Summer Travel Programs Open Doors for Students

For Aliah R. ‘25, her journey with SDC brought her to Italy, where she was introduced to the “Slow Food” movement. The "Slow Food, Rich Culture" course provided a truly authentic Italian exploration of food and culture through visits to Rome, Asti, and San Benedetto, connecting with a host family, taking a cooking course, and farm and restaurant visits, all while learning about sustainable agriculture and growing your own food.

"Being able to spend five weeks in Italy experiencing [the slow living] way of life has been life-changing for me... I am so happy and grateful to have experienced this," Aliah said. 

Tawana M. ‘25 headed north for SDC’s “Experimental College” program, which took place at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Mass. She had the opportunity to get a taste of life on a collegiate campus while earning college credit. Tawana's tract, “The Power of the Word – A Study of Hip Hop through Social Justice,” built upon what she learned during the recent January Term course she participated in at Chatham Hall, “History of Hip Hop in the U.S.”

“One of the most interesting things I learned in my class was that rap music is inherently poetic and follows specific patterns and structures in its lyrics. Additionally, I discovered that writing can be a calming and therapeutic process,” said Tawana.

As noted on its website, SDC creates opportunities for high school students to “access dynamic summer study away programs that build college readiness, deepen empathy, and unleash the potential of youth.” If you’re interested in participating in SDC this coming summer, please contact Dean Griswold.

Chatham Hall travel programs are made possible by the generosity of donor funding. Please inquire at advancement@chathamhall.org to learn more about how to support experiential learning programs.