51福利社

Embark on a transformative journey and dive into the rich tapestry of Sicilian natural history and culture with our immersive 4 week program. Join Geordie Armstrong and Matt Kay for a unique opportunity to learn the dynamic interaction between nature and history. 

Stay in the 2,700 year-old city of Syracuse, stroll through the Medieval castle, wander down to the natural harbor, eat gelato while watching fishing boats, snorkel in the warm clear waters of the Mediterranean, and enjoy all the island has to offer.  Local field trips and fun excursions will be made to beautiful natural areas and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Agrigento鈥檚 Valley of the Temples, sites within Syracuse, and Europe鈥檚 largest active volcano, Mt Etna.  Engage in Sicily鈥檚 environment, history, language, culture, cuisine, and come home with a deep understanding of this captivating region.

Depart the U.S. Friday, May 30, 2025
Arrive in Syracuse Saturday, May 31, 2025
Depart Syracuse Saturday, June 28, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geordie has taught Geography at SBCC since 2008. She teaches both physical and human geography courses, and is faculty advisor to WISE, Geography club, and Green club. She studied geography and human environmental relationships at San Francisco State, with her research focusing on the vulnerabilities of women in the informal sector of the economy in Latin America.

You can contact Geordie via email at garmstrong2@pipeline.sbcc.edu  

Matt Kay grew up in Santa Barbara where he fell in love with the natural world, from chaparral-covered foothills and backcountry creeks to coastal beaches and nearshore reefs. This passion for natural history led him to the great forests of the Pacific Northwest, where he earned a BS in Biology from the University of Oregon. He went on to earn a Master鈥檚 Degree in marine ecology from the University of Oregon鈥檚 Institute of Marine Biology, and a PhD in fisheries and marine science from UC Santa Barbara. He believes that education nourishes the soul and is excited to co-lead the program in Syracuse, Sicily in summer 2025.

You can reach out to Matt at mckay@pipeline.sbcc.edu

As part of the academic program, students will participate in many excursions, including: (These excursions are tentative and subject to change)

• On-site orientation and walking tour in Syracuse
• One-day excursion to Catania
• Two one-day trips to Plemmirio and Pillirina Nature Reserve or similar
• Two one-day trips to Etna (north and south)
• Two one-day trips to Vendicari Nature Reserve, Marzamemi Fisherman Village or Noto
• Two days, one night in Agrigento - visit the Valley of the Temples and Kolymbethra gardens, stop by the Villa Romana del Casale

 You do not have to be currently enrolled at SBCC to apply for the program. However, you must meet the following requirements:

• Must be in good academic standing and in good standing with Student Conduct and Title IX
• Must be at least 18 years old on the day of departure
• Must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 or higher
• Must submit the non-refundable deposit upon acceptance notification to confirm the spot on the program

After acceptance to the program and official program-go announcement:
- Must sign the Program Participation Agreement upon acceptance notification
- Must submit the non-refundable deposit upon acceptance notification to confirm the spot on the program
- You must enroll at SBCC for the summer 2025 term at SBCC in order to participate in the program.
- You must follow the steps provided in the registration letter to register for courses on this program once registation opens for you. Course CRN numbers can not be accessed via the SBCC course catalog.
- You must complete, sign and return all legal documents to SBCC Study Abroad. Not submitting the required legal documents on time may cancel you from the program.
- Accent requires all U.S. citizens to be registered through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) of the U.S. State Department. Participants must enroll themselves prior to departure at

• There is no major or language requirement for this program

Acceptance and participation in the program is not guaranteed until you receive officiall notification from the SBCC Study Abroad office and you make your deposit payment to Accent Global Learning.

The courses that are offered as part of the program are usually transferable to the University of California and California State University. Check with your academic advisor for possible exceptions.  You must enroll in a minimum of 7 units throughout the whole program. 

Classes offered on this program are:

GEOG 102 Human Geography (3 Units)
An interpretation of the cultural elements of the geographic landscape and the study of human's changing relationship with the environment. Investigates culture and human processes as seen in global patterns of population and migration patterns, language, religion, political and economic systems, urbanization, and human impact on the physical world. SBCC General Education: SBCCGE Area B, SBCCGE Area E5. Transfer Information: CSUGE Area D5, IGETC Area 4E, CSU Transferable, UC Transferable. C-ID: GEOG 120

BIOL 120 Natural History (4 Units)
Survey of the natural environment through studies of Earth's ecosystems, with emphasis on the plant and animal inhabitants and the influences of cosmic, geological and meteorological phenomena. Weekly field trips. SBCC General Education: SBCCGE Area A. Transfer Information: CSUGE Area B2, CSUGE Area B3, IGETC Area 5B, IGETC Area 5C, CSU Transferable, UC Transferable

