Students on first semester-long study abroad in Mexico

February 1 was a milestone for the Tennessee Consortium of International Studies and Pellissippi State.

Eight Pellissippi State students are in Morelia, Mexico, to begin the first semester-long study abroad program in the College’s history. Six students from other Tennessee colleges are taking part as well.

“Pellissippi State has sponsored study abroad trips before,” said Theresa Castillo, TnCIS program coordinator, “but none for a whole semester. This is the first of what we hope will be many semester-long programs for our students.”

Students will be living with local families in the Central Mexico city of more than one million. Sightseeing excursions will include famous basilicas, volcanoes, the pyramids of Teotihuacán, the National Palace and the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.

Students will return home April 29 with at least 12 hours of course credit.

A scholarship was awarded to each student to help with the $4,800 cost. In addition, students received varying amounts from Pell grants, lottery scholarships and financial aid.

TnCIS has also organized shorter study abroad trips to Brazil, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Mexico, Scotland, South Africa and Spain for this summer.

Interested students can visit the TnCIS Web site at www.tncis.org. They can apply for the programs online by contacting Castillo, 539-7279 or tcastillo@pstcc.edu.