This spring, students at Tyler Junior College will have the chance to sign up for two school-sponsored trips that offer students an educational, yet fun ways to get away from it all.
The first of the two trips is to West Turkey, and it takes place over Spring Break. The group leaves on March 7, and returns on the 16. Dr. Manoucher Khosrowshahi, government instructor, is the project director. The now annual trip, Dr. Khosrowshahi said, is something that is special to him.
“In 1990, I went to Turkey to help my parents get a visa. I realized that it was a wonderful place, and that I wanted to introduce it to the United States.”
In 1997, Dr. Khosrowshahi got a grant of $20,000 to furnish the trip. Since then, there has been a trip to Turkey once or twice a year, and about 30 people are able to go. Prices vary from students to the public, but students do get a $150 scholarship. With the scholarship, students end up paying $2,075. Activities taking place on this trip are what Dr. Khosrowshahi calls “multi-faceted”. He said,
“There are many events taking place over the course of the trip. We will be going on education tours, archeological sites, museums, cultural events, musicals, restaurants to taste the different types of foods, religious sites such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, and even a cruise.”
The second of the two trips offered to TJC students is a trip to New York City. This trip is headed by David Crawford, department chair of speech and theatre. Although you don’t have to be a speech or theatre major to go to New York, a love of theatre would greatly enhance the enjoyment of the trip. Mr. Crawford only needs three students to go, he will take up to 10 students if they hurry and register. The trip will take place from June 2-7.
Dr. Crawford says the yearly trip got its start from a desire for students to learn about theatre.
“Some colleagues of mine were doing the same trip and I thought ‘Why not?’ It’s a great way to introduce the neophyte to NY Theatre and firsthand knowledge goes and goes and gives and gives. It’s an exciting trip. I took the first one as an add-on to a colleague’s to see how they did it. Mine’s different and it continually changes. Since mine is a course, it requires a few different things, but all-in-all it’s an exciting and life-changing trip.”
Students are as equally excited about the trip as Dr. Crawford is. Carley Stewart is a sophomore at TJC who can’t wait for the experience.
“I’m really excited about going,” she said. “I went to New York when I was in high school and I’m thrilled to have the chance to go back. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the plays and just kind of being a part of the NY atmosphere. I hope to learn more about how auditions for Broadway work and how an actor lives there.”
Most of the activities students will be taking part in are theatre or Broadway based, Crawford said.
“We will see a professional production each evening plus a matinee on Wednesday, and take a tour of ‘The Players’, a social club set up by Edwin Booth at his home, morning dialogue with working professionals who are exes of TJC and working in NY, and on Friday, an Off-Broadway reading of my new play ‘Night Cries’. “
To sign up for the New York trip, more information can be found at http://www.tjc.edu/theatre. Complete trip information and pricing is posted there. Students may also e-mail David Crawford at dcra@tjc.edu, or call him at (903) 510- 2678.
To register for the Turkey trip, students can print a form from http://www.tjc.edu/turkey, or e-mail Dr. Khosrowshahi at mkho@tjc.edu or call him at (903) 510-2279. For those who can’t make the Spring Break trip to West Turkey, Dr. Khosrowshahi is also taking a group during May to East Turkey.
