Juniors abroad first began in 1985 as an opportunity for students to travel the world and experience other cultures in an academic setting. During the summer following their junior year, students are given the opportunity to travel on a three-week trip that is partially paid for by the school.
Originally, Juniors abroad was more of a study abroad trip where students would take classes for three weeks while exploring foreign countries under the watchful eye of George Fox College faculty. However, the program changed in a way that was no longer study abroad orientated but was now focused on the traveling experience. The experience changed, and continues now, to be an academic course taken during the spring semester of student’s junior learning about the history, politics and current state of the travel destinations. At the end of spring semester, all students enrolled in their Junior Abroad classes will embark on a three-week excursion and travel to the destinations they studied during their last semester.
FUN FACT ABOUT JUNIORS ABROAD:
- George Fox University pays for, on average, 50% of each students trip. This gives students a way to experience another country and culture at a fraction of the cost of what it would be otherwise.
- Each year the travel list changes and new trips and adventures are added.
- Juniors Abroad trips are led by all types of faculty members, allowing students to meet professors in other departments. This helps the “Be Known Promise.”
- Juniors Abroad has successfully led trips to 6 different continents! (We’re still waiting for a trip to Antarctica to be offered.)
- Some of the most popular trips are Russia, Israel, India, Scotland, England, Morocco, Costa Rica, Kenya, Uganda, New Zealand, Australia, South
Korea, Belize, Panama, Thailand, Berlin, Paris, Ireland, Prague, Venice, Denmark and many more! - There was once a trip led by Professor Mark Weinert and Jim Foster that traveled to the Soviet Union in 1989, right before its’ collapse which occurred in 1991!