 $ 4,565.00 (subject to change)

* includes $450 Deposit

Program Fee Includes:

- Accommodations (see details under "Housing")
- All required field trips and excursions including the transportation and entry fees to/from/on excursions (see 'Program Highlights")
- Welcome reception
- Pre-departure Meeting
- On-site Orientation in Syracuse
- Access to Accent Study Center during regular business hours 
- Limited access to computer lab with WiFi access Monday - Friday during regular business hours
- Practical and cultural information
- Transportation to/from mandatory and course related excursions
- 24/7 emergency service with local number to reach on-site staff and toll-free number in the U.S. 
- 24/7 counseling helpline through Mindhamok and emotional and psychological online health resources
-  Mandatory international health insurance GeoBlue (Accent will register students approximately one month prior to departure)

Program Fee Does Not Include:

- Round-trip airfare (an optional group flight is available through Accent Global Learning) see "Travel"
- Passport or visa fees,  required legal residency documents if applicable
- Meals other than those listed
- SBCC tuition, fees, books (non-residents are required to pay out-of-state or out-of-country fees)
- Additional field trips and excursions to those listed
- Transportation to/from LAX
- Transportation to/from Catania airport (unless you are part of the group flight. See "Travel")
- Does not include a housing security deposit
- Optional Trip cancelation or interruption policies

$450 Initial non-refundable deposit due immediately after being accepted into the program to confirm your spot but no later than March 19, 2025.
$2,057 Seconf Payment due March 21, 2025
$2,058- Final payment due April 4, 2025

Failure to make any payments when due will automatically cancel participants from the program. All payments are effective the day they are received by the Accent U.S. office. 

Air Transportation. SBCC has contracted with Accent Global Learning to provide travel and housing arrangements for the program.

Once the program has reached its 20-student minimum, Accent Global Learning will organize an optional round-trip group flight from LAX to Catania, Italy, on a regularly scheduled airline.

Airfare is not included in the program price.

The group flight must have a minimum of 10 participants confirmed with payment by March 5, 2025. 

Estimated cost of group flight:  $1,999 (subject to change)

You may make your own travel arrangements if you do not wish to travel with the group. If you wish to utilize the group airport transfer, you must confirm this with Accent directly in advance to ensure space is available and arrive before the group and meet up with them at the airport. Transportation is on a space-available, first-come, first-serve basis and an additional fee might be charged by Accent. Transport can not wait for students if individual flight is delayed.

Airport Transfer with group flight: Accent representatives will meet the group flight at the appropriate airport on May 31, 2025, and arrange a shuttle transfer from the Catania airport to the designated arrival point in Syracuse. In the event the group flight does not reach a minimum of 10 participants and is cancelled, the group transfer will be cancelled. Participants missing the designated group arrival transfer, or all participants in the event the group flight is cancelled, are responsible for checking in at the arrival point during designated arrival hours on the scheduled date of arrival and are responsible for all transfer arrangements and costs. Detailed arrival information will be provided to all participants approximately two weeks prior to arrival.

Participants who are unable to check in at the arrival point during designated arrival hours may be required to make and pay for their own accommodations for the first night. On the group departure date, Accent will arrange a group departure transfer (via shuttle) from teh designated departure point in Syracuse to the Catania airport. The group departure transfer will be cancelled if the group flight does not meet a minimum 10 participants and participants will be responsible for their own transfer arrangements to depart Syracuse upon the departure day.

- Double/triple occupancy rooms in shared student apartments will be provided in Syracuse for the duration of the program
- Housing details will be available in the Accent Enrollment Portal
- Pets are not allowed in program housing
- Exact housing placements will be given to participants upon arrival

Application Deadline: March 12, 2025.

Start your application process well in advance of the application deadline. You will need to submit several required documents with your online application. Some of the documents need to be completed by school officials and other persons, which may take several days or weeks. You must have your completed required documents before you start your online application.

All required documents needed for your online application are:

1. A current photo. This should be a close-up headshot which clearly identifies you. Please do not wear sunglasses or hats.

2. Unofficial Transcript. The transcript must show the name of your institution, your full name, all the courses you have taken so far with the grade and your GPA. Screenshots from your phone can not be accepted unless each image identifies your institution and your name.

3. A completed Student Conduct Release Form. This form must be completed by the school official at your current or most recent institution who is responsible for Student Conduct. If that is SBCC for you, the form can be sent to Candee Gyll at gyllc@sbcc.edu. Be sure you complete the top part of the form and clearly identify the program you are applying for (Sicily Summer 2025 Program). Failure to clearly identify the program may result in a delay in processing your application and forms.

