A group of 25 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Honors Program students spent spring break exploring Paris, France, combining sightseeing with hands-on learning in a faculty-led Education Abroad program.
Led by Tamy Burnett, director of operations, and Nick Gilbert, assistant director, the students visited iconic sites including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, the Musée d’Orsay, the Palais Garnier, and Les Invalides. The weeklong trip was part of a full-semester course designed to give students historical and cultural context before traveling.
Before departure, guest faculty spoke to the class about France’s history and culture. Cindy Ermus, associate professor of history, covered the French Revolution, while French professor Erica Shauer discussed entertainment and spectacle in 19th-century Paris. Alexander Claussen, an Honors Program alum and assistant professor of French and German at the University of West Georgia, joined via Zoom to teach about Napoleon.
“Jet lag hit a few people in the group pretty hard, but the excitement of seeing Paris made it easier for sure,” said Kailyn Foster, a first-year advertising and public relations major.
The next day, a round of sightseeing began with the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, which students had learned about from guest faculty speaker Aaron Pattee in the College of Architecture.
“Learning about Notre Dame before coming to Paris made me truly recognize and appreciate its historical significance and the effort that has gone into building and restoring the cathedral after the fire,” said Payton Smidt, a second-year psychology major. “Having a background made the experience so much more meaningful and valuable.”
In the days that followed, the travelers made their way around the city, stopping to see the icons of Paris and France like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, the Musee d’Orsay, which is home to several Van Goghs, the Palace Garnier, which is the inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera and the Invalides, which contains Napoleon's tomb and a WWII museum.
“My favorite thing to see was the Eiffel Tower. Watching it sparkle at night was incredible, and going to the top was my favorite part of the trip,” said Amber Stutheit, a first-year English major. “It was exhilarating to stand above Paris and take in all the lights.”
On Thursday morning, the students had the opportunity to visit the Louvre. Prior to travel, Sandra Williams, associate professor of art, taught students about the history of the famous museum and the art it contained. During their visits, students were able to see many of the famous art pieces they had learned about in class for themselves.
“I liked the sculptures the most because I could walk around them and see them at angles that pictures can’t capture,” said Jasmine Pham, a third-year math and data science major. “The Winged Victory was especially cool to see after we learned in class about all of the effort that went into protecting the piece during World War II.”
As they explored, the students immersed themselves in the history of the city, which dates back more than 2,000 years. With each site they visited, they recalled what they had learned in class about its rich background.
“Being in an old city is so fascinating,” said Lilly Pannier, a first-year international business major. “I love seeing all the old architecture and all the details on the buildings. Everywhere I go feels so historic and chic.”
After a busy week of packed schedules, navigating Paris’ public transportation system, and no shortage of pictures, the students spent Friday evening and Saturday in small groups, navigating the city on their own, and growing as world citizens.
“I went to Moulin Rouge on Friday night and did a cooking class on Saturday, where we made tarte tatin and madeleines,” said Emma Furlong, a second-year computer science and management major. “Both were amazing and allowed me to see aspects of Parisian culture we did not get to experience earlier in the week.”
At the end of the trip, the band of now well-traveled students reflected on their week and all they experienced in such a short time.
“As someone who’s never been out of the country before, I instantly noticed so many cultural differences,” said Tara Reynolds, a second-year English and women’s and gender studies major. “It was just important to remember that when being in someone else’s country, you have to try to respect their way of life as best you can.”
Overall, the group agreed that the experience had been one of their favorites thus far in their Honors Program career.
“I think there’s no better way to learn about something than seeing it for yourself, and this trip was an amazing example of that for me,” said Andrew Swanson, a second-year journalism major. “Not only has this Honors class helped me achieve my dream of going abroad, but it also gave me a remarkable perspective of Paris and what makes it special.”
As the semester continues, students will take part in a role-playing simulation of the French Revolution. They will use the knowledge they acquired from both their trip and the guest speakers they heard from throughout the semester to guide their experience while deepening their understanding of Paris and its history.
