Program Summary

Life in Cambodia is rapidly changing. While still struggling with widespread poverty, its economic growth is among the fastest in the world over the last two decades. This rapid economic growth has huge implications for youth and young adults as they adapt to the changing economic opportunities and educational choices. These opportunities and choices exist against the backdrop of both current cultural changes that comes with globalization and the still recent historical trauma of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge Genocide of the 1970s, which killed nearly a quarter of its population, then its subsequent decade long occupation by Vietnam.

This honors class will provide students with background information on the recent history and culture of Cambodia and give students in-depth experiences with local non-profit organizations that assist youth and young adults as they adapt to their rapidly changing world.

The travel component will take place over two weeks in May 2025 in and around the city of Siem Reap, a mid-sized city in northwest Cambodia that provides both employment and educational opportunities for the region. Local non-profit organizations in Siem Reap will provide our class the opportunity to visit and interact with their staff at the sites where they support the educational journey of youth and young adults.

Because Siem Reap is situated near the seat of the ancient Khmer Empire, which dominated Southeast Asia over a thousand years ago, the travel component of this class will provide students the opportunity to learn about the current challenges confronting youth and young adults in Cambodia while immersing themselves in the Khmer culture and history that define Cambodia's past and ground its future path. Students will spend time learning onsite from local non-profit organizations. They will also visit and learn about the world-famous cultural sites at the center of the ancient Khmer Empire. These sites include Angkor Wat, which is considered to be the largest religious structure in the world, and Bayon, with its huge representations of Buddhist deities.

Students will earn 3.25 honors credits for this experience by registering for HDFS 497 in the spring semester for 3 credits and HDFS 499 for .25 credit during the summer session. There will be at least seven 1-hour classes during the spring 2025 semester during which students will learn about the history of Cambodia and the different organizations that we will visit. Once we have selected the students for the course, we will coordinate the class meeting time based on everyone's availability.

Travel

There will be a recommended flight to/from Siem Reap, but participants are responsible for making their own arrangements and for arriving within the time window specified.

Eligibility

This program is open to all Penn State students, at any campus and in any major. Priority will be given to Schreyer Honors Scholars, Paterno Fellows, and HDFS majors/minors.

Estimated Costs

For travel in Summer 2025, students will be charged a “flat rate” for the associated 0.25 credit course rather than paying regular tuition. The flat rate will be $200 for both in-state and out-of-state students. There is also a program fee of $2,010 which includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy), daily breakfast, select meals (two lunches and three dinners), transportation within Cambodia including airport transfers, and select cultural site visits (subject to change). Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,600 via scholarship effectively lowering the program fee to $580. Additional need-based funding may be available for Schreyer Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.

Out of pocket expenses include roundtrip airfare to Cambodia, site visits and meals not covered by the program fees, passport, visa processing, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.

Application Process

Complete the application form and return by e-mail attachment to both Dr. Hobart Cleveland and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Program Summary

Portugal was facing an opioid crisis in the late 1990s similar to what the United States is currently experiencing. Their response to the crisis was an innovative approach never before seen in Europe: in 2000, they decriminalized all illicit drugs and vastly expanded drug treatment. As a result of this public health approach, illicit drug use and related crime decreased, more people accessed treatment, and the “crisis” essentially ended. The proposed interdisciplinary course will have students examine Portugal's policies toward illicit drugs, both historical and contemporary, and the interconnections of law, criminal justice, and health policy. Students will critically analyze Portugal's approach to handling illicit drug use and compare their strategy with the United States' drug control policies.

Students will interact with individuals and institutions that deal with drug issues, allowing them to analyze many Portuguese drug strategies that do not exist in the United States. Students will learn about the history of the United States' drug control strategies before arriving in Portugal, giving them the tools they need to critically examine Portugal's policies in a comparative perspective.

