SJB Italy

The vastness of the Vatican's centuries-old artwork overwhelms visitors.

                                                                                                CONTACT INFO:

                                                                                                Jim LeTourneau

                                                                                                james.letourneau@wku.edu

                                                                                                Mac McKerral

                                                                                                mac.mckerral@wku.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 11, 2009

STUDENTS SPEND DAY AT VATICAN

Excursion involves Papal audience, St. Peters

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Western Kentucky University students studying abroad in Italy spent a day in the Vatican Wednesday, June 10, visiting St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Basilica and getting a close-up look at Pope Benedict XVI.

Ten students from WKU’s School of Journalism & Broadcasting traveled to Italy May 26. They spent five days in Capri and are concluding a two-week stay in Rome.

The study abroad participants began their day at the Vatican early in order to get a good spot for the audience with the Pope at 10:30 a.m.

Several students and faculty set up within feet of the route taken by the Pope through the crowd in the “Popemobile,” a modified Mercedes Benz.

The Vatican tour — led guide Michael Bird — tour took more than four hours, and Bird offered expertise on every room and almost sculpture, fresco and painting.

A Tour of St. Peter’s Basilica concluded the day, and students also mailed postcards from the Vatican Post Office, considered more reliable than the Italian postal system, Bird said.

Students thought the day was successful, despite its length.

“We’ve covered the three Ps now: the President, the Prime Minister, and the Pope,” said Barrett Dennison of Glasgow, a participant in the study abroad trip, discussing how exciting it is to have seen important Italian officials on the trip.

The 10 students participating in the student abroad trip are: Americo Capodagli, broadcasting; Jan Diehm, photojournalism; Lee Cox, broadcasting; 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 are in charge of their projects.

To follow the trip and view the work of students and professors and view their projects, visit 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.