SJB Italy

Earthquakes, looters and Roman leaders seeking construction material have taken their toll on the Coliseum but an extensive rehab is under way. Photos by Mac McKerral.

WKU students Barrett Dennison, left, Lindsay Peters, Jan Diehm, Josh Moore, Jessica VanWinkle, Angela Oliver, Americo Capodagli and Melanie Niemann at the Coliseum in Rome, Italy.

                                                                                                 CONTACT INFO:

                                                                                                Jim LeTourneau

                                                                                                Jim.letourneau@wku.edu

                                                                                                Mac McKerral

                                                                                                Mac.mckerral@wku.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2009

LAST WEEK OF STUDY ABROAD TRIP BEGINS 

Students tour Coliseum, Forum and Palatine

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Students from Western Kentucky University on Monday began the final week of a study abroad trip to Italy.

The 10 students from WKU’s School of Journalism and Broadcasting traveled to Italy May 26 and spent the first five days in Capri before heading to Rome.

On Monday, June 8, students toured the Coliseum, the Forum and the ruins of the Palatine.  Students participated in a guided tour and learned about the start of the Roman Empire and its most noted venue, the Coliseum.

Roman’s gathered there to watch a range of spectacles including gladiator battles, sea battles, the Olympics and more. The tour guide said that the design of the Coliseum made it possible for 50,000 spectators to exit the multi-tiered structure in 10 minutes. The Coliseum shows ended for the most part about 530 A.D. Earthquakes and using parts of it for other construction projects took its toll on the Coliseum, but as is the case throughout Rome, rehabilitation efforts are under way.

Students viewed Julius Caesar’s grave and learned stories about life in the early days of the empire such as the arranged marriage of Emperor Augustus.

Jan Diehm, a photojournalism major and one of the participants on the study abroad trip, said the Coliseum made up her favorite part of the day.

“Seeing the Coliseum is like putting a name with a face,” Diehm said. “Everyone has heard about it, but actually seeing it is a completely different experience.”

The none students participating in the student abroad trip along with Diehm are: Americo Capodagli, broadcasting; Lee Cox, broadcasting; Barrett Dennison, broadcasting; Laurel Mallory, broadcasting; Josh Moore, news-editorial journalism; Melanie Niemann, broadcasting; Angela Oliver, news-editorial journalism; Lindsay Peters, broadcasting; and Jessica VanWinkle, public relations.

Jim LeTourneau, a broadcasting professor at WKU, and Mac McKerral, a news-editorial journalism professor at WKU, are accompanying the students on the trip and supervise their reporting projects online at: sjbstudentmedia.com/italy.

To follow the group’s trip and see their work, logon to: sjbstudentmedia.com/italy.

Western Kentucky University, located in Bowling Green, Ky., serves approximately 20,000 students. WKU prepares students to be productive, engaged, and socially responsible citizens and leaders of society.  The university offers a variety of bachelor’s degrees and more than 88 majors and 57 minors.  Students can receive associate’s and master’s degrees. WKU also provides extracurricular activities for all students.  To learn more about WKU, visit www.wku.edu.