By Ivan Cazares
Professors Diane Mannone and Mandy Kronbeck briefed students Thursday on an opportunity to study abroad in Ireland.
Participants will visit Dublin, Belfast and Galway in summer 2017 on a literary tour. Students can earn four general elective credits for English 102 or 103. However, participants are not required to be enrolled in either course.
Participants who want to earn credits for one of the two courses need to be enrolled in the first session of summer classes. Mannoe will be teaching English 103 and Kronbeck will be teaching English 102.
The trip costs $3,964 and participants can choose to set up an automatic payment plan and will have access to financial aid.
Friday is the last day to receive a $200 discount. ELAC works with Education First College Study Tours to provide students with opportunities to study abroad. Education First allows participants to use Tripfunder (the company’s version of GofundMe) to help fundraise money.
The cost of the trip covers lodging, tour guides, transportation and some meals. Participants are recommended to have $500 to spend during the trip but are discouraged from carrying large sums of cash during the trip.
“I’ve always wanted to study abroad. I had some opportunities in high school, but I didn’t think I could afford to go. My professor (during the spring semester) encouraged all her students to participate, and I think it’s a good moment in my life to start traveling,” Study Abroad Club member Nancy Morales said.
Morales said she was encouraged by Mannone’s and Kronbeck’s stories about their experiences studying abroad.She said she thinks that traveling to Ireland will be a learning experience and that it will help her grow as a person.
The trip to Ireland will be a scheduled tour focused on the country’s literary history.
Notable Irish writers include Jonathan Swift who is best known for his satirical work, “A Modest Proposal,” in which the author comments on England’s economic influence in Ireland.
Mannone said she is working on a scholarship that will be offered specifically to club members. The club will also fundraise to pay for the trip, however they have not verified how they would raise money.
An automatic payment plan requires a $95 deposit to enroll. The participant would then pay $430 a month 30 days after enrolling.
If a participant prefers a manual payment plan twhey would be required to make a $95 deposit to enroll and pay a $50 plan fee.
Those who agree to the manual payment plan would then have to pay $500 a month 30 days after enrolling. The final payment for those who agree to an automatic payment plan would be due 30 days prior to the trip. The final payment for those paying manually would be due 95 days prior to the trip.
The departure date has not been finalized and both Mannone and Kronbeck encourage students to reach out to them.
They insist that there are options for students to afford the trip and that it is worth the price.
For more information contact Mannone at mannondr@elac.edu or Kronbeck at concofme@elac.edu.
For advice on financial aid and scholarships contact financial aid counselor Julio C. Alvarado at (323) 265-8710 or at alvarajc@elac.edu.
To get involved and informed on this and future study abroad trips email Morales at nancyymoraless@gmail.
The Study Abroad club will host its first meeting on Thursday in E3-335 at noon to discuss fundraising opportunities. Information sessions will be held October 20 and November 17.