DECATUR, Ga.—Reciting Shakespeare’s sonnets atop an Italian hill in Florence—now that’s something Faizon Williams, while a Columbia High School student in Decatur, never imagined doing. But last summer Williams did exactly that as a Georgia State University Perimeter College student studying abroad in Italy.
“It was amazing—we climbed the hill, and our professor brought pizza, and we all recited sonnets up there,” he recalled, showing photos of the event.
The experience was magnified for Williams who had never traveled outside the United States. He applied and was accepted for a Georgia State Study Abroad scholarship to Italy. The scholarship covered his expenses for the program.
“No one in my family had traveled either, but I knew I wanted to study abroad,” he said.
In May, Williams joined other Georgia State students on a three-week trip to Rome, Venice and Florence. The group was led by Dr. Paul Voss, a Georgia State associate professor of English, who specializes in Renaissance literature and Shakespeare. Students would study Shakespeare while traveling the Italian countryside.
The English class involved all upperclassmen, said Williams. That didn’t faze him.
“I was the youngest in the group. There was even a Ph.D. student.”
Williams, who is 19 and studying computer science on the Decatur Campus said he kept up with the older students with assistance from Dr. Voss.
“He emphasized our experience in Italy and our growth in the subject rather than our total mastery of Shakespeare,” Williams said.
Still, there was a 15-page paper on the subject due at the end of the program. Williams earned an A in the class, and the glow of the trip still lingers.
“I saw a Caravaggio up close at St. Peter’s” he said with awe. “I learned some Italian, and threw coins in the Trevi Fountain in Rome. We walked everywhere. Florence was beautiful; Rome was the best city in the world. My perspective on everything is different now that I have been in Italy. Everything was so relaxed there,” he said.
Williams, who has a 3.7 GPA and is an Honors student, was already involved in student government as speaker of the Senate on the Decatur Campus when he heard about the scholarship opportunity last fall. He encourages other students to study abroad and apply for scholarships.
“You have to take advantage of every opportunity,” he said.
Study Abroad 101 recruitment advisers and scholarship information soon will be on Perimeter Campuses on the following schedule:
- Newton Campus, Oct. 5, 1–5 p.m., 2N Building Lobby
- Dunwoody: Oct. 9, 1–5 p.m., NB/Student Center Lobby
- Clarkston Campus: Oct. 11, 1–5 p.m., CN/Student Center Lobby
- Decatur Campus: Oct. 11, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., SC Lobby
- Alpharetta Campus: Oct. 12, 1– 5 p.m., Building A Lobby
For more information, visit mystudyabroad.gsu.edu or call 404-413-2529.