We thank you for encouraging and supporting your student to study abroad with Gonzaga-in-Florence.  That is not an easy thing to do in today’s world.  The longer students are abroad the more recognizable the changes in them may be. Nothing will be quite the same for them when they return. It may be a defining moment in their lives. When students return, parent usually find them to be:

• More self-motivated
• More independent
• More willing to take on new challenges
• More able to cope with situations

Why should students study abroad?

If you asked a student the question, he/she may say to learn another language, learn a new culture, to travel and have fun. Those are true but studying abroad is that and so much more. Students who study abroad:

• learn skills and experiences that cannot be gained in a classroom
• meet and interact with people from all over the world, people of a different culture as well as other international students
• develop awareness about their own culture as they learn and experience first-hand new cultures and beliefs
• expand their global perspectives and become more informed
• experience a change of academic coursework and scenery from their U.S. campus
• enhance their resume with an international experience that stands out and initiates discussion during job interviews

We invite you to explore our web site and talk to your student about studying abroad with Gonzaga-in-Florence. Feel free to contact the GU Study Abroad office with any questions.

Thank you for taking the time to research the Gonzaga-in-Florence study abroad program. We look forward to working together with you and your student to realize his or her global academic potential.

Student Testimonials

"I have already noticed a difference that this last semester abroad has made, even in just a week. In classes, I have a much broader frame of thought and it is interesting seeing different arguments and opinions after experiencing some other cultures and perceptions of all these different issues. I am taking a couple law classes this quarter and there is a lot of history involved and it is so amazing to discuss different events that have occurred and knowing that I was in some of these places just months ago. Last Tuesday, the Bosnian conflict came up in one of these class discussions. It was almost humorous because I feel like I can't even go a couple hours in a discussion without thinking of something relating to last semester abroad, whether it be something I learned or experienced or just saw during the trips." - Alex, University of Washington student who participated in the Gonzaga-in-Florence semester program.

"Florence instantly felt like home with the help of the entire Gonzaga-in-Florence faculty and staff. There are no other study abroad programs like it - a once in a lifetime opportunity. Nothing compares to the places we traveled, the sights we saw, and the memories we made. Going to Florence was the best decision I have made to date." -Via, Gonzaga University student who participated in the Gonzaga-in-Florence year program.

"My Gonzaga-in-Florence experience was completely life changing. My education has been enriched in ways that I never imagined. As a history major, I learned about Auschwitz, Dachau, the Polish invasion, and the wars in the Balkans and I have now been to all those places. My travels, tours around Florence, and interactions with different cultures have made me understand humanity and my spirituality in ways that were never possible in the classroom, I grew as a person and accomplished things I never thought I could do." - Katie, Saint Mary's College student who participated in the Gonzaga-in-Florence year program.

Parent Testimonials

“Our son told us that the last four months have been the BEST experience of his life.  He talks about all the beautiful places he saw and the interesting people he met.  When he talks, he sounds so much older and more mature.  He is at peace with himself, yet he is different somehow.  I think he is filled with the accomplishment of living away in a foreign place and having grown so much.  I can tell that he was deeply touched by your program.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  I'm sure he lived and learned more in four months than most of us do in a lifetime.” - Diane, mother of student who participated in the Gonzaga-in-Florence semester program.

Resources

• Study Abroad Office
• Student Accounts
• Financial Aid
• Registrar Office
• Bookstore
• ZagWeb

• Students Abroad
• U.S. Department of State
• State Dept Travel Warnings
• U.S. Embassies and Consulates
• World Health Organization
• Travel and Health Information

• Italy: Country Specific Information
• The Florence Newspaper
• Fodor's Florence Guide
• Frommer's Florence Guide
• Lonely Planet: Florence
• Time Out Florence
• Currency Exchange Rates
• Florence Weather