Transformative Education Spotlight - Study Abroad
When Rome is the classroom
As her senior year at Loyola University Chicago approached, Sophia Vanneste (BSEd ’26) hungered for something different: an opportunity to escape the routines of college life and supercharge introspection about her future.
An elementary education major, Vanneste took advantage of one of the School of Education’s hallmark programs: an intensive two-week summer course in Rome titled Philosophy of Education.
With the Italian city as her classroom, Vanneste and her cohort visited historic sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican, as well as lesser-explored venues like the Jewish Ghetto. In doing so, they examined the purpose of education and the role of teachers and learners. They immersed themselves in a foreign land, which sparked greater empathy for students from diverse backgrounds. And they penned their own personal philosophy of education, an intimate treatise defining their core beliefs, values, and goals about teaching.
"When students study abroad, we believe it prompts more intentional reflection on the world we live in and our place in it, including the role we play in educating others. Students really began to ask themselves, What is a quality education and what does it mean to ensure all students can access it?” Siobhan Cafferty, Senior Associate Dean of Academic affairs and Coordinator of International Programs, School of Education
Vanneste called her two weeks in Rome “a launching pad for inquiry and deep, intensive thinking.” It unlocked new perspectives. It launched creative plans for using physical spaces to stimulate learning. It cultivated richer relationships with peers and School of Education faculty.
“I learned exploration can really prompt new insights and different ways of thinking,” Vanneste says.
Study abroad programs help Loyola students—undergraduates like Vanneste as well as graduate students currently working in educational environments—shape their own teaching practices and leadership styles. Challenged to step out of themselves and their everyday lives while navigating unfamiliar physical and cultural terrain, these high-impact learning experiences awaken innovative ideas, stir personal and professional growth, encourage reflection, and cultivate a more earnest commitment to engaging with diverse populations.
When Rome is the classroom
As her senior year at Loyola University Chicago approached, Sophia Vanneste (BSEd ’26) hungered for something different: an opportunity to escape the routines of college life and supercharge introspection about her future.
An elementary education major, Vanneste took advantage of one of the School of Education’s hallmark programs: an intensive two-week summer course in Rome titled Philosophy of Education.
With the Italian city as her classroom, Vanneste and her cohort visited historic sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican, as well as lesser-explored venues like the Jewish Ghetto. In doing so, they examined the purpose of education and the role of teachers and learners. They immersed themselves in a foreign land, which sparked greater empathy for students from diverse backgrounds. And they penned their own personal philosophy of education, an intimate treatise defining their core beliefs, values, and goals about teaching.
Vanneste called her two weeks in Rome “a launching pad for inquiry and deep, intensive thinking.” It unlocked new perspectives. It launched creative plans for using physical spaces to stimulate learning. It cultivated richer relationships with peers and School of Education faculty.
“I learned exploration can really prompt new insights and different ways of thinking,” Vanneste says.
Study abroad programs help Loyola students—undergraduates like Vanneste as well as graduate students currently working in educational environments—shape their own teaching practices and leadership styles. Challenged to step out of themselves and their everyday lives while navigating unfamiliar physical and cultural terrain, these high-impact learning experiences awaken innovative ideas, stir personal and professional growth, encourage reflection, and cultivate a more earnest commitment to engaging with diverse populations.