Pathways to the Steger Center Study Abroad Program
Pathways to the Steger Center is a 4-week study abroad program that takes place in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland at Virginia Tech’s Steger Center. During the program, students will participate in a mid program excursion to Bologna, and two of the four offered courses, completing 6 Pathways or Italian credits.
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.
Deadline Extended until February 1! Apply now on our program page!
Got questions about Pathways to the Steger Center?
Check out the slide deck from our information sesion, email rsap@vt.edu, or make an appointment.
Interested in receiving updates about Pathways to the Steger Center? Fill out this form.
Program Dates: June 3 - June 28, 2024
Excursion to Bologna: All students participating in Pathways to the Steger Center will join in a shared trip to Bologna during their program. The Bologna excursion will last 5 days and is included in the program fee.
European Food Practices (ITAL 2984) - 3 credits, Pathways 2
In this course, students will explore the cultures that produce and are reproduced by our current food practices in Western Europe, touching upon the local, national and global dimensions. This course will examine the cultural, ecological, political, and geographic forces at work influencing the chain of production from farm to table. In particular, students will consider the contemporary food systems in France, Italy, and Switzerland as well as their cultural and historical roots. Students will learn more about what it takes to become an active food citizen as the class considers where food comes from here in Europe and how the food we eat shapes who we are, both literally and figuratively. This course includes a travel component in Italy where students will study first hand some of the concepts discussed, including terroir, slow food, and local farm to table movements.
Elementary-Intermediate Italian (ITAL 1106 or ITAL 2106) - 3 credits
Prerequisite Course: ITAL 1105 or ITAL 2105
Fast track your beginning and intermediate Italian language skills with a month learning Italian in this Italian speaking region of Switzerland.
While in Ticino, expert language instructor Valentina Dodi will lead this small group of Italian language learners to develop and refine their language skills. Learn to speak with your neighbors, order food in restaurants, navigate the train system and shop the open-air markets, all in the target language. The learning experience will be enriched by an excursion to Bologna, Italy in the third week of the program. This course is open to students who have successfully completed Ital 1105, Ital 1106 and/or Ital 2105 before the program begins.
For more information, contact Italian Program Director, Professor Melissa Coburn.
Create! (ENGE 2094) - 3 credits, Pathways 6d
Create! is designed to lead students through the process of creative inquiry, design, and collaboration to explore the nexus of the arts, science, and design. Through activities and discussions students will build an understanding of the ties between multiple disciplines. To identify these ties, students will engage in activities that build participation and questioning strategies for workshops and lectures, problem finding, analogical and metaphorical thinking, and collaboration in multiple formats. The collaboration of students, faculty, and visiting artists will encourage students to explore their own interests as they are situated within the boundaries of disciplines and provide strategies to create and innovate within and among disciplines. ENGE 2094 fulfills requirements of the Innovation Minor, Design + Technology + Creative Expression Minor, Innovation Minor and Technology, Humans and the Environment Minor.
Podcasting in Riva San Vitale (ME 2954) - 3 credits, Pathways 1a
In this Pathways Discourse class, students will work both individually and collaboratively to shed light on various engineering features of Riva San Vitale, such as the Monte Generoso Railway, through a series of engineering-focused assignments that culminate in a collaborative podcast. Students will acquire new technical communication skills and vocabulary that will inform their experiences not only in future courses but also in their professional, civic, and personal lives after they graduate. Students will learn the principles and application of effective engineering communication through written, oral, and visual genres. Students will develop strategies for organizing, creating, and revising technical deliverables for a range of audiences—these documents include, but are not limited to, instruction manuals, technical reports, presentations, and professional correspondence. Students will develop skills that aid them in writing strategies and best practices, language use and style, public speaking, visual design, genre critique and analysis, collaboration, interpersonal communication, and ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering. Unique to this course is a podcast assignment, which students will create, produce, and edit collaboratively, equipping students with the interpersonal and collaborative skills necessary to be a successful engineer.
The Pathways to the Steger Center application deadline has been extended to February 1. The application includes general student information, several short essay responses and a non-refundable application fee of $50. Please note, applications are largely judged on the quality of the essay responses. A successfull application will pay close attention to the question requirements and provide thoughtful, well developed answers.
Students participating in the Pathways to the Steger Center Program will be charged the program fee and tuition through their student account. The program fee includes accommodations, in-country transportation, excursions, corporate visits, most meals, and international health and security insurance. The program fee does not include: GEO Application Fee, Faculty-led Study Abroad Participation fee, international airfare, some meals, passport/visa fees, souvenirs, and personal spending while on the program.
