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 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 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 specified window.

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 2026, 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 $2,290 which includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy), daily breakfast, select meals (two lunches and four dinners), transportation within Cambodia including airport transfers, and select cultural site visits (subject to change). Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,500 via scholarship effectively lowering the program fee to $790. 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 5, 2025.

Tentative Itinerary

May 12

Morning/Afternoon

Arrival to Siem Reap

Evening

Welcome dinner at the HAVEN

May 13

Morning

Khmer Temple Foundation (NGO) visit with traditional dance lessons

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon/Evening

Half-day guided temple tour (e.g. Bantey Srei and Landmine Museum)

May 14

Morning

Scavenger hunt

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon

Angkor National Museum visit

Evening

Cambodian traditional dance performance (Amazon Angkor)

May 15

Morning

Angkor Wat Temple visit at sunrise

Late Morning

Return to the hotel

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon/Evening

Half-day genocide/war sites visits (e.g. Killing Field at Wat Thmey and War Museum Cambodia)

May 16

Morning/Afternoon

Full-day tour in Siem Reap (e.g. Kulen Upper-Lower waterfalls, River of Thousand Lingas Buddah on hill visit)

Lunch

Lunch on your own

May 17

Free day (suggestions include Siem Reap Old Market, Made in Cambodia Market, Phnom Krom Sunset, etc.)

May 18

Morning/Afternoon

Pon Heary Li Foundation Visit

Lunch

Lunch with PLF students at Khmer Kitchen

May 19

Morning/Afternoon

Temples Tour in Siem Reap (e.g. South Gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon and Ta Prohm small loop temple tour with Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King sites)

Lunch

Lunch on your own

May 20

Morning

Koh Ker Primary School visit

Lunch

Lunch at Momorkot

Afternoon

Learning Center in Srayang Tour and Koh Ker Temple Complex

May 21

Morning

PEPY (NGO) visit (meet with PEPY students)

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon

Meet circus performers (pending)

Evening

Phare Circus

May 22

Morning

Art Activity: Puey Stone Carving

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon/Evening

Cooking class (dinner will be provided)

May 23

Free day (suggestions include Kampong Phluk Floating Village, Banteay Srey Butterfly Centre, etc.)

May 24

Morning

Angkor Botanical Gardens visit

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon

APOPO Visitor Center visit

Evening

Street Food Tour

May 25

Morning

Angkor Silk Farm visit

Lunch

Lunch on your own

Afternoon

Free time

Evening

Farewell Dinner

May 26

Depart for the U.S.

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 415 in the spring semester (3 credits) and CRIMJ 499 (.25 credit) in the summer session. The coursework for the spring CRIMJ 415 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 of $2,500 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 site visits. Schreyer Scholars will receive a refund of $1,500 via scholarship toward this fee. 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.

Tentative Itinerary

May 12, 2026

Arrive in Lisbon; Neighborhood tour and scavenger hunt!

May 13

Program orientation; Welcome lunch; Lisbon city tour

May 14

Basic Portuguese language lesson; Lecture on history of illict drug use in Portugal; evening sunset cruise

May 15

Visit to European Union Drugs Agency, the international drug use monitoring agency headquartered in Lisbon

May 16

Daytrip to Cascais, a beautiful beach town about 40 minutes by train from Lisbon

May 17

Daytrip to Sintra and tours of fairytale-looking castles

May 18

Visit to CRESCER and community service project with agency

May 19

Visit to harm reduction agencies

May 20

Tour of Parliament; visit to RESHAPE, a work-based reentry program

May 21

Field class with local law enforcement; evening dinner and Fado show

May 22

Departures

Program Summary

This honors course blends creative multimedia storytelling with cultural immersion. Students will explore the history, complexity, and vitality of Mexico City primarily by creating original short films or digital content. Through research, hands-on training, and on-location collaboration, students will gain practical filmmaking skills, entrepreneurial skills, and a deeper understanding of cross-cultural media production.

Taught by Bellisario Professor Pearl Gluck and Adjunct Lecturer Roland Ballester, the program will take place over two semesters: the spring 2026 semester will carry 3.0 honors credits with .25 credits earned during Maymester in Mexico City from May 11-31, 2026. The spring course will cover the vital multimedia storytelling principles and film pre-production. The Maymester is the cultural immersion in Mexico City and the execution of the films (production and editing/post-production).

Students will work in teams to develop, produce, shoot, and edit original content—whether narrative, documentary, experimental, or social media-based. No prior filmmaking experience is required.

