Video & documentary
Plan, shoot, and shape compelling visual stories—from promotional videos to short documentaries.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY · STUDY ABROAD 2027
Italy in Focus.
Media Creation & Cultural Storytelling
Open to students in all majors.
Explore Italy. Tell real stories.
Create something that matters.
01 / THE EXPERIENCE
Your classroom is southern Italy.
What if your next creative project took you to the coast of Italy?
Italy in Focus is a faculty-led NKU education abroad program combining hands-on media production with international travel, cultural discovery, and professional collaboration. Open to students in all majors.
Offered as a Spring 2027 course, the program culminates in approximately two weeks abroad. Based in Bari, a historic port city on the Adriatic, you'll explore how people, places, traditions, and environmental concerns shape the stories we tell.
See what you'll create✳
Don't just see the world.
Tell its stories.
02 / CREATE WITH PURPOSE
Real places.
Real stories.
Join an international creative production team and explore opportunities to develop professional media content for local organizations and communities.
Photography & multimedia
Capture the people, landscapes, and cultural traditions that make southern Italy unique.
Interviews & social content
Connect with community members and create engaging stories for digital audiences.
International collaboration
Work across cultures, adapt to new settings, and build experience for your creative portfolio.
FEATURED PROPOSED COLLABORATION
Stories worth protecting.
Dolphins. Discovery. Documentary storytelling.
One proposed highlight is a collaboration with Jonian Dolphin Conservation in Taranto. Students may have opportunities to learn about marine research and explore how photography, video, and multimedia storytelling can support conservation education and public outreach.
This collaboration is planned and subject to confirmation.
03 / PLACES & POSSIBILITIES
Every corner
has a story.
Explore authentic places—from Bari and Polignano to the ancient streets of Matera and Pompeii.
YOUR HOME BASE
Bari
Historic streets, local traditions, and Adriatic life.
COASTAL DISCOVERY
Polignano a Mare
Dramatic cliffs and turquoise water.
HISTORY & HERITAGE
Matera
Ancient stone dwellings and winding streets.
TRULLI ARCHITECTURE
Alberobello
Distinctive cone-roofed stone houses.
PROPOSED HISTORIC VISIT
Pompeii
Walk through the remains of an ancient Roman city.
Pompeii and other visits are proposed and may change. The photos above depict the actual named locations; photo credits appear below.
04 / THE EXPERIENCES
Make memories.
Build your portfolio.
Meet local companies, artisans, conservationists, and community partners. Turn cultural encounters into real video, photography, and multimedia portfolio projects.
Cheesemaking
Learn how Puglia’s traditional cheeses are made.
Olive oil tasting
Meet local producers and explore regional olive oil traditions.
Winery & farm visit
Discover local agricultural stories and the people behind them.
Culinary tour
Explore local food culture through a storytelling lens.
Dolphin conservation
Explore marine research and conservation media in Taranto.
Matera historic tour
Document architecture, history, and place-based stories.
Pompeii historic tour
Explore the ancient Roman city, if the visit is confirmed.
Polignano boat tour
Experience the coast from the water, if available.
Cartapesta workshop
Discover papier-mâché craft traditions in Putignano.
Bari bike tour
Explore the city from a new perspective.
Italian cooking class
Make traditional food and learn from local hosts.
Experiences are proposed and subject to partner availability and final itinerary. Gallery photos illustrate the locations or themes, not the specific activities or partner companies.
05 / WHY IT MATTERS
Go further than
the classroom.
01
Grow as a creator
Develop your skills in new environments and respond to authentic creative challenges.
02
Build your portfolio
Create meaningful work connected to international organizations and communities.
03
Expand your perspective
Practice communication, adaptability, and teamwork across cultures.
06 / THE DETAILS
Ready for
Italy?
Everything you need to know to take the first step.
PROGRAMItaly in Focus: Media Creation & Cultural Storytelling
UNIVERSITYNorthern Kentucky University
WHO CAN APPLYStudents in all majors
COURSESpring 2027
TRAVEL DATESMay 11–24, 2027
HOME BASEBari, southern Italy
APPLICATION DEADLINEJanuary 15, 2027
FACULTYTracy Songer · Nicholas Caporusso
Consult the official application for current eligibility, costs, academic requirements, and confirmed program information.
07 / MEET YOUR FACULTY
Questions about Italy in Focus?
Meet the NKU faculty helping lead the experience. Have questions about the program, course, or travel plans? Reach out before you apply.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Tracy Songer
Associate Professor
Electronic Media and Broadcasting
Northern Kentucky University
Questions about the course, storytelling projects, and academic experience.
Email Tracy Songer ↗songert1@nku.edu
LOGISTICS COORDINATOR
Nicholas Caporusso
Associate Professor
Computing & Analytics
Northern Kentucky University
Questions about Puglia, Italy, and preparing hand gestures for effective communication.
Email Nicholas Caporusso ↗caporusson1@nku.edu
Faculty email addresses provided by the program organizers. International calling charges may apply.
THE NEXT CHAPTER IS YOURS
Your story
starts in Italy.
Two weeks. A world of stories. An experience that goes beyond the classroom.
Apply for Italy in FocusAPPLICATION DEADLINE JANUARY 15, 2027
Photo credits & licenses
Images are loaded from Wikimedia Commons and may require an internet connection. Photos illustrate destinations and proposed activities; they are not photographs from this program.
- Bari: Palieri.Ivana · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Polignano a Mare: Giorgio Galeotti · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Matera: Ferdinando Traversa · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alberobello: Hervé Simon · see source license
- Pompeii: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
- Dolphins: Rick Berg · CC BY-SA 2.0
Creative Commons license details and original files are available through the links above. Images are displayed without edits other than browser cropping.