Every semester, Mount Aloysius College offers all students educational trips to places like New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

There are also trips for honor students: excursions to Washington D.C. to watch operas, or  trips to Pittsburgh to watch shows. The college pays for the trips.

This semester, Mount Aloysius offered honor students a trip to Washington D.C. and to Appomattox, Va., at the historic site where Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulyses S. Grant in the Civil War.

Pitt-Johnstown, according to assistant vice president for Academic Affairs Paul Newman, does not have an honors college, as do other colleges.

“The (Pitt-Johnstown) faculty and administrators wanted to create an honors college, but it was denied by Pitt-Main,” Newman said. “It could be something that we can look into if students ask for it.”

Newman said Pitt-Johnstown offers trips and mentioned that the History Club arranges trips to historic buildings and sites.

The Psychology Club took students to visit the American Psychology Association. Geology students went out every spring break, too. Every February, Music Department leaders sponsor a trip to a show.

Each year, there are bus trips to New York City.  Last year, students watched the Broadway show “Chicago.” Students can watch for the calendar on the Student Affairs page and also the hallways of Biddle or Krebs.

Campus funds can be used to subsidize trips, although students still may need to pay a fee. It depends on the particular club how much of a trip’s costs can be subsidized.

“The best way to organize such educational trips is through clubs,” Newman said.

“To travel to different places and get new experiences makes you a more educated person. It can help you to learn who you are to place yourself in an unfamiliar surrounding and see how you respond to that,” Newman said.