Student Stories from Around the World

After a two-year hiatus, Simpson welcomed back May term study abroad courses. A total of 77 students participated, traveling to five locations: Italy, Spain, Greece, Ecuador, and London. The courses challenged students to discover more about the rich histories around the world through exploring, journaling, and photography.

May term students have since returned home and have nothing but amazing stories to share. Ethan Humble ‘23 states, “It’s something that enhanced my Simpson experience, and I can’t imagine a time when it wouldn’t work for a student.”

Italy and Spain through Photography 

Italy and Spain are full of ancient histories, scenic views, and incredible architecture that anyone would love to capture through a camera. Students gained hands-on experience by capturing memories during their travels. Taryn Bertini ‘24 states, “Learning how to take a photo that will show a story to someone else was a special experience.”

Photo Credit: Taryn Bertini ’24 & Derek Maxfield ’23

Birthplace of Democracy 

Greece is full of ancient democratic structures, like the Acropolis and Parthenon, that show the history of democracy. By touring across Greece, students gained an understanding of ancient democracy and how that modeled the United States’ democratic system.

Photo Credit: Scout Peery ’24

Media, Culture, and Sports in London 

London is known for hosting various famous sporting events, like Wimbledon, the NFL, the Hundreds, and numerous professional soccer teams. Yet, how does the consumption of sports influence the culture? Students toured multiple stadiums, while journaling along the way, to gain a better understanding of the impact on the culture.

Photo Credit: Morgan Flynn ’22 & Ethan Humble ’23

Merchants of Venice  

The best way to learn about business is to speak with the owners on-site. “Getting outside of a traditional setting for a course was a great experience,” said Jordan Ramquist ‘24. While traveling through Northern Italy, students toured large corporations and small businesses to learn how to run a successful business, no matter the size.

Photo Credit: Jordan Ramquist ‘24

Natural History of Ecuador and Galapagos 

In Ecuador and Galapagos, students set out to gain a better understanding of the process of evolution. They observed and studied plants and animals that are unique to the region and walked throughout the Amazon rainforest to gain an appreciation of biodiversity and conserve hotspot areas of biodiversity.

Photo Credit: Madison Hays ’25

Wherever students traveled, they developed a deep cultural appreciation and individual growth. “I think it is important for everyone to go abroad because I got that feeling that I was the outsider. I think that is an important feeling for everyone to feel in their life to build some empathy and understanding for others,” stated Caitlyn Potter ‘23.

Follow along on Simpson College’s social media all week to get the inside scoop from each course.

Photo Credit: Caitlyn Potter ’23