Educational Travel
Educational travel transforms the way you look at the world and yourself. For more than two decades, Brightpoint has organized educational trips to places such as Greece, France, Vietnam, Italy, England, Scotland, Ghana, Peru, and the Galápagos Islands.
The courses we've covered have been just as diverse. Students have earned college credit in nursing, Spanish, philosophy, theatre, information technology, history, English, art and more, all while immersing themselves in the communities and cultures they visit.
Whether you choose to participate in one or all of the courses covered during a particular trip, you can participate in all planned activities.
Upcoming Trips
The Galápagos Islands: A Magical Journey
Dates: June 6-19, 2025
Cost: To be announced
Courses Offered:
Students have the option of taking these classes for college credit, in conjunction with the trip.
Principles of Public Speaking (CST 100): Applies theory and principles of public address with an emphasis on preparation and on the extemporaneous method of delivery. The assignments in the course require college-level reading and analysis of scholarly studies and coherent communication through written reports, including the production of at least one APA/MLA-formatted individual writing assignment. Instructed by Kerrigan Sullivan. (3 credit hours; UCGS transfer course; Requirement and/or elective for several degrees.)
Life Science (BIO 106): Surveys the basic concepts of life science. Engages in the scientific process by developing hypotheses, gathering data, and analyzing results. Explores topics within the context of the societal implications of science. Intended for students not majoring in science. Assignments require college-level reading fluency, coherent written communication, and basic mathematical skills. Credit toward graduation cannot be awarded for both BIO 101 and BIO 106. Instructed by Jason Worley. (4 credit hours; Passport and UCGS transfer course.)
Preliminary Itinerary
This is a rough itinerary and subject to change. It is intended to give you a feel for the travel portion of the program.
Day 1: We will leave Richmond, VA, and fly to either Quito or Guayaquil, then spend the night.
Day 2: Fly to Isla San Cristobal (layover in Guayaquil). Meet your guide and head to the Interpretation Center to learn the history of the islands. Travel to La Lobería and enjoy some snorkeling. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3: Boat departure in the morning to Lobos Island. Observe the large colonies of birds such as frigate birds and blue-footed boobies and also view colonies of sea lions. Spend some time swimming and snorkeling and then visit El Junco, a lake formed after the last ice age.
Day 4: Travel to the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about successes repopulating the islands. Continue to the El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve and observe these amazing animals in their natural habitat. Walk through lava tunnels. Compete the day by participating in a carbon offset activity and planting seeds as part of the Scalesia Reforestation program.
Day 5: Visit one of the following islands (depends on the day of the week and local conditions): Bartolomé, Santa Fe, Seymour, or Plazas. Bartolomé is the most photographed spot in the archipelago. It is also one of the younger islands, which will allow us an opportunity to compare the vegetation on older islands. Santa Fe is one of the oldest and is home to some of the tallest cacti in the archipelago. It is also the only place in the world where one of the three Galápagos land iguana species is found. Seymour is the breeding ground for most of the birds in the archipelago. There are various species of birds nesting at all times of the year. While walking on the trail, we will be able to observe nesting birds and land iguanas at close range. Plazas is a visitor favorite with red-billed tropicbirds and swallow-tailed gulls found nesting along the cliffs, as well as a large colony of land iguanas and sea lions.
Day 6: Visit one of the following islands (depending on the day of the week and local conditions): Bartolomé, Santa Fe, Seymour, or Plazas.
Day 7: Check out and travel by bus to Garrapatero Beach. Swim in the beautiful turquoise water and see finches, flamingos, and black-necked ducks in the nearby lagoon and discuss the definition of native vs. invasive species. The flamingos offer a unique example: They arrived accidentally about 150 years ago and survived to start a new population. Are they now a native or invasive species? How did their arrival affect the ecosystem in which they now live? Travel to El Trapiche to learn about the history, culture, and lifestyle of the Galápagos. Spend time with a local family and then depart by boat to Isabela Island.
Day 8: A short boat ride will take us to the nearby islet of Tintoreas where we will take a short wildlife-watching hike and snorkeling trip. In the afternoon, we will visit the Tortoise breeding center in town and discuss the role of captive breeding in conservation efforts. Nearby, we will also visit a lava tunnel and the Wall of Tears.
Day 9: In the morning, we will hike to the Sierra Negra Volcanic crater–the second largest crater in the world. We will be able to walk into the crater and observe a variety of lava formations up close, different stages of plant succession on rocks of different ages and enjoy spectacular views of the landscape. In the afternoon, we will snorkel at Concha Pearl, which hosts coral reefs and many very different types of wildlife from our other snorkeling sites.
Day 10: Travel by boat to Puerto Ayona, Santa Cruz. Walk to Tortuga Bay beach, a white sand beach named for the many sea turtles that lay their eggs there. In the afternoon, tour Academy Bay and have an opportunity to swim and snorkel.
Day 11: Travel by bus to Gemelos Craters, which are big tubes formed by volcanic activity thousands of years ago. This is also a great spot to see land birds like the Galápagos fly catchers. Ferry to Baltra Island and domestic flight to Quito.
Day 12: Guided Tour of Quito including the Old Town and La Compañía Church, considered one of the finest examples of Spanish baroque architecture in South America.
Day 13: Bus transfer to the Vivarium of Quito, the largest collection of live reptiles and amphibians in Ecuador. Visit the Botanical Gardens. In the evening, enjoy a cooking class and a farewell group dinner.
Day 14: On this final day, we will fly home from Quito or Guayquil to Richmond.
Galápagos photo by Pedro Szekely CC BY-SA 2.0
Interest Meetings
- Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
- Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.
All interest meetings will be held on the Midlothian Campus in The Lynn Theatre Green Room, Trailblazer Hall, T117, and on Zoom at: https://vccs.zoom.us/my/kerrigansullivan.
Funding Your Trip
Brightpoint is committed to making international education experiences affordable and accessible.
Inclusive, High-Value Programs
With tuition and fees about one third of what you would pay at a public four-year college or university in Virginia, Brightpoint is an affordable option for studying abroad. Brightpoint’s Global Educational Travel programs are designed to include lodging and airfare, as well as some meals and admissions. Booking accommodations, airfare and admission tickets as a group helps keep the overall cost of studying abroad more affordable.
Each trip has unique costs. Factors that influence the final cost include number of participants, number of courses and airfare. See trip documents for specific costs for each trip.
Foundation Global Educational Travel Scholarships
Faculty at the college who are committed to the importance of international education have established scholarships to financially assist students enrolled in courses that require travel and educational travel. These scholarships can be used for tuition, books, fees and required supplies during summer educational travel experiences.
Financial Aid
In many cases, eligible students may use their financial aid to fund international education. All need-based and merit-based aid, with the exception of work-study support, is transferrable to tuition and fees for Brightpoint’s international study programs.