Upon acceptance into the program, a non-refundable deposit is required. Commitment decisions must be made within two weeks of acceptance.
| Program Costs (Billed to Student Accounts) | In-State | Out-of-State |
| Program Fee | $5,600 | $5,600 |
| Tuition | $2,467.25 | $6,548.25 |
| Faculty-led Participation Fee | $50 | $50 |
| Additional Costs (Estimated) | ||
| Study Abroad Application Fee (Required) | $50 | $50 |
| Passport (New) | $180 | $180 |
| Personal & Other Expenses | $200 | $200 |
| Airfare | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Estimated Meals | $500 | $500 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $10,475 | $14,441 |
Program Fee Payment Schedule
Once a student has committed to participate in the program, the program fee will be due on the following schedule:
| Date | Amount Due |
| February 10 | $500 Deposit |
| March 10 | $2,550 |
| April 10 | $2,550 |
| Total | $5,600 |
Scholarship Opportunities
First-Year Passport Project
Deadline: September 9
The Global Education Office supports this scholarship. Participants selected for the Passport Project will be required to engage in a minimum of 10 hours of peer mentorship, attend designated Passport Project workshops, social and community-building events, and specialized advising sessions focused on study abroad and scholarships in exchange for receiving a U.S. passport book at no cost. See website for eligibility requirements.
Global Education Scholarships
Deadline: December 6
Applicants do not need to have been accepted to Pathways to the Steger Center to apply for Global Education Scholarships.
Fund for Education Abroad
Deadline: January 18
Decisions are made based on financial need, demographic factors and academic plan and preparedness.
College of Engineering/SEC Global Engineering Access Scholarship
Deadline: March 1, 2024
This scholarship is designed to defray students’ costs for international learning experiences, for example related to study abroad during Spring 2024, Spring Embedded 2024, Summer 2024 or Fall 2024 (where program fees are charged in Spring/Summer 2024). Eligible costs may also include (but are not limited to) program fees associated with faculty-led programs, third-party provider costs, costs of flights, or other travel expenses associated with a study/research/service abroad experience. The committee considers not only financial need (both FAFSA-demonstrated and need that might be missed by the FAFSA), but also the quality of motivation and the educational fit of the proposed activity as well as the overall diversity across applications of participation in global experiences.
Eligibility Requirements:
1) Full-time undergraduate student majoring within the College of Engineering
2) Student enrolled or will be enrolled in abroad programs in Spring 2024, Spring Embedded 2024, Summer 2024 or Fall 2024 (where fees are charged in Spring/Summer 2024).
3) Overall GPA of 2.75 or above.
4) International program takes place during Spring 2024, Spring Embedded 2024, Summer 2024 or program fees are charged in Spring/Summer 2024 for a Fall 2024 program.
Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship
Deadline: March 9
The Gilman Scholarship is designed for students who receive Federal Pell Grants. Students should carefully read the Gilman Scholarship’s eligibility requirements before completing an application.
Other local or national scholarships
Students are encouraged to research scholarships awarded by entities in their hometown or to identity groups they pertain to.
Financial Responsibility Policy
Should a program cancellation become necessary for health and safety reasons prior to student departure, every effort will be made to refund recoverable costs to participants. Students who commit to the Pathways to the Steger Center Program are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Insurance. We are unable to recommend a specific policy or insurance company, but we encourage students to start with an internet search and compare policies based on their personal preferences and risk tolerance. When purchasing CFAR insurance, please ensure that cancellation due to COVID-19 is covered in the policy terms. Other items to consider are the percentage of costs that will be reimbursed through the policy and the timeframe in which the policy needs to be purchased in relation to the planning/paying for the program.
Once a student has committed to the program, the student will be responsible for program costs based on the following schedule.
| Timeline of Student Withdrawal or Program Cancellation | Financial Responsibility |
| Prior to commitment | No Penalty |
| After commitment until March 9 | $500 (non-refundable deposit) |
| March 10 to April 9 | $2,800 (50% of the program fee) |
| After April 9 | $5,600 (100% of the program fee) |
COVID Disclaimer
To respond dynamically to ever-changing health and safety situations, international travel itineraries are subject to change to align with health and safety guidance, immigration and border entry restrictions, etc.
