63 The cobbled brick streets composed of ancient stone wind down the tightly knit city of Florence, Italy. Bustling markets chock-full of colorful tapestries, locally owned gelato shops, and artisanal bakeries provide endless avenues for exploration and cultural exchange. Students studying abroad in programs have the option to leave their Italian villa after classes on the weekdays and travel throughout the expanse of Europe. The 1590 church villa in Florence; the resorts in Greece and Zambia; and the adventures in Europe, Australia and Asia, and Latin America would all be erased if not for the vision of Don Shackleford. In the late ‘70s Don Shackleford, a member of the board of trustees, approved the plan to build a Harding campus in Italy. That summer of 1979, former President Clifton L. Ganus went to Florence to give the final stamp of approval for a campus. The next fall of 1980, 19 Harding students arrived at their new campus, which was an old apartment complex turned dorm owned by a local Church of Christ. The Harding villa situated between the cities of Florence and Scandicci also shared space with local Bible students. The original requirements for study abroad students stipulated that the student must at least be a sophomore with a 2.5 GPA; the additional cost was only $1,300 which today would equal about $4,900. This program started off on a three-year trial period with classes for four days a week with the opportunity for European travel during the other three. The HUF program was a massive success that trailblazed the path for Harding’s prolific international program. The crystal blue ocean splashes against the white sand of the Grecian beaches. Students, faculty and staff weave in and out of their Porto Rafti resort complete with classrooms, dining rooms, beaches, sports facilities, and a movie theater. However, very little learning takes place inside the confines of the resort. Study abroad members spend their days touring ancient Grecian ruins and studying the history of the early church right where the events occurred. Students also take excursions to both Israel and Egypt, where they are able to further immerse themselves in ancient religion and culture. This picture chronicles the semester that some 50 students will spend abroad while at HUG or Harding University in Greece. HUG (created alongside with HUE) was the second of Harding’s international programs that was the outgrowth of Don Shackleford’s dream to make Harding a place that teaches students to appreciate and understand the world at large. HUG’s first study abroad trips took place in fall 1994 at a hotel in Glyfada, a city on the outskirts of Athens. The majority of classes centered around archeological, biblical and European study. Unlike HUF, which focused more on free, independent travel, HUG had many more English-guided tours. The program continued to attract and cultivate students, and by 2001, Shackleford found a permanent home for HUG in Athens in the Artemis hotel at Porto Rafti. HUG has been a transformative experience for many students like Jeremy Glover and Kendal Dean, who met and raised money for an Iraqi refugee family during their time in Greece, or like Catherine Waters (one of the few female Harding Bible majors at the time) who grew considerably in her faith during her time at HUG. Harding University in Greece has proven to be a beautiful, transformative adventure for many students and will continue to do so. GREECE FLORENCE Photo courtesy of Caryllee Cheatham Photo courtesy of International Programs Photo courtesy of International Programs
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