Welcome to the homepage for our Europe Semester 2005 program. We are on our way and will return on December 7. 

Updates for  those interested in our experiences will be placed here from time-to-time.

Charles Bridge - Prague

The Leaders

Dr. Dave Lawrence, Professor of Political Science
Co-leading the 2005 Europe Semester is political science professor Dr. David Lawrence. Joining him is his wife, Carolyn Lawrence, M.A., a veteran public school teacher. Since taking Westmont students to Europe during a 1970s May Term, the Lawrences have traveled extensively throughout Eastern and Western Europe, including home exchanges in England, Scotland, and Norway. In 2001, Professor Lawrence was a Fulbright lecturer in Ukraine and, in 2002, the Lawrences taught in the summer English language program at Lithuania Christian College. Both experiences acquainted them with the challenges facing emerging democracies once behind the Iron Curtain. Dr. Lawrence highly values international travel as a learning experience. “We have not only come to appreciate the historical experiences of other peoples and nations, we have learned to value the differences that set people apart and the common aspirations that bring them together. We have been especially heartened by what we share with people of faith in all cultures.”

Dr. David Marten, Professor of Chemistry
Chemistry professor David Marten will be co-leading his third Europe Semester in the fall of 2005. Having co-led the groups in 1998 and 2001, he is delighted to join Professor Lawrence and students in this extraordinary educational adventure that Europe Semester provides. Professor Marten will be accompanied by his wife, Ramona, a junior high librarian who also teaches the Children's Literature course in the Education Department. "We so enjoy traveling with students and sharing our interests in the development of Western Civilization and Art," says Professor Marten, "where each historical site we visit, and each major work of art we see, provide opportunities for growth through discussion of ideas and personal insights. The friendships built and memories of shared experiences will last a life-time."
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Course Offerings

Three core courses are offered and are required of all participants.

• IS 116/117 Arts & Ideas of the Western Tradition I, II (8)  Website for these courses
  RS 114 The New Testament World (4)  Website for this course
  
• IS 116 and 117 will meet the world civilization requirement or the fine arts requirement. The RS 114 course will meet the upper division religious studies elective requirement under the old GE.  This latter course will be taught by Professor Fisk in Turkey and Greece.
  

Elective Courses

• PO 127: The Struggle and Challenge of Democracy  (4)
  This is an upper division course dealing with the struggle to achieve and the challenge of maintaining democratic ideals, practices, and institutions in Eastern and Western Europe. Satisfies Social Science distribution requirement.  See syllabus.
• IS 195E: European Perspectives; Contemporary Culture and Politics  (2) 
• Offered only as honors/pass/no-credit.
  This is an integrative seminar designed to help students learn to describe and reflect upon what they are observing and experiencing in their travel.  See syllabus                            
  
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