This year, Elizabethtown College is sponsoring a two-week peace and conflict study in South Africa for the 2014 May term. The trip will allow Etown students to explore the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The trip was originally scheduled for last year. According to Dr. Michael Roy, professor of psychology and one of the trip’s coordinators, the reason for last year’s cancellation was because of a lack of student interest. The goal was to have at least ten people register for the trip, but they only received eight applications.

The program was redesigned to work in collaboration with the Center for International Studies (CIS) Abroad. CIS Abroad is a company that provides students with opportunities and custom learning programs.

Roy commented that the reason the department chose to work with CIS is because, “they already do other programs in South Africa and have contacts there, so they can easily set up logistics.  Someone from CIS will be there with me to take care of all of the travel and accommodations while I will deal with the class portion.”

While there, students will visit approximately twenty different sites, including Robben Island, the Desmond Tutu Peace Center, the Apartheid Museum and the Constitutional Court. Students will also have the chance to visit popular tourist attractions including Table Mountain and Seal Island.

As a requirement for the trip, students must enroll in a two-credit class that counts towards the peace and conflict studies minor, the international studies minor or for non-western cultural heritage core requirement. While in South Africa, students will also attend informational class sessions. The peace and conflict studies major, which is sponsoring the South Africa trip, invites students from all departments to join in on the journey. As with all faculty-led programs, students do not need to be majoring or minoring in the subject in order to participate in the trip.

In order to encourage participation this year, the department has posted colorful posters around campus and has taken part in the study abroad fair.  Additionally, the department garnered interest for the trip by including information in Etown’s newsletter.  Yet another information session, which is projected for late Oct., will make the trip more of a reality to interested students.