What happens when you take the classroom halfway across the world? For a group of Fox Valley Technical College students, the answer is new insights, unforgettable memories and a deeper understanding of their fields.
This May and June, FVTC had a total of four study abroad programs that gave students the chance to travel, learn and engage with other cultures. From the Nursing program in Ghana to Culinary Arts in Portugal, each trip blended hands-on learning with real-world experience.
Communications & Culinary Arts | Portugal
Communications students teamed up with Culinary Arts students for a unique program in Portugal that explored how culture shapes the way we connect.
While traveling through Lisbon and Porto, students had plenty of opportunities to observe and practice communication in real-world settings. They took a street art tour to explore visual messaging, navigated a multilingual city and connected with locals using both words and body language.
Culinary students brought their love of food into a cultural experience. They dove into Portugal’s rich culinary traditions with wine tastings, food tours and shared meals in the beautiful Douro Valley.
Together, the two groups explored how food connects to culture and tells stories. The program gave them a chance to deepen their understanding of Portuguese cuisine and hospitality while learning how to collaborate and communicate in a global setting.
Healthcare and Nursing | Ghana
Eighteen Healthcare and Nursing program students traveled to Ghana. With two faculty members guiding them, the group visited cities like Accra, Liate Wote, Mampong, Ho and Bator.
In Bator’s rural community, students got hands-on experience helping with home care by weighing babies and checking blood pressure. They toured different wards at Ho Teaching Hospital, including orthopedic, maternal and medical-surgical units. The students also explored an herbal medicine center and spent time at Kekeli, a nonprofit that supports children with physical and mental disabilities.
Along the way, they enjoyed cultural experiences like making batik cloths at Global Mamas Fair Trade Zone, hiking to Tagbo Falls and walking the canopy trails at Kakum National Park.
Upcoming
Study Abroad Trips
Healthcare & Education in Scotland
& England,
August 2025
Healthcare in New Zealand,
December 2025-
January 2026
Healthcare in New Zealand,
December 2025-
January 2026
Healthcare in Costa Rica,
January 2026
Healthcare in Dominican Republic,
March 2026
Occupational Therapy Assistant in Guatemala,
May 2026
Criminal Justice in Dominican Republic,
May 2026
Healthcare in Ireland,
May 2026
Neurodiagnostics Technology in Austria & Switzerland,
May 2026
IT in Spain,
May 2026
Culture in Japan,
May 2026
International Communications in Europe,
June 2026
Criminal Justice and Forensic Science | Ireland
Fourteen Criminal Justice and Forensic Science students traveled to Ireland to get a closer look at the country’s legal system, policing and history. Led by two FVTC faculty members, the group visited several cities including Dublin, Bundoran, Donegal, Killybegs and Letterkenny.
They attended a lecture at Atlantic Technological University and had the chance to meet with Garda officers and visit an open prison. The students also compared the Irish and U.S. justice systems firsthand.
One of the most memorable parts of the trip was visiting Derry in Northern Ireland, where they heard a powerful personal story about Bloody Sunday at the Museum of Free Derry, a visit that gave them a deeper understanding of the area’s civil rights history.
Business | Greece
Eight Business students joined two faculty members for a study abroad experience in Athens.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to the Athens University of Economics and Business, arranged through the American Embassy, where students learned about the university’s international programs and attended a lecture by Professor Georgios Kouretas on the recent Greek financial crisis.
Beyond the university visit, students went to local markets to see microeconomics in action, toured historic sites and visited Kayak, a local ice cream shop, to get a look at how businesses operate in Greece. Students even took part in a pottery workshop, which gave them a fun, hands-on way to connect with Greek culture.
The May and June study abroad trips are just the start of an exciting year for FVTC students eager to learn beyond the classroom. Trips are already planned for 2026, and students will continue to gain valuable experience and insight that connects their studies with real-world cultures and communities around the globe.
