LORETTO, Pa. — Patrick Wheeler, of Winthrop, a student at Saint Francis University, is among 16 students who, on Sept. 12, departed from the U.S. to travel to Ambialet, France, for a semester of studying abroad.

While residing in this small town, students will take classes in French, fine arts and religious studies. These three classes make up the core academic program in Ambialet.

During the fall semester, students travel on many day trips to near-by towns such as Albi and Toulouse. Along with these day trips, the students also will take extended trips to Barcelona, Paris, and for the first time this semester, Amsterdam.

In these larger cities, the students will get to experience different cultures by visiting different museums and historical buildings. Dr. Rachel Wagner is accompanying the students abroad and offering an Introductory Physics class.

Saint Francis University is the oldest Catholic-Franciscan college in the United States. Its mission is to help students grow into compassionate, successful professionals through a culture of generosity, respect, discovery and joy.