Instructions for the Student Conduct Release Form and Recommendation Form before starting your online application: 
1. Download each fillable PDF form and save them to your computer.
2. Complete the parts as instructed in the document and save the form again with the changes.
3. Email the form with your information to the individuals who will complete them and request they return them to you.
4. Once the form has been returned to you, click on the Online Application link below to start the application process.
5. Upload all required documents with your online application.
6. You will get to a screen that confirms your application and all forms have been submitted. If you do not get to that screen, your application has not been submitted.
7. Your application will be reviewed within a week of submission and someone from the Study Abroad office will let you know when it has been sent to the program directors for the interview.

Downloadable forms:
- Student Conduct Release Form

This program is closed and does not accept any more applications.

Please make sure you read all the instructions on how to apply before starting your application as you can not save your progress within the application site. You will need to complete your required documents prior to starting the application. 

After submission of your application it will be reviewed and forwarded to the program directors, who will reach out to you for an interview.  Interviews may be held in person or by phone or Zoom.
 
You will be notified of your acceptance into the program in writing via email from the Study Abroad office. You are not officially confirmed on the program until you receive the notification, make the non-refundable $450 deposit and return the signed Student Participation Agreement, which will be sent with the acceptance notification. 

Once you have officially been accepted to the program, you will need to register online with Accent Global Learning and make the payment of the non-refundable deposit The non-refundable $450 deposit will secure your spot in the program. We advise you to make sure you have the amount of the application fee set aside at the time you apply to the program.

Please review the cancelation policy below.
 
Subsequent program payments must be made directly to Accent Global Learning. Failure to make any payment when due will automatically cancel you from the program one week after the payment due date. All payments are effective the day they are received by Accent Global Learning. Tuition and fees are paid to SBCC upon registering for the courses.

For questions about the application or the application process please contact the Study Abroad office at 805-730-4294 or nwalther@pipeline.sbcc.edu. 

Any individual cancellation must be made in writing to Accent Global Learning and is effective the date of the receipt by Accent Global Learning. In addition, students must e-mail the SBCC Study Abroad office at nwalther@pipeline.sbcc.edu to confirm their withdrawal.

Cancellations are subject to the following cancellation fees base on date of cancellation:

Cancellation Time Frame	Cancellation Fee
72 days or more prior to start of program	$450
50 - 71 days prior to start of program	$800
31-49 days prior to start of program	$1,100
0-30 days prior to start of of program	No refund

Please note that any student who is academically withdrawn by SBCC after their application has been processed by Accent Global Learning is subject to the standard refund policy.

In case of program cancellation during the program, Accent Global Learning will assist students with organizing return tickets home. Any additional charges for transportation or housing will be at the student's expense.

We encourage all participants to purchase a Trip Cancellation policy. 

Before the start of the program, should the U.S. State Department or CDC issue an advisory prohibiting or advising against non-essential travel to the specific city of Syracuse, Sicily, or if SBCC's protocols deem necessary to cancel the program for any health of safety concerns, Accent will refund all recoverable program costs.

Should the program be cancelled by SBCC after the program start date for any reson, no refund amount can be guaranteed, although Accent will make reasonable efforts to seek refunds from third parties for costs not yet incurred.

Please refer to and updates and consult the updates

At some point in 2025, the European Union's new ETIAS visa system is expected to be implemented. Although a firm date has not yet been determined, we encourage you to become familiar with this requirement and to prepare to advise students accordingly. ETIAS will be required to enter and stay in 30 European countries, including the 29 Schengen countries. Students will be able to study for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. For longer stays, a student visa will be required. The most up to date information can be found on the EU's website at 

Follow SBCC Study Abroad on Instagram for meeting announcements, information and photos from past programs and more 

Program Orientation: A mandatory pre-departure meeting will be conducted in person on the SBCC campus on Friday, May 9, 2025, introducing the academic course work, addressing general aspects of study abroad and cross-cultural learning, and providing practical information regarding preparation and travel. Details will be provided to participants at a later date. It is the responsibility of the students to provide this information to parents or guardians. Due to FERPA regulations, the Study Abroad office communicates only directly with the student participants. 

An on-site orientation in Syracuse will be held by Accent Global Learning staff on the day after arrival and covers practical matters as well as aspects of cross-cultural living and learning, giving program participants the tools they need to make the most of their time in Italy.

Sponsoring Institution:
51福利社
Study Abroad Office
Nicole Walther
International Education Center, Room 1
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
Phone: (805) 730-4294
nwalther@pipeline.sbcc.edu 

Service Provider: 
Accent Global Learning
2560 Ninth Street, Suite 315A
Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: 341-333-0544

Interesting websites to prepare for your trip:

Info sessions will be held in fall 2024 and spring 2025. No rsvp is required for meetings. Some Zoom sessions may require prior registration to receive the direct Zoom link. Please contact the program director Matt Kay or Geordie Armstrong for Zoom related inquiries or problems.