• 2010 Summer Study Abroad in France and Italy -
  This study abroad program is an excellent introduction to the study of food, nutrition, health and culture in France and Italy. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about health care delivery, alternative medicine, food production, culinary skills, global nutrition issues and cultural competence. The program will include readings, lectures and an exciting itinerary of onsite activities. For more information on this opportunity click here.

• Community-Based Participatory Research and Service Learning in the Caribbean - Nutrition students, faculty and dietitians at ECU are collaborating with Caribbean nationals to identify key health messages and develop culturally specific training materials for a three day workshop for Community Health Aides in summer 2009 in the Commonwealth of Dominica (a small, mountainous island in the British West Indies).

   The importance of this study and training program is to educate those who can educate others.  Dietary workshops can be extremely useful tools for developing a larger base of knowledge and increase health awareness in the community through the Community Health Aides.  Training the Dominican Community Health Aides to become more knowledgeable, skillful, and confident will help communities by spreading health awareness to the rest of the Dominican population. 

  This 2009 training workshop will also provide an opportunity to develop infrastructure and strategies for developing sustainable and future train-the-trainer programs within communities of Dominica and the CARICOM region.  The organization and development of an integration program at the local level is dependent on the participation, involvement, and support of individuals who live and work in the area.  Continued collaboration and training opportunities will occur in 2010. For more information on this opportunity click here.

• East Carolina University “Cote du Vert” –  European Hospitality Program / Sustainability - The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics will partner with the Department of Hospitality Management to offer a 17 day study abroad program in Europe in the summer of 2010. 

Previous Study Abroad Trips

• Hospitality European Experience - This experience was an excellent introduction to European nutrition, hospitality, tourism, institutions, agencies and services in Spain, France and Italy. The trip included lectures and readings on culture, nutrition and tourism in the countries that were visited. It also included a study abroad experience in several key locations in Italy, France and Spain. Tours were provided of some of Europe’s finest hotels, restaurants, resorts, casinos, convention centers, vineyards, and local markets.

• 2008 Northern Italy and Turkey Interior Design and Merchandising Study Abroad - During the eleven week summer session, the students spent one week, in July 2008, in Northern Italy (Milan, Como, Turin and Venice) and observed some of world’s most famous marketplaces which has been giving service to communities for hundreds of years. After this study abroad experience, the Interior Design students developed the conceptual marketplace design whereas, their Merchandising partners developed a business plan for the vendors who could use this marketplace for selling their products.

• 2009 Summer China Interior Design and Merchandising Study Abroad - During the 20-day merchandising study abroad program in China, students traveled through five cities (Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou) and earned 6 credit hours by completing works required for two courses, MRCH 3003 Study of Souvenir Merchandising in China and MRCH 4400 Global Merchandising. Two faculty members, both native Chinese speakers, lead the program. Students studied international merchandising through studying Chinese consumers, investigated different retail outlets and their merchandising strategies, visited different textile/apparel/home furnishing companies, as well as conducted collaborative academic activities with Chinese college students in the same field. By visiting a number of well known Chinese cultural and historical sites, such as Great Wall and Terra Cotta Warriors, students identified, analyzed and evaluated souvenir merchandising strategies and applied those selectively in the U.S. - North Carolina tourism setting. Besides the core knowledge of merchandising, students were expected to learn and gain understanding about Chinese culture through the 20-day trip. To see more about this trip click here.

• Nutrition and Health in Switzerland and Italy - East Carolina University was pleased to sponsor a health and nutrition summer study Abroad program.  This unique program offered participants the opportunity to study health and nutrition on a global basis concentrating on Switzerland and Italy.  Participants experienced cultural diversity while traveling to many popular destinations.  The program was located primarily at the American College of Switzerland (ACS) in the charming Swiss Alpine village of Leysin, a famous ski and sport resort.  Participants were exposed to the history, art and culture of Italy during the third week of the trip.