SJB Italy

The Island of Capri offers a wonderland of sight and sound. Photos by Mac McKerral

The group used two private boats to get back to Capri from Sorrento.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2009

Contact Information:

Jim LeTourneau

jim.letourneau@wku.edu

Mac McKerral

mac.mckerral@wku.edu

Students spend five days on island

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. —Ten students from Western Kentucky University’s School of Journalism & Broadcasting spent three weeks in Italy producing news articles, videos, photographs and multimedia packages.

 The first five days found the students in Capri, an Island paradise at one time reserved for the most powerful Romans, the emperors.

 The students worked on stories on the island’s history, contemporary island transportation, the legendary “Blue Grotto,” a family with a vineyard used to produce their own wine and an ironworker, who produces an array of gates found on the island.

 In between working on projects, the students toured Capri, visited the island’s beaches, shopped, took boat rides around the island and ate at the best restaurants. Students also made a daytrip to Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius from Capri.

 Angela Oliver, a news-editorial journalism major and a participant in the study abroad trip, said she enjoyed Capri, especially an unplanned boat ride from Sorrento to Capri.

 “It was very majestic,” Oliver said.  “Not very many people can say they had a boat ride across the Mediterranean. And I think it was better because it wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Students planned to take the ferry back from Sorrento to Capri. But the carrier changed the schedule without notice, and the group arrived at the dock with no way to get back. Professor Jim LeTourneau found two captains of private boats who agreed to shuttle the group back. The students enjoyed the boat ride even more than the ferry ride to Sorrento.

 In Capri, the group stayed at three bed and breakfasts: Il Tramonto, Il Groppolo, and Villa la Rugiada.  Oliver, stayed at Villa la Rigiada, and enjoyed the bed and breakfast.

 “The hosts helped make the trip enjoyable for me,” she said.  “They gave us everything we needed and were extremely nice and helpful.”

The 10 students participating in the student abroad trip are: Americo Capodagli, broadcasting; Jan Diehm, photojournalism; Lee Cox, broadcasting; Barrett Dennison, broadcasting; Laurel Mallory, broadcasting; Joshua Moore, news-editorial journalism; Melanie Niemann, broadcasting; Oliver; Lindsay Peters, broadcasting; and Jessica VanWinkle, public relations.

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