Digital Storytelling

Are you ready to bring your storytelling skills to life in one of the most mesmerizing destinations on the planet? Join Dr. Jennifer Polack for CPSC 106: Digital Storytelling and/or Dr. Caitie Finlayson on GEOG 200: Digital Geographies course spring break trip to Portugal featuring the Azores. This immersive experience isn’t a vacation; it’s an invitation to unleash your creativity, capture mesmerizing visuals, and craft compelling narratives while exploring one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the world.

Program highlights include:

  • Two days in Lisbon including a city e-bike tour
  • Visits to the cities of Óbidos and Aveiro by bus
  • Three night-trip to Porto including a full day private Douro Valley tour with lunch, wine tasting, and boat ride
  • Intra-Portugal flight from Porto to São Miguel
  • Explorations of São Miguel including a private tour, kayaking, cozido lunch and entrance to Terra Nostra Park
  • Full day Lagoa do Fogo private guided hike including lunch
  • Quad-bike tour of Sete Cidades

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to blend education, cultural immersion, and storytelling in one extraordinary journey to Portugal!

REGISTER

Spring Break 2027

February 24 – March 6, 2027

Program Fee: $4,400
Registration and $500 non-refundable deposit due: October 1, 2026
Final Balance ($3,900) due: November 1, 2026

Use the Make a Standard Payment button below to pay your deposit and regular program balance payment. Use the Make a Flexible Payment option to pay an alternate amount (such as additional insurance or payment in a different amount as a result of a scholarship award).

Online payees have the choice of either credit card or eCheck (ACH) payment. ACH transactions will be charged a flat fee of $0.50 per transaction. All credit card payments will incur a 2.95% service fee. For credit card payments, a minimum convenience fee of $3.00 will be applied to transactions over $20.00 and under $102.00.

Students can avoid fees by paying in-person at the UMW Cashier’s office by cash or check (made out to “UMW”). The Cashier’s office is located on the 2nd floor of Lee Hall.

Make a Standard Payment
Make a Flexible Payment

In addition to the program travel during Spring Break, students will enroll in the Spring 2027 course CPSC 106: Digital Storytelling and/or GEOG 200: Digital Geographies (each 3 credits). The courses automatically count as Digital Intensive.

These courses satisfies the Beyond the Classroom OR Diverse and Global Perspectives general education requirement by contract with the Faculty Director only.

Students will stay in local hotels in double or triple occupancy.

There are no prerequisites for either course.  Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA in order to participate. This program is open to all UMW students regardless of major or year of study. It is also open to non-UMW students.

Included in the program fee:

  • International airfare + Intra-country airfare
  • Accommodations
  • Some meals (daily breakfast)
  • In-country transportation per itinerary to include airport transfers
  • Group excursions and entrance fees per itinerary
  • UMW Education Abroad Fee
  • International medical insurance

Excluded in the program fee:

  • UMW Tuition (may be included into your spring term course load)
  • Passport and/or visa fees
  • Souvenirs and other personal expenses
  • Personal health costs (ex. vaccination fees, COVID-19 testing, etc.)
  • Supplemental meals and snacks

This program requires a moderate to high level of activity, including significant walking and hiking on uneven terrain.

International travel may require immunizations or preventative medicines. Please refer to the US Center for Disease Control’s Traveler’s Health Information Page for recommendations. The UMW Health Center provides free travel consultations by appointment, as well as travel information for UMW students. The Center for International Education recommends that each student have a personalized medical consultation prior to international travel.

Visit CIE’s Scholarships & Funding webpage to learn more about financial options as it relates to education abroad including Financial Aid, 529 Plans, etc.