Faculty-led Study Abroad dives into history, culture, conservation

Deadline approaching to register for upcoming programs

Students interested in seeing the world while focusing on their professional development still have a few weeks to apply for one of Campbell University's several faculty-led Study Abroad programs.

Trips to Ireland (history and religion), Hawaii (ecology), Austria (psychology and music), China (risk management), the United Kingdom (risk management) and Chile (pharmacy) are on the 2025-2026 slate for the faculty-led programs, which typically involve groups of Campbell students led by University faculty and staff members. Campbell students can also take part in summer-, semester- and year-long programs through University-approved organizations that offer opportunities in more than 50 countries in every discipline.

The deadline to register for several of the faculty-led programs is Nov. 14.

One of the more popular programs is led by Dr. Chris Havran, professor and chair of biological sciences at Campbell. "Ecology and Culture in Hawaii" - co-led by Dr. Mike Larsen, associate professor of biology - takes students on a tour of the islands of Kauai and Hawaii to explore the ecological and cultural influences that have shaped modern Hawaii. The trip fulfills a lab science core requirement for ENVS 260 or BIOL 460 courses, and students must also attend a seminar during the spring.

Havran said the 15-day trip usually includes about 10 Campbell students .

"There are a lot of different global habitat types in Hawaii, from coral reefs to tropical forests and dry forests," he said. "I want students to see what's unique about Hawaii's native animals and plants - Hawaii is the endemic species capital of the U.S., and there are more plants native to the area than any other relative part of the country. There's so much you can see that can only be found there."

Hawaii, he said, is also the endangered species capital of the U.S., and his students work directly with conservation biologists to put native plants back in the ground to serve their ecosystems. Students also study the diverse culture of the area and learn about the waves of immigrants from Portugal and China and the influence of the U.S. military culture.

Learn more about Campbell University faculty-led Study Abroad programs

Adjunct Professor of Christian Studies Dr. Ken Vandergriff and Professor of English Dr. Sherry Truffin will lead "Ireland: Violence in the Name of God," a 20-day trip in the spring that studies The Troubles, a conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland that lasted 30 years between the 1960s and late 1990s.

"We're going to visit a number of sites associated with not only the conflict, but also the peace process," said Vandergriff. "The faculty at the University of Maynooth, outside of Dublin, has put together quite a program of places for us to see."

Students interested in Study Abroad don't have to take part in the group trips - Campbell has partnered with several institutions to offer programs in countries all over the world (often for a full semester or a full year).

Nora Greer with SSA Education Abroad, a third-party provider that focuses on trips to Spain and other Latin American countries, said their trips often serve as a full semester's course load, with anywhere from three to five courses offered. Students can add in optional internships or service-learning placements. Greer said the longer programs are for students who want both the experience of seeing new places, professional development and the opportunity to have independence during these experiences.

"Experience is the biggest selling point of our programs," she said. "More specifically, the opportunity to be able to do something like this will never be easier for them in their life than it is through a Study Abroad program. A lot of students always say, 'Well I want to travel, but I don't think I have the time. Maybe I'll just do it later.' But I'm sure once you work a full-time job, it can be really hard to travel into your life with bills to pay, a full-time job and other responsibilities.

"And students don't realize truly how easy studying abroad is with just the ability to go through a program. You don't have to plan anything on your own. We plan everything for them. And often they can find financial aid and scholarship transfers to afford these programs. So not only are you doing something for yourself, but you're also continuing to work for your major other academic requirements."