UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Global has designated two weekends in the spring semester as “Stay Local Weekends” for Penn State education abroad students. During these weekends, students pledge to stay local to their host city and explore the area around them instead of traveling to other cities. Students are also encouraged to avoid inviting friends and family to travel to visit them.

For the first weekend, Feb. 11-12, 45 students in 14 countries signed the “Stay Local” pledge. Ten students received $100 grants to be used toward local activities. In their pledge, students cited many activities they planned to complete during the weekend, such as volunteering by doing city cleanup, going to museums they hadn’t had a chance to visit, taking local cooking classes, and getting to know their international roommates and classmates better.

This initiative is a part of Penn State Education Abroad’s efforts for sustainability. Penn State Global is committed to providing global learning experiences that help students develop critical academic and professional skills while increasing their understanding of sustainability and their impact on the world around them.

“Students studying abroad are often tempted to travel extensively on weekends to explore new sites,” said Kate Manni, director of Education Abroad. “While we encourage new experiences, we think that students can explore their host cities more deeply, participate in local cultural events, and focus on sustainability at the same time.  In addition to offering the incentivized Stay Local pledge, we provide all students with information to help them make informed choices about weekend travel, with climate impact as one consideration.”

Penn State Global has been a national leader in sustainability practices, earning the Forum on Education Abroad’s Award for Advancing the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Education Abroad. The Education Abroad team partners with the University's academic units and the Sustainability Institute to implement curricular integration, programmatic updates and operational changes related to sustainability and the SDGs. The team also focuses on hosting low-waste events and pursuing sustainable marketing and outreach practices.

“We try to practice what we preach by incorporating the SDGs into our daily work and our broader mission of educating students,” says Manni.

Key to the success of the inaugural Stay Local Weekend was partnership with two institutions that host Penn State students and other study abroad students in Italy. Temple University Rome also hosted an official Stay Local Weekend for students studying there during spring 2023.

The staff planned many events to keep students engaged within Rome, and over 70 students participated in events such as a recycling workshop, city cleanup brigades, a run/walk fundraiser, lectures from local experts on Italian winemaking and a dialogue on greenwashing. Students who participated in any of the Temple Rome Stay Local events were eligible to win a 100 Euro gift card to be used for more sustainable rail travel within Italy.

In addition, International Studies Institute Florence planned a day trip by train to Viarregio on Feb. 12 to celebrate one of the largest Carnevale parades in Italy. Penn State Global was proud to sponsor the train tickets for the 10 Penn State students who participated in this event, and who also pledged to “stay local” for the weekend.

“I recently pledged to the Penn State Stay Local call and was pleased with my decision,” said April Parrish, who is currently studying with ISI in Florence for the spring semester, in a blog post she made after the weekend. “Many students studying at ISI Florence are inclined to explore Europe during the weekends as it is more affordable compared to traveling within the United States. The Stay Local pledge advocates for students to remain within the local vicinity — in my case, Italy — and immerse themselves in the Italian culture with the advantages of a more immersive and educational experience.”

Parrish joined the day trip to Viarregio and experienced the Carnevale parades for the first time. The most impactful part of the excursion was not the “magnificent” floats or the “spectacular” show, but the “sense of community and collaboration,” she said.

“This simple, yet gratifying excursion highlighted the value of staying local and exploring nearby towns,” Parrish added.

Another Stay Local weekend is scheduled for April 1 and 2. Penn State Education Abroad will select 10 additional spring semester 2023 education abroad students for $100 grants if they sign the Stay Local pledge form.

For more information, email educationabroad@psu.edu.