Pathways to the Steger Center Study Abroad Program
What is Pathways to the Steger Center?
Pathways to the Steger Center is a 5-week study abroad program that takes place in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland at Virginia Tech’s Steger Center for International Scholarship. This full-month immersion program gives students the chance to take 6 credits of Pathways courses that count toward their graduation requirements. Students may choose two of the following 3-credit options:
- ENGE 2094: Create!, 3 credits, Pathways 6d
- ITAL 2404: European Food Practices, 3 credits, Pathways 2
- ITAL 3954: Italian through Creative Practice: Cooking, Acting, Travel Writing, 3 credits, Pathways 6a (prerequisite: ITAL 1105)
The program begins asynchronously and online in May 2025 so that students can get a head start on their reading. Students travel to the Steger Center on Thursday, May 29 and arrive on Friday, May 30. Orientation begins at 5pm on Friday, May 30 and runs all day Saturday, May 31. Classes begin on Monday, June 2, 2025 and run through Thursday, June 26, 2025. Students are expected to depart from the Steger Center on Friday, June 27, 2025 by noon. During the program, students will participate in a mid-program excursion to Bologna, Italy that permits students to see and experience Bologna from the lens of the different disciplines.
Nb: this new program is run directly through the Steger Center and facilitated by the Global Education office.
Eligibility
This program is open to all Virginia Tech students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Some offered courses have prerequisite requirements. Students should pay attention to these requirements as they enroll in the program.
Application
The Pathways to the Steger Center application deadline has been extended to February 1, 2025. In order to be fully eligible for all scholarship opportunities, we encourage students to apply by December 1, 2024. Please see the GEO website for scholarship details.
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Student Testimonials
"The Pathways to Steger Center allowed me to fit study abroad into my schedule when it was impossible to go during the fall or spring. The courses in my major are not offered as part of a VT study abroad, so having a program focused on Pathways was invaluable to me."
- Alec Burnett, Pathways to Steger Center, 2024
"The Italian course in this program allowed me to take what I've learned in the classroom, and actually use it to communicate with some amazing people that I wouldn't have met otherwise! Plus, the professor, Valentina, is incredibly patient and taught us lots about Italian culture and lifestyles, which makes learning Italian so much more fun."
- Jordan Rhodes, Pathways to Steger Center, 2024
"I participated in the PGS program at the Steger Center, and it was truly amazing. I loved the Steger Center because students from so many backgrounds stay there at the same time. It’s not all engineers or all business majors, so I got to meet a lot of people that I likely wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s in a beautiful location, and travel is so easy from the train station right in Riva. Last but certainly not least, the food at the villa is incredible."
- Nathan Brown, PGS 2023
"In the four months I spent studying at the Steger Center, Riva San Vitale truly became my home away from home. Everyone in the villa from the chefs to the cleaning staff are incredibly welcoming, and I can attest that you will form amazing friendships with the other students studying there. Riva itself is a beautiful town with a vibrant community that you will have the chance to get involved in. Some of my favorite memories in Riva are the times I spent sitting on lake-side benches, eating gelato from the local shop, and hiking on the nearby mountains. Additionally, the train station right in town makes it unbelievably easy to take trips both near (such as Lugano, Bellinzona, and even Lake Como Italy) and far (by making a quick one-hour commute to the Milan airports). The world is truly your oyster when staying at the Steger Center!"
- Addison Glozer, PGS 2023