The Norse Mythology course taking in the sights on their Spring Break adventure. (image credit: Anna Laugelle)

Over this year’s spring break, 12 SNHU students had the opportunity to travel to Iceland. The trip correlated directly with the Norse Mythology and Graphic Novel course offered to students in the 2018 spring semester. The course itself incorporates elements of Norse mythology and graphic design as students are responsible for the interpretation of various stories regarding Norse myths. Students are then required to visually convey those stories through the implementation of graphic design concepts.

The week of spring break, students traveled to Iceland to engage in experiential learning of the Norse mythology history surrounding the country. Facilitating discussions throughout the course wereProfessor Youngs and Professor Dow, also attending the trip. Susan Youngs teaches World Mythology and a collection of composition courses. Tracy Dow teaches various graphic design courses along with Typography.

Both faculty members enjoyed combining their interest of education with that of travel. “It’s really nice to teach an interdisciplinary course–it allows students to view material from different perspectives and use their knowledge in different contexts,” said Youngs.

Within Iceland, students and faculty traveled to various museums, explored the town of Reykjavik, and participated in guided tours around the country. The various museums included the Viking World Museum, the National Museum of Iceland and the Culture House where students learned more about concepts mentioned in class.

Alexis Gardiner (’19) was one of the 12 students participating in the trip. Passionate about travel, Gardiner wasted no time immersing herself in the Icelandic culture.

Many of the students also participated in the Golden Circle bus tour that highlighted some of the most iconic Icelandic sites. Throughout the tour students were able see a national park, a hot spring and the Gullfoss waterfall.

“The highlight of my trip was the geothermal hot springs. The floor of the natural pool is layered with sulfur and stays at about 100-104oF all year round, giving it a spa-like feel and making it a relaxing way to end one of our days!” said Gardiner.

Students are now required to take inspiration from their trip to Iceland and apply it to their end of the semester projects. “We really appreciated Stefano Parenti’s help in arranging this trip. We had a great group of students, and we are hoping to run this course one more time, perhaps in two years,” said Youngs.

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