2 SUNY Niagara professors lead trip for 11 students to 4 countries

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 31 May 2024 at 9:46 pm

Julie Woodworth from Lyndonville among the leaders of the trip, first since 2015 for college

Provided photo: (Left) Students and professors from SUNY Niagara pose in the Piazza del Duomo in Florence, Italy, during a recent trip to Europe. (Right) SUNY Niagara students and professors also visited the historic Jesuitenkirche St. Franz Xavar Church in Lucerne, Switzerland.

SANBORN – Two local professors from SUNY Niagara recently took 11 students on a study abroad trip spanning four countries. (Niagara County Community College recently changed its name to SUNY Niagara.)

Professors Bridget Beilein of Wilson and Julie Woodworth of Lyndonville led the trip May 14-23 to Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Beilein teaches Spanish and French and Woodworth is a professor of nursing. Also accompanying them was Jordan Lindsay, a technical assistant at the college.

“The last study abroad was in 2015, so we have revived it with this trip,” Woodworth said. “We have another planned to Amsterdam and France in May 2025.”

Areas visited included Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in Munich, Murano and Burano Islands where they learned about glass blowing; historic guided tours of St. Marcos Square in Venice and Milano, Italy; the funicular ride at Lake Como with amazing views of the city; stops to view the Lion Monument, Kapelibrucke and Jesuitankirche St. Franz Xaver Church in Lucerne; concluding with a visit to Rigi Mountain in the Swiss Apls and a Lindt chocolate museum tour.

Food delicacies enjoyed included pork schnitzel, apfelstrudel, sausages, pretzels in Germany and Austria, pizza, pasta and gelato from Italy and cheese fondue and chocolate from Switzerland.

One student said, “The study abroadship impacted me by giving me a more open-minded view of the world.”

A student named Angela said her favorite part was the Alps in Switzerland at the top of Rigi Mountain.

“It was just amazing,” she said. “I can’t wait to go next year to Paris and Amsterdam with the school.”

“Germany is a beautiful country and was a real surprise,” Woodworth said. “Visiting Dachau was a real eye-opening experience for all of us. We were able to see that there were hundreds of concentration camps where Jewish people were tortured and killed after enduring horrible encampment conditions. The Germans are committed to remembering this terrible past and never forgetting this tragic regime of a leader with a specific agenda to create a superior race and eradicate all others. This is a concerted effort to never repeat that history. The experience was life-changing for us all.”