During the summer of 2016, Prof. John ‘Rio’ Riofrio embarked in the adventure of co-leading our W&M-sponsored program in Santiago de Compostela (Spain); an interdisciplinary, international, and transformative experience.
Like people since the Middle Ages, Prof. Riofrio, Prof. Allar (Theater, Speech & Dance), and 9 valiant W&M students joined pilgrims from all over the world and covered 197 miles (311 kms) over 13 days, going from León and ending in Santiago de Compostela. While medieval pilgrims were motivated by the tradition that the remains of Saint James the Apostle were in Compostela, our W&M group set out in a challenging interdisciplinary pedagogical experience that included analyzing architectural examples, as well as art and graffiti found along The Way, and classes led by Profs. Riofrio and Allar before and after the actual physical transit along the Camino. Students were also able to reflect on their experience by mapping their trajectory; you can read the thoughts shared by Brooks Henne, Martha Rose Oordt, Quinn Reiley, and Alex Wingate.
For more details on this experience, please check the article by Kate Hoving, A New Curriculum Transforms a Familiar Path, published in the latest issue of the journal of the Reves Center World Minded, 9.1 (Fall 2016): 11-14.
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For more information on our W&M-sponsored summer program in Santiago de Compostela, please visit the website of the Reves Center. For summer 2017, the application deadline is February 6, 2017.