High school graduates experience college life in Croatia

High school graduates from the class of 2022 have taken a leap into higher education through RIT’s inaugural Post-High School Semester in Europe. The program has provided these students the opportunity to spend a semester at RIT’s campus in Dubrovnik, Croatia, taking three classes, conducting research, and enjoying experiential learning trips throughout Croatia and in Rome, Italy.

“This program offers students a chance to push themselves out of their comfort zones and experience life in a new place, while living more independently and getting a taste of college academics,” said Rebecca Charry Roje, program coordinator for the Post-High School European Semester program and a longtime senior lecturer at RIT Croatia. “Students are enjoying a lifestyle that is more closely connected to nature and history, while they come face to face with different ways of thinking that help them clarify their own values and choices for their future lives.”

Students have already embarked on some of the several trips included in the semester. These trips are led by professional local tour guides who explain the sites’ historical and cultural significance. So far, the students have taken a trip to the Pelješac Peninsula along Croatia’s Adriatic coast; a trip to Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, and to Rome, Italy; a trip to the towns of Zadar and Split along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast; and a trip to Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes National Park.

“The excursions are something I’m consistently looking forward to,” said Kyla Clapp, a student from Shelley, Idaho, participating in the program. “I would say that the trip to Rome and Zagreb has been my favorite. I really enjoyed exploring the two cities and learning about how people there live and the rich history of the two places. Having some free time to explore the two cities for myself after learning something about them gave me an irreplaceable experience.” 

The program is designed to help students plan their next educational steps, and it includes students who plan to attend RIT and those who plan to proceed with their academic career elsewhere. As part of the program, the students have access to college counseling to help them prepare for wherever their future takes them.

Plus, the program gives students the chance to bond with each other and with their professors and mentors.

“The thing I’ve enjoyed the most so far is meeting a lot of new people and making new friends. In the short time I’ve been in Dubrovnik, I’ve made connections with people that seem like we’ve been here for years,” said Jagger Houghmaster, a student from Syracuse, N.Y. 

Charry Roje added, “I'm gratified to see how eager the students are to explore the world around them, and how well they have come together as a group to support and look after each other. I can see clearly that this semester experience will help them make smarter decisions about the next steps they will take in their own education and personal development.”