Study abroad program visiting the ancient cities of Rome and Greece
10/21/2025
By Brett Buckner
Jacksonville State University’s Study Abroad program is planning a summer trip to Rome, Italy, and Athens, Greece, and is looking for 12 students to join what promises to be the journey of a lifetime.
“In my humble opinion, it's a revelatory opportunity,” said Dr. Maureen McGuire, assistant professor of Art History with the Department of Art and Design. “It totally puts everything into perspective. Students can actually see the colors as clearly as possible. They can get a sense of the scale. And that's not something that we can get any other way.”
Dr. McGuire and Dr. Lindsay Holman, assistant professor of History and Foreign Languages, will be serving as chaperones. The trip is scheduled for May 15 through May 25, 2026. Highlights will include touring the Pantheon, Pompeii, and the Parthenon. Students will explore archaeology, architecture, art, history, and the visual and material culture of ancient Greece and Rome. Major attention will be paid to the social, political, economic, and spiritual contexts of the period.
“We'll be about five days in each country, and the trip will focus on the ancient world in both of those countries,” Dr. McGuire said. “It’s geared towards history and art history students, but we're open to accepting any student who would like to go, and they can get credit for a history or an art history course.”
The cost for the 10-day trip is $5,040. Payments to the tour company, which is EF Tours, are due February 9. A $95 deposit can be paid at any time to reserve a place.
“It’s really important for us to give this opportunity to students,” Dr. McGuire said. “It puts things in perspective as far as how times have changed. When we're studying the ancient world, seeing the ancient ruins juxtaposed with the modern city of Athens or Rome is really dramatic and inspiring.”