To apply, students must be currently enrolled at Virginia Tech with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Yes! All Virginia Tech students are welcome to apply.
The application deadline has been extended to February 1 for the 2024 program.
The program cost includes a non-refundable commitment fee due after admission to the program, accommodations, in-country excursions, in-country transportation, international health and security insurance, and most meals.
Study Abroad Scholarships are available. Please visit the Financing section for opportunity details. Students are also encouraged to look for other national and local scholarship opportunities that they may be eligible for.
Should a program cancellation become necessary for health and safety reasons prior to student departure, every effort will be made to refund recoverable costs to participants. Students who commit to Pathways to the Steger Center are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Insurance. When purchasing CFAR insurance, please ensure that cancellation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic is covered in the policy terms.
Once a student has committed to the Pathways to the Steger Center Program, the student will be responsible for program costs based on the following schedule.
| Timeline of Student Withdrawal or Program Cancellation | Financial Responsibility |
| After commitment until March 9 | $500 (non-refundable deposit) |
| March 10 to April 9 | $2,800 (50% of the program fee) |
| After April 9 | $5,600 (100% of the program fee) |
Students planning to enroll in ITAL 1106: Elementary Italian are required to successfully complete ITAL 1105 prior to the start of the program. There are not prerequisites for ENGE 2094: Create!, ITAL 2984: European Food Practices, or Swiss Railways Discourse
All students MUST have a valid passport to go on the study abroad programs. The passport should be valid 6 months beyond the end of the program. For example, if a program ends on June 28, 2024, the student's passport should be valid until at least December 28, 2024. If you do not have a valid passport, you are HIGHLY encouraged to begin the process of getting one early as it normally takes a minimum of two months to receive it. Currently wait times may be even longer due to Pandemic delays. You can obtain a passport right here on Virginia Tech’s campus. Please visit the Passport Acceptance Facility’s webpage for more information.
All United States passport holders participating in the Pathways to the Steger Center Program will need to apply for travel authorization through the ETIAS process. Students holding passports from a country other than the United States should check the visa requirements for all program destinations.
Due to the fast-paced nature of the courses in the program, class attendance is required during all class sessions. Students are permitted to travel during free weekends and prior to the start or after the end of the program.
Should a program cancellation become necessary for health and safety reasons prior to student departure, every effort will be made to refund recoverable costs to participants. Students who commit to the Pathways to the Steger Center Program are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) Insurance. We are unable to recommend a specific policy or insurance company, but we encourage students to start with an internet search and compare policies based on their personal preferences and risk tolerance. When purchasing CFAR insurance, please ensure that cancellation due to COVID-19 is covered in the policy terms. Other items to consider are the percentage of costs that will be reimbursed through the policy and the timeframe in which the policy needs to be purchased in relation to the planning/paying for the program.
Students are required to participate in the pre-program orientation where they will have the opportunity to meet other participants and faculty on the program.
At this time, vaccination for COVID-19 is only required to countries where vaccination is a national entry requirement. As of July 1, 2023, vaccination is not required for Switzerland or Italy. Students should be advised that countries may change their entry requirements prior to travel and should entry requirements change, it may affect students’ ability to participate in the program. Similarly, students should be aware that even if there is no country-level requirement, companies may have policies that require proof of vaccination to access their facilities, preventing students from attending some visits if that is the case.
Students who hold passports from countries other than the United States should consider the visa requirements for entering Switzerland and Italy. If a visa is required, it may be necessary to make an embassy visit. Most embassies are processing a backlog of visa applications, so it is important to consider whether this may cause an issue with the travel timeline.
No, students are responsible for purchasing a flight that will allow them to arrive at the Steger Center in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland by the start date. Most students fly into Zurich Airport (ZRH) or Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) and take the train to Riva San Vitale. Find information about transportation to the Steger Center.
The program starts and ends at the Steger Center in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. Students are required to purchase transportation to the Steger Center that will arrive by the start date and depart after the conclusion of the program. More details about timing will be provided closer to the start of the program.
Students must be able to enroll in two of the courses in order to participate in the Pathways to the Steger Center Program. Unfortunately, you are not able to retake a course that you have already successfully passed. If you have already taken one of the courses offered, you should plan to take two of the courses. If you are not able to take two of the courses offered, you will not be able to participate in the program. There are many other study abroad opportunities that may be a good fit for you. Check out study abroad opportunities in the College of Engineering and University-wide opportunities.