Drs. Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand, professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, Reeves Shulstad, professor of musicology in the Hayes School of Music, and Jim Toub, professor in the Department of Art led the Honors College Faculty-led Education Abroad Program “Culture and Arts in Vienna” to Vienna, Austria, from May 13 — June 2, 2025. This FLEAP focused on art, music, architecture, and literature from 1700 to the present day including a prominent point in Austrian history — the fin de siècle, or the end of the century. Students who participated in this FLEAP earned three semester hours of credits for HON 2515: Great Cities: Vienna, and three semester hours for HON 3515: Fin De Siecle Vienna. About this program, Dr. Shulstad shared,
Aligning with the Mission of the Honors College, Culture and Arts In Vienna offers students an opportunity for interdisciplinary study of the art, literature, psychology, politics, and music of Vienna—while utilizing the city as the classroom. Students work independently and in groups as they consider the ways in which the development of this city are reflected in the artifacts and historical narratives covered in this course.
Neve Taylor is a nursing major, who started at App State in the Fall 2024 semester and joined the Honors College as a continuing student in Spring 2025, and plans to graduate May 2028. Taylor explained that “being in a group of all Honors students definitely pushed me to make the most out of my experience. We all had a lot of fun but also knew that the assignments and overall learning was our priority.” About the importance of this experience, Taylor further reflected,
I really learned to appreciate the value of getting out of your comfort zone and exploring.
Photo above of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna on May 15, 2025, as the group explored the district and discussed the importance of architecture and its reflection of cultural values. Photo by Neve Taylor.
Madelyn Haines, a communication science and disorders student pursuing a minor in studio art who entered the Honors College and App State in Fall 2024 semester and plans to graduate May 2028. She explained that the group stayed in the Gebblergasse Hotel, where two students shared a room. She stated, “I thought the living space was perfectly comfortable. Most of the time though I was out of the hotel exploring the city of Vienna with my class and during free time I enjoyed the historical coffee shops of Vienna. When we had class at a certain building or museum we met in the lobby of our hotel and traveled over together, which made me feel super safe and more comfortable with the train system traveling as a group. A lot of class time was spent learning in museums and discussing different parts of the museums as a class. We had three professors each specializing in their own thing: music, art, and German. The Music teacher would take over class when we visited sites about Mozart, Beethoven, and other famous musicians. The art teacher was there to guide us in the art museums. Lastly, one teacher spoke fluently in German and was very knowledgeable of Austria and I learned a lot about the country from her.”
Photo of Madelyn Haines in front of St. Charles in Vienna, May 17, 2025. St. Charles is the cathedral where the group attended a performance of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons.” Photo submitted.
The Honors College international education requires students to
- Reflect on their interactions with individuals and communities from cultural backgrounds different from their own and explain how these cross-cultural experiences have supported their individual personal, academic, and/or professional growth.
- Cultivate cultural competence and humility by examining the importance of understanding, respecting, and valuing difference in building inclusive communities and addressing global challenges collaboratively.
- Apply a holistic approach to global engagement that encompasses intellectual, cultural, and social dimensions as they explore, discover, learn, and grow with others.
Dr. Shulstad further reflected on the format of this FLEAP, and stated, “As a musicologist, much of my research is interdisciplinary; therefore, this kind of course reflects what I love to study. I enjoy discussing the literary, psychological, political, and artistic connections to music with students after experiencing a live performance with them. I find their responses and interpretations intriguing.” Indeed, each study came away with different impacts that will shape their future paths.
Gaby Magallan Aguilar is a music education major who joined the Honors College at App State Fall 2023 semester and plans to graduate May 2027. She noted that “as a music major, it was very meaningful to experience the rich musical culture of the city. I got to see the houses of famous composers and watch performances. Music has a great influence on the layout of the city.” Thinking about how what she experienced will influence her future she added, “I saw how big music is in the city and how many musicians there are. My major is music education but I also like performing in ensembles. I know that if I would like to shift my focus to performing, Vienna is a great city to be in as there are performances every day and so many ensembles.”
Morgan Ray is a biology major who joined the Honors College at App State Fall 2024 and plans to graduate May 2028. Her future goals are focused on neurological medicine. She shared,
I believe studying abroad is a great chance to interact with other people and see how others live (like a little sociology experiment). I would love to continue to study abroad, and maybe have a research or internship opportunity while at it. In general, traveling is beneficial for anyone, as it teaches you to be structured, yet flexible, and to navigate new places, people, and cultures.
Haines seconded that notion and stated, “My goal is to be a Speech Pathologist and studying abroad has opened me up to new cultures and different ways of communicating and speaking.”
Taylor further explained, “Academically and career wise, I believe that learning in another place helps you have a more holistic view of the world and what you can contribute to it, so studying internationally has helped with that perspective.”
Photo above of the Melk Monastery gardens on My 27, 2025. Photo by Morgan Ray
In thinking about the most significant things she learned and experienced on this trip, Ray reflected that for her it was “walking the steps of the Mauthausen concentration camp, seeing La Nozze di Figaro (it was something), and taking day trips to surrounding towns like Melk, Pöchlarn, and Tulln.”
Beyond that, Magallan Aguilar furthered that, “the friendships I made are the most significant. I was worried I was going to have no friends because I did not know anyone. We explored the city together and experienced the same things whether they were good or bad. The city felt less scary to navigate when I had a group of friends to go with. We had two free days and I had the chance to go to Salzburg and take a bike tour of the city. I also went to Budapest for a day.”
Top photo features some of the group in front of the Schönbrunn Palace during their last day in Vienna, June 1, 2025. Photo by Dr Toub.
