WKU News

Twenty-five travelers have returned home after a ten-day study abroad trip to Spain with Dr. Julia Roberts, Dr. Richard Roberts, and Dr. Tracy Inman of The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU.

The Center for Gifted Studies’ travel trips are meant for eighth grade and high school honors students, parents, and interested adults.

“When you tell someone you’re going to Spain, they most often respond ‘Oh, that’s a trip of a lifetime,’” states Katie Ashley, a sophomore at Corbin High School in Corbin, Kentucky.  “Little do they know how accurate that statement is when you are traveling with Dr. Roberts and The Center, and I am delighted I had the opportunity to travel with this group.”

“One thing we try to do with each travel abroad trip is to focus on several distinct threads,” states Mahurin Professor of Gifted Education Dr. Julia Roberts.  “With this trip, we focused on the arts, people and places of Spain.”

The historic cities of Barcelona, Madrid, and Toledo in Spain and Carcassonne in France were spotlighted on this trip, which started October 3rd and ended on October 12th.  Carcassonne is an outstanding example of a medieval fortified town, with massive walls encircling the castle, city buildings and a Gothic cathedral.  Toledo offered something different than Carcassonne as travelers visited several churches and buildings from the Middle Ages. The arts were highlighted in the cities of Barcelona and Madrid.  The Gaudi architecture was the highlight of the trip to Barcelona, while the visit to the Prado in Madrid made the list of top memories of the travelers.  The people aspect of the trip was best represented while visiting the city of Zaragoza.

“Quite unknown when we scheduled a stop in Zaragoza, the city was celebrating a festival,” states Dr. Roberts.  “The city was alive with people and music!”

“My favorite part of the trip to Spain was the city of Toldeo,” states Samantha Sutton, an eighth grader at St. Joseph Interparochial School in Bowling Green.  “I liked learning about the history of the town, but I also enjoyed getting to see the ruins.  The tour guides were great teachers of the different cultures, arts, landmarks, and religions.”

“While the trips are fun, travelers also have educational opportunities at every turn,” says Dr. Roberts.  “This trip was another great travel abroad experience, and I cannot wait for London in early summer.”

The Center’s next study abroad trip is scheduled for May 24 through June 3, 2015, as we will be traveling to England.