The ultimate goal of the University of Tennessee at Martin Travel/Study Program and the more intensive Study-Abroad Program is to offer every student personal enrichment and a broadly-based international perspective as they prepare for careers. The "road" to gaining that perspective via the study trips provides a snapshot of a liberal arts education, complete with a study of geography, culture, economics and fine arts.

Many making the trips would add culinary arts as a favorite area of study.

UT Martin has been involved in travel/study programs since the late 1960s and they have evolved to include faculty and area residents. In 2003, the university conducted 14 short-term programs with 201 participants. Plans are underway for trips in March and May to London, Ireland, Spain and the Rhine River.

Month-long study-abroad programs are planned this summer for UT Martin students and faculty at universities in Mexico, Germany, Spain and Canada.

These trips immerse participants in the culture, language, education and the day-to-day living of the selected country. Initially, UT Martin academic departments concentrated on various regions of the United States for short-term study trips, then, in the early 1970s, began international travel programs.

Since 1999, all travel/ study programs, both domestic and international, have been centralized and coordinated through a clearinghouse located in international programs. Stan Sieber, professor of history, was appointed coordinator of the program. He works closely with department faculty, Dr. Paul Crapo, director of the Center for Global Studies, Helmut Wenz, director of the travel and tourism program, and Sandra Baker, director of international programs, to ensure the quality of each program.

Planning for the short-term trips begins with a call for suggested destinations from students and faculty. Area residents also make suggestions. If there is sufficient demand, planning continues. Last year, faculty from history, political science, modern foreign languages, English, geography, art, agriculture and business were involved as group leaders.

Student participants span the curriculum, and the area residents who join the groups come from all walks of life.

"UT Martin is committed to developing and implementing multicultural global opportunities for study participants," said Sieber. "I believe we are unique in that we develop our own itineraries for the short-term studies so that we can get an in-depth look at various global cultures. Between 30 and 40 hours are spent planning each travel study to make sure we have a very good quality program at a reasonable price."

Preparation time varies depending on the destination, however, all programs meet for several hours on a weekly basis leading up to departure. At each of these sessions, there is language and culture study. "The main benefit of travel study is that our students return to campus with a greater appreciation for other countries' cultures, but, more importantly, reflect on the advantages they have as residents of the United States," said Sieber.

Sieber has had his share of first-time travel/study experiences, but it is his companions' reactions that are most exciting. "Many of our participants have never been on an airplane, train or subway. Many have never been out of the United States and a few have not left Tennessee's borders. They have read about these places and want to see as much as they can." He added, "One of our students had never seen an ocean or sea. When we were in the Netherlands, he had to put his feet in the North Sea. It was March, the water was probably 30 degrees, but he had to put his feet in the sea."

Sieber does have a special affinity for the European Alpine region. "I enjoy taking people on our Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland travel program to see the beauty of the landscape, to talk about the history of the region and sample the various foods and beverages."

To enhance the educational experience, the group leaders do their homework. "Once, while touring the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, France, UT Martin professor Helmut Wenz and I were talking with our group about the history of the Catholic church in France when we noticed that an entire tour group from Michigan had left its 'official' French guide to hear what we were saying."

For more information about the Travel/Study, Study-Abroad and International Programs, visit the travel study Web site at www.utm.edu/~ssieber; contact Sieber at 731-587-7467 or ssieber@utm.edu, Crapo at paucrapo@utm.edu; or the Department of Modern Foreign Languages at 731-587-7420.