The course is about the development and production life cycle of short digital storytelling. In addition to learning how to synthesize creative concepts (i.e., pitching, story mining, research and development), students will gain some insight into budgeting, finance plans, cash flow, production management, legal obligations, and other business elements of filmmaking. In the process of developing and producing one multi-media project in small teams, students will also learn how to pre-produce, produce, and post-produce a project as a crew. Roles of filmmaking will also be explored such as directing, producing, cinematography, writing, researching, and editing. Finally, we will discuss potential outlets for distributing the completed projects.

The student groups will collaborate with Mexico City's Facultdad de Cine for the entirety of this program. The Mexican students are partners in the film, providing creative input as well as technical and practical experience and expertise on filming in situ.

Through the process of filmmaking in Mexico City, students will experience the some of the vibrant and historical sites that make Mexico City one of UNESCO's leading world heritage sites through curated cultural excursions to historic and artistic landmarks such as Teotihuacán, the folkloric ballet, traditional pueblos, lucha libre matches, and world-renowned museums.

Students will earn 3.25 honors credits for this experience by registering for COMM 297 in the spring semester for 3 credits and COMM 399 for .25 credit during the summer session.

Travel

There will be a recommended flight to/from Mexico City, but participants are responsible for making their own arrangements and for arriving within the time window that will be specified during the spring semester.

Eligibility

This program is open to all Penn State students in any major. Priority will be given to Schreyer Scholars.

Estimated Costs

For travel in Summer 2026, 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 will also be a program fee of $4,525 which includes hotel accommodations (double occupancy), daily breakfast, select meals, transportation within Mexico including airport transfers, and select cultural site visits (subject to change). Schreyer Scholars will receive a $2,000 refund via scholarship to lower the program fee. Additional need-based funding may be available for Schreyer Scholars as well as Bellisario students. For more information Schreyer Scholars should contact Sarah Lyall-Combs; Bellisario students should contact Pearl Gluck.

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

Application Process

Complete the application form by 5:00 PM on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Tentative Itinerary

May 11

Morning/Afternoon

Arrival to Mexico City

Evening

Group Welcome Dinner

May 12

Morning

Guided tour of neighborhood of Coyoacán with visits to the Frida Kahlo Museum (Casa Azul), Leon Trotsky Museum, and Coyoacán Market

Afternoon

Guided tour of Anahuacalli Museum and lunch

May 13

Morning

Mural guided tour at UNAM

Afternoon

Meet Mexican students at Facultad De Cine (arranged by University)

May 14

Morning/Afternoon

Academic activities arranged by University

May 15

Morning/Afternoon

Academic activities arranged by University

Evening

Lucha Libre matches at Arena México

May 16

Morning

Guided tour of central Mexico City featuring Zócalo, Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, Templo Mayor, Casa de los Azulejos, Palace of Fine Arts, and Alameda Central

Afternoon

Guided visit to the National Museum of Art (Munal)

May 17

Morning

Canal Cruise and lunch at Xotchimilco

Afternoon

Tour Acra Tierra (sustainable agriculture site)

May 18

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

May 19

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

Afternoon

Attend Contemporary Art Gallery opening exhibitions

May 20

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

May 21

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

May 22

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

Afternoon

Walking tour of Plaza Garibaldi

May 23

Morning

Guided visit to Chapultepec Park, including the National Museum of History

Afternoon

Guided visit to the National Anthropology Museum and the Museum of Modern Art

May 24

Morning

Guided walking tour of Roma, Condesa, and Polanco neighborhoods

Afternoon

Visits to Soumaya and Jumex Museums

May 25

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

May 26

Morning

Academic activities arranged by University

May 27

Afternoon

Visit Churubusco Studios (arranged by University)

Evening

Group dinner with Mexican students

May 28

Morning

Guided tour of the Teotihuacán Pyramids

May 29

Morning

Transfer to Puebla, guided walking tour of city's historic center including visits to Biblioteca Palafoxiana, Amparo Museum, and Calle de los Dulces (Candy Alley)

May 30

Morning

Guided tour of Cholula Pyramids and Church

Afternoon

Guided tour of Barrio Del Artista

May 31

Depart to U.S.

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 contemporary issues and elements of Irish culture which both have made the Citizens' Assemblies so successful, and might also explain why it has recently lost influence.

Enrollment

Students will be enrolled in CAS or PLSC 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 ($4,200), education abroad administrative fee ($150), transportation to Ireland (purchased by student), estimated in-country costs of $1,600 (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 $1,500 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 2025 and must be submitted by January 23, 2026. Please check the Education Abroad program page for information on when the decisions will be released and the commitment deadline.