about this class, my presentation, or anything else, do not hesitate to reach out!