College plans trip to England, Ireland
SAMANTHA GALLO
News Writing Student
Getting away from campus while still earning college credit is one option for a travel class being offered during the second half of May.
Students will travel across England and Ireland, and explore places like the Blarney Castle, Stonehenge and Shakespeare’s birthplace, said Ruth Charnay, Communication and the Arts Department director.
Charnay will be leading the group.
Students can enroll for college credit in humanities, theater arts or another area specifically designed for the student, she said.
The exact dates of the trip are still pending, Charnay said.
She said she knows departure will be a few days after final exams, which end May 15, and the trip will be 16 days long.
The trip is not only for OCCC students, Charnay said. It also is available to their friends and family members, and even students enrolled at other colleges.
Just a few of the many locations travelers will experience on this trip are sightseeing tours of Dublin, Edinburgh, York, and London, she said.
Charnay said the trip will cost $3,159 for people age 22 years old or younger. For participants 23 years old and older the cost is $3,704.
This fee includes airfare, hotel accommodations, breakfast and dinner every day, as well as all sightseeing tours, walking tours, and visits to any attractions the group goes to, she said.
For those wishing to earn college credit for the trip, the type of credit can be tailored to the student’s individual degree requirements, Charnay said.
One option is a Theatre Arts Special Topics course-International Travel where students concentrate on theatrical topics.
Another is Humanities credit International Travel where students would study something more in line with the humanities courses offered at OCCC, which are a requirement in every degree plan.
Tuition cost is not included in the cost quoted for the trip.
Brent Noel, theater professor, said he is planning to go on this year’s trip.
“The benefit for students to go abroad is that it reminds us that most of the world isn’t American,” Noel said. “We tend to get myopic if we don’t engage other cultures. There’s a lot of stuff out there that doesn’t revolve around who has been voted off ‘Dancing with the Stars’ or ‘American Idol.’”
To register for the trip or for more information, contact Charnay at 405-682-1611, ext. 7143, or e-mail rcharnay@occc.edu.
