Students at the University of Pennsylvania can study in Cuba thanks to a Penn Summer Abroad program in Havana.

Taught by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, associate professor and undergraduate chair in the Department of History of Art in the School of Arts & Sciences, the seven-day Penn-in-Havana program explores the region’s art and architecture. The class will visit galleries, museums and the international art festival, the Havana Biennal. Students will also have an opportunity to meet and speak with local artists.

“Because we only have a week on the island, the itinerary will be non-stop and should be very exciting for the students who enroll in the class,” says Shaw. “I hope that their time in Cuba inspires them to return to the island again, with family and friends, or perhaps on business if things continue to move forward in a positive way.”

Shaw had been interested in Cuban art and culture since the early 1990s, and she was finally able to travel to Cuba last year when restrictions were eased. As a faculty host, Shaw led a trip with Penn Alumni Travel similar to the one she will offer Penn Summer Abroad students.

“At several of the studio visits that we made there were government censors present and yet the social commentary provided by the works was still remarkably evident and keenly realized,” says Shaw. “Upon my return to Penn, I was convinced that it was vitally important more Americans, in particular our students who are beginning to consider careers in the arts, culture, business and politics, are able to experience the island and its people.”

Shaw says the Penn in Havana program is fortunate to have already finalized all the arrangements with an educational travel firm before the announcement in December that the U.S. and Cuba would re-establish diplomatic relations after more than 50 years. While the change is expected to ease travel restrictions, she says it may be some time before American tourists can book their own trips to Cuba and there are a limited number of flights into and out of José Martí airport.

“The financial aspects of the embargo are so complicated that it will take at least a year to untangle them and make things as simple for Americans,” says Shaw. “The need for professional intermediaries will persist for quite some time.”

Havana is not the only destination for Penn Summer broad this year.

The new Penn-in-Tel Aviv program will offer a class on media, technology and Middle East studies. Taught by Peter DeCherney of the English Department and Cinema Studies, the four-week program will examine the culture of creativity and innovation in Israel.

The Penn-in-Berlin-and-Rotterdam program will offer students a chance to travel to Germany and the Netherlands to study sustainability, the environment and climate change. They will meet with policy makers and tour locations where sustainable methods are being used. Simon Richter of Germanic Languages and Literatures is the instructor. 

The Penn-in-Athens program with Jeremy McInerney of Classical Studies will expose students to Greek religion, intercultural learning and ancient architecture. Students will be able to examine ancient religion and practice at sites in and around the Greek capital. They will also have the opportunity to interact with students from DEREE—The American College of Greece, where the Penn students will have full access to the campus and its resources.

“Anyone can visit the Acropolis, you can look at the Parthenon, you can visit the various temples there,” says Eli Lesser, director of Penn summer programs, “but the faculty can take you there and show you things and how to look at things that you wouldn’t normally see that are off the tourist route.”

Students participating in the programs will be expected to complete pre-trip readings and assignments to prepare for the courses. Then, through the summer, they will continue the conversation with each other online about what they’ve learned.

Information about applying for the programs is available at http://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/locations/abroad