Ciao! My name is Chandler Cartwright, and I am an upcoming junior with a Food Science Major with a Marketing minor at the University of Arkansas. After deciding I wanted to study abroad, I quickly realized how many different programs there were to choose from and felt very overwhelmed – which is why I’m going to make your decision easier by telling you why CIMBA was the best option!
There were very specific features that were included in CIMBA that made it really stand out. One of the most important things was making sure that the courses offered would count towards my degree. Since I have a marketing minor, it was a great fit because I can take two marketing courses in ITALY for 6 hours towards my minor! Incredible right?! A quick tip: even if the courses don’t fall in your degree plan, you could easily pick up a minor and complete 6 hours towards it at CIMBA.
Flexibility was a huge factor for me when determining which program I wanted to apply for. Classes at CIMBA are structured in blocks (Monday – Thursday) and end at 12pm! This gives you plenty of freedom to travel and explore after class and on weekends. It’s super easy to hop over to other countries in Europe, so it’s a great opportunity to see more than just Italy or even just more of Italy!
Location was a determining factor in my decision. ITALY? 100% yes, sign me up! I knew I wanted to go to Europe and when I found CIMBA and saw that it was stationed in Italy, I was pretty much sold. You get the beach and the city! What more could you need? I also loved the 4-week program duration CIMBA offers for the summer. It was perfect for me because I didn’t quite want to be away for a full semester or miss out on anything during the school year, but I knew I wanted a long enough time to feel like I wasn’t living out of a suitcase. There is so much to see in Europe, and even just in Italy, so I knew I wanted enough time to really explore and feel comfortably situated. It’s hard when you feel rushed on vacation to see everything and do everything, but 4 weeks is perfect because you have plenty of time to do it all! It’s also great because although you are taking classes, it’s only 2 courses, which allows you to also put focus on traveling. This was important for me because after a whole school year, I needed a little mental break, and this gives me the brain space to still challenge myself academically but not in a straining way.
I had a few friends who did the CIMBA Italy summer program in 2021 and they could not stop raving about it. I knew I wanted to be a part of a program like that as soon as I heard about it. I haven’t even left, yet I couldn’t recommend it more! Cost may be a large determining factor, as it was for me which is a great reason to choose CIMBA Italy. For all that is included, it truly is a great deal. There are also so many scholarship opportunities through your home university and through CIMBA! The total cost includes your tuition, books, room and board, a shuttle from the airport, 3 fresh meals a day from the dining hall, housekeeping, Wi-Fi on campus, laundry tokens, a gourmet dinner, international and travel experience and more! I will be staying in a double room in which I will share with a friend, and we will even have our own bathrooms. There is a cleaning crew that will come once or twice a week to keep things tidy in your dorm which is great because trust me, I know how annoyingly messy tiny spaces are. I am so excited for this journey and to take you along with me!