Students will earn 3.25 honors credits for this experience by registering for CRIMJ 497 in the spring semester (3 credits) and CRIMJ 499 (.25 credit) in the summer session. The coursework for the spring CRIMJ 497 course will be online, asynchronous. Students will learn about the history of drug policies in the United States and contemporary drug issues. There will be several Zoom meetings before the May departure to Portugal where students will be encouraged to attend and meet the professor and other students participating in the program.

The travel component to Lisbon, Portugal will occur in May 2026, where students will meet experts in drug policy and visit sites related to these topics. Students will also participate in cultural experiences, including a guided tour of Lisbon and a Fado concert.

About Portugal

Portugal is a relatively small country (smaller than Pennsylvania) with a population of about 10 million people famous for its 16th-19th century architecture, beautiful beaches, and world-renowned food and wine. It is also considered one of the least expensive destinations in Western Europe. Older than London, Paris, and Rome, the hilly seaport of Lisbon (located on the Iberian Peninsula) has always been a major European political, economic, and cultural center.

Travel

There will be a recommended flight to/from Lisbon, but participants are responsible for making their own arrangements and for arriving within the time window specified.

Eligibility

This program is open to all Penn State students, at any campus and in any major. Priority will be given to Schreyer Honors Scholars and Paterno Fellows.

Estimated Costs

For travel in Summer 2026, students be charged a “flat rate” for the associated 0.25 credit course rather than paying regular tuition. The flat rate will be $200 for both in-state and out-of-state students. There is also a program fee (TBD) which includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy), daily breakfast, airport transfer upon arrival and departure (within the specified time window), welcome and farewell meals, intra city transportation, and select cultural site visits. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund via scholarship toward this fee (amount TBD). Additional need-based funding may be available for Schreyer Scholars; for more information, contact Sarah Lyall-Combs.

Out of pocket expenses include roundtrip airfare to Lisbon, site visits not covered by the program fees, meals, passport, optional travel insurance, and personal expenses.

Application Process

Complete the application form and return by e-mail attachment to both Dr. Jennifer Murphy and Ms. Sarah Lyall-Combs by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Program Summary

The Penn State McCourtney Institute for Democracy awarded the 2019 Brown Democracy Medal to Irish Scholars David Farrell and Jane Suiter who spearheaded various deliberation initiatives that led to the Irish Citizen's Assembly, a landmark exercise in deliberation integrated with the Irish government. The Assembly resulted in tremendous legal and cultural change in Ireland, including the legalization of same-sex marriage and a referendum to lift Ireland's abortion ban. Students will travel to Ireland to learn from Irish scholars and citizens about the cultural, economic, and political context of the Irish Citizens' Assembly.

Course Design

Through readings, lectures, a three-week tour of the country of Ireland, and interviews with citizens and legislators, students will develop an understanding and point of view of the significance of deliberation as instrumental to political, cultural, and constitutional change. Working in groups, students will articulate their understanding through twelve-fifteen-minute documentaries that emphasize salient, relevant, and interesting insights about the social and political impact of the Irish Citizens' Assembly.

In addition to visiting iconic Irish landmarks and meeting poets, musicians, and historians, students will consider the elements of Irish culture which have made the Citizens' Assemblies so successful.

Enrollment

Students will be enrolled in CAS 299H, The Culture of Deliberative Democracy in Ireland, 3 credits (honors).

Eligibility

This program is open to all Penn State students.

Estimated Costs

Three credits of summer undergraduate tuition/fees, program fee ($3,700), education abroad administrative fee ($150), transportation to Ireland (purchased by student), estimated in-country costs of $1600 (meals and personal expenses). The program fee includes lodging, in-country transportation, select cultural experiences, and select meals. Summer tuition is charged at in-state, lower-division rates for all students. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,200 via scholarship for the program fee by completing an application in SRS.

Application Process

The application will be available through the Penn State Education Abroad website in early October 2024 and must be submitted by January 23, 2025. Decisions will be released by February 7, 2025, and the commitment deadline is February 19, 2025. Please check the Education Abroad program page for any changes to this timeline.