Short-Term Study Abroad for Grad Students: 5 Reasons to Join the One-Week Experience in Florence
Since becoming a graduate student within Gonzaga’s School of Leadership Studies, I’ve had not just one, but two, short‑term study abroad experiences that have shaped my personal and professional growth in ways I never expected. I used to think that the opportunity to travel as part of my education was something that ended after undergrad. I was happily proven wrong.
In Fall 2024, I enrolled in ORGL 510: Renaissance Leadership for the 21st Century, a course that includes a one‑week immersion in Florence, Italy. Alongside my classmates, I spent days learning inside Florence’s museums, historical landmarks, and the Gonzaga in Florence classrooms. These places brought our coursework to life in vivid and unforgettable ways. I even extended my stay to share the experience with my spouse. While I was in class or on-site visits, he explored the city on foot. Florence is incredibly walkable: most major sites are within a 15 to 20-minute stroll from the city center. Taxis often take just as long, and you miss out on the charm, energy, and beauty you encounter along the streets.
After my coursework wrapped up, we boarded the high‑speed rail to Rome for a few days before continuing to other European destinations. “When in Rome!” became my running joke, but truly, when you’re already in a city like Florence or Rome, Europe opens up to you. A high‑speed train gets you to Rome in about an hour to 90 minutes, and from Rome or Florence, it’s easy to catch flights or trains to nearby countries. The world feels suddenly, wonderfully accessible.
This experience and the way it blended academic depth, cultural learning, and personal adventure, continues to shape my leadership journey. If you’re a graduate student considering a global experience that fits into your busy life, ORGL 510 offers something rare: a chance to see the world, expand your thinking, and grow in community, all within a one-week immersion.
Here are my top 5 reasons for considering a short-term study abroad to Florence as a grad student, such as the ORGL 510 course:
In Fall 2024, I enrolled in ORGL 510: Renaissance Leadership for the 21st Century, a course that includes a one‑week immersion in Florence, Italy. Alongside my classmates, I spent days learning inside Florence’s museums, historical landmarks, and the Gonzaga in Florence classrooms. These places brought our coursework to life in vivid and unforgettable ways. I even extended my stay to share the experience with my spouse. While I was in class or on-site visits, he explored the city on foot. Florence is incredibly walkable: most major sites are within a 15 to 20-minute stroll from the city center. Taxis often take just as long, and you miss out on the charm, energy, and beauty you encounter along the streets.
After my coursework wrapped up, we boarded the high‑speed rail to Rome for a few days before continuing to other European destinations. “When in Rome!” became my running joke, but truly, when you’re already in a city like Florence or Rome, Europe opens up to you. A high‑speed train gets you to Rome in about an hour to 90 minutes, and from Rome or Florence, it’s easy to catch flights or trains to nearby countries. The world feels suddenly, wonderfully accessible.
This experience and the way it blended academic depth, cultural learning, and personal adventure, continues to shape my leadership journey. If you’re a graduate student considering a global experience that fits into your busy life, ORGL 510 offers something rare: a chance to see the world, expand your thinking, and grow in community, all within a one-week immersion.
Here are my top 5 reasons for considering a short-term study abroad to Florence as a grad student, such as the ORGL 510 course:
1) See Renaissance art and architecture where it was created.
I stood in awe in front of Florence’s Duomo, gazed up at Michaelangelo’s David (which is far larger and more powerful in person!), and spent time admiring Botticelli’s masterpieces in the Uffizi. Experiencing these works firsthand, surrounded by the city that shaped them, is entirely different from seeing them in photos.2) Connect Renaissance innovation to modern organizational leadership.
The Renaissance was a period of reinvention with artistic breakthroughs, scientific advances, and new ways of thinking. Studying leadership in Florence invites you to explore how people responded to disruption and uncertainty in the 14th century, and how that mirrors the ways our own organizations adapted during the global COVID-19 pandemic. From public health innovations to shifts in communication, creativity, and collaboration, the parallels offer powerful insights for today’s leaders navigating change.3) Experience life-changing meals in the birthplace of Tuscan cuisine.
Florence is known for its unforgettable food: fresh pasta, artisan gelato, and regional and seasonal specialties that turn every meal into a moment of connection. Sharing meals together is built into the course experience and becomes its own form of cultural learning.4) Learn in community with faculty and peers, without pausing your graduate studies.
A one‑week immersion abroad paired with online, asynchronous coursework makes this experience accessible for busy graduate students. You get the benefits of international study without the long‑term travel commitment.5) Discover a city that inspires at every turn.
As I mentioned, Florence is extremely walkable. Strolling through centuries-old streets offers the perfect backdrop for reflection, inspiration, and personal growth.
The Fall 2026 ORGL 510 Renaissance Leadership for the 21st Century course is open to master’s students in the School of Leadership Studies, Theology and Leadership, and School of Business.
Learn more about the course here. The study abroad application deadline for the Fall 2026 opportunity is April 15, 2026. Current master’s students can access the application here.
Britt is an alumna of Gonzaga’s Master’s in Communication and Leadership program and a current student in the Ph.D. in Leadership Studies program. During her graduate studies she also completed a short-term study abroad in New Zealand. Britt serves as the Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications for Gonzaga’s Graduate Enrollment Management department.