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George Freund
Santa Rosa Junior College
Email: gfreund@santarosa.edu
George Freund is a philosophy professor at Santa Rosa Junior College where he has been teaching philosophy and religious studies for nearly thirty years. He has traveled many times to Europe, often to Italy, where he was an instructor in the Study Abroad Program in Florence in 2009. He has a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from University of California, Davis. His special interests include the history of philosophy, philosophy of religion and environmental philosophy. Italy has been the hub of the Western philosophical and religious world for the better part of the last two thousand years. The ideas and beliefs that help define us today emerged from intellectual, artistic and religious developments that took place largely in Italy. George is delighted to have an opportunity to share the experience of this incredible place with the students in the Study Abroad Program once again.
Maria Giuili
Diablo Valley College
Email: mgiuili@dvc.edu
Born in Poland, I was raised in Egypt where my dad, a merchant marine captain, worked as a Suez Canal pilot. At age 8, I joined a French school where I also studied Arabic. Due to political changes that school closed and my next move was a boarding house at the English School in Cairo. My college work focused on Economics and Political Science. After graduating from the American University in Cairo, I continued my studies in Poland, but there, economics was taught from a central planning perspective. After graduating from Gdansk University, I moved to the Bay Area where I got another Master’s degree in economics from SFSU. I have studied econ-political science for 11 years and have been teaching economics for the past 35. As a student I participated in several study/work programs, among others at UNESCO in Paris and Olio Sasso in Italy.
The experience gained from living in many countries, being familiar with different cultures and having the ability to use information published in different languages, definitely helps to incorporate current events when teaching our students in Florence. Compare, contrast and analyze will be the approach that we will take and given the speed with which changes, on both the economic and political levels, are taking place, Spring 2012 will be very interesting and informative. The experience of having taught in the Study Abroad Program in London (2001) and Florence (2005) will further contribute to the success of our 2012 Florence program. The study abroad semester will be one of the most important milestones in our young people’s academic careers.
Diana Bennett
College of San Mateo
Email: bennettd@smccd.edu
Diana grew up in Gold Country (El Dorado County) and moved to the Bay Area twenty–five years ago after spending ten years in Oregon. She received her M.A degree in Multimedia, with honors, from CSUH, her B.A. in Art from CSUH with honors, and her A.A. in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing from FIDM and a certificate in Online Teaching and Learning from CSEUB. She currently teaches in the Digital Media Program at College of San Mateo and has taught in the San Mateo Community College District for eleven years. She also works with CSM's Community Education program teaching College for Kids, Music for Fine Arts and Digital Media Academy. Diana continues to work in the digital media industry and has worked on many aspects of client-based projects in print, web, and video from concept to production. She’s looking forward to teaching in Italy, revitalizing her love of art, exploring Florence, and reviving her Italian speaking skills.
Nicholas Miller
Cosumnes River College
Email: millern@scc.losrios.edu
Nicholas Miller teaches sociology full-time at Sacramento City College. He received his Bachelor's in political science from Pacific University and Master's in sociology from UC, Davis. Originally from rural Idaho and a transplant to Portland, Oregon, then Sacramento, California – he has been a firework stand owner, dept store stock boy, court clerk, bailiff, community organizer, firefighter, counselor and teacher. He spent a year as an international student services coordinator and was a host parent for multiple students from around the world. He has traveled to New Zealand, Australia, and multiple countries in Europe. He studied literature in Switzerland and environmental sustainability and policy in Germany. He is the co-advisor of the Honor's Club and passionate about helping students connect academics to social justice and change. He has two children and is very excited for his family to join him on this adventure to Florence!
