![Pride among the ruins](//www.pct.edu/files/news/images/2016/05/Italy-1-150x150.jpg)
![Enjoying a cross-cultural experience](//www.pct.edu/files/news/images/2016/05/Italy-2-150x150.jpg)
Thirty-nine students from the ACH 270 (European Sustainable Building, Historical Architecture and Art) class joined two faculty members on a recent nine-day, four-city educational tour of Italy. The students – accompanied on their May 18-26 adventure by Naim N. Jabbour, assistant professor of architectural technology, and Daniel L. Brooks, instructor of architectural technology – visited Venice, Vicenza, Florence and Rome. "As an HVAC graduate, I enjoyed the opportunity to see how another culture views heating and cooling," said Bradley G. Willis, who earned a bachelor's degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning design in May. "For example, while in Italy, I learned cooling set points of 78-80 (degrees Fahrenheit) are acceptable where the U.S. has a preference for the 70-72F range. This experience allowed me have a broader view of the advancement of HVAC systems, as well as cultural differences that affect our global industry." Another new alumnus, Timothy S. Shook, offered a similar endorsement of the
study-abroad program. "Being able to see the ancient buildings in person, after studying them at Penn College, created an unforgettable experience for me," said the graduate in building science and sustainable design: architectural technology concentration. "An experience including learning, visualizing and fun that will stay with me forever."
Photos by Willis and Jabbour