Westmont's Europe Semester
Students on Westmont’s Europe Semester 2026 will cultivate the twin longings of the pilgrim as a resident alien: on the one hand to sojourn, moving and exploring the new and unknown; and on the other hand to develop a sense of place, of familiarity, of knowing and being known. Five cities—Athens, Rome, Madrid, London, and Paris—will serve as our sojourning “hubs” where we will make a home for two to three weeks at a time. Regular patterns of work and worship, living in apartments and preparing our own food when possible, and careful attention to pacing will ground the ‘resident’ aspect of our stays.
This program will dwell on the contrasts between being on the road with being planted, the past with the present, and the tourist with the pilgrim. Our path will follow the historical trajectory of European social and political thought in the course “Classical Social Thought” – from Plato’s Athens to Aquinas’ Paris. In each of our host cities, we’ll examine the cultural context while debating current social controversies in “European Society Past and Present.” In the middle of the semester, the “Art of Italy and Spain” course will offer a three-week interlude spanning Rome, Florence, and Madrid, drawing students into the art and architecture of Italy and Spain, with particular emphasis on the rich artistic heritage of the Renaissance. And throughout the semester in “Christian Pilgrimage,” we’ll learn from this ancient practice as our pathway intersects with major Christian pilgrimage sites and routes in Italy, Spain, England, and France. During our time in London, students will prepare to make a pilgrimage of their own design before we reunite in France for the final leg of our journey.
- At least sophomore standing
- GPA (minimum 2.3 GPA) and no student life sanctions
- Application essays
- An interview
- Faculty and personal recommendations
- Availability for pre-trip activities during spring and summer 2026
Criteria
- Willingness to show flexibility while living in challenging contexts (e.g., temperatures, languages, schedules).
- Ability to be flexible with limited control over food choices in some locations.
- Navigate multiple irregular surfaces and walk long distances.
- Demonstrate excellent time management skills, including required activities, academics, nutrition, and rest.
- Ability to travel independently on various forms of public transportation, including international air travel, public buses, and subways while carrying all personal items without assistance.
- Anticipate modest accommodations with shared rooms (1 or more classmates).
- Classical Social Thought (Jesse Covington)—GE: Thinking Historically
- Christian Pilgrimage (Holly Covington)—GE: Thinking Globally
- European Society Past and Present (Elizabeth Gardner)—GE: Understanding Society
- Art of Italy and Spain (Scott Anderson)—GE: Working Artistically (3-week intensive module)
Westmont semester tuition, room, board, a program fee of approximately $6,000-$8,000, and round trip airfare. Students are allowed to apply their financial aid awards from the college—both need-based and merit-based awards—toward the program’s cost.
Meet the Team
Holly Covington studied at Westminster Theological Seminary, where she completed an MA in Religion with an emphasis in biblical counseling. She currently serves as Director of Staff and Care Ministries at Christ Presbyterian Church in Santa Barbara. She co-directed Westmont’s Europe Semester twice before–in 2013 and 2018–and served as a foreign language instructor for over a decade. She has taught on Christian pilgrimage and religious practices and has particular interests in language, liturgy, and culture. She is passionate about applying Scripture—especially its message of God’s grace—to matters of daily life.
Jesse Covington is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Augustinian Scholars honors program at Westmont College. He completed an MA in religion at Westminster Seminary and a PhD in political science at the University of Notre Dame. He teaches and writes in the fields of political theory and constitutional law, with particular interest in the interrelation of religion and government. He recently published Hopeful Realism: Evangelical Natural Law and Democratic Politics (IVP 2025; with Bryan McGraw and Micah Watson) and has also written on St. Augustine of Hippo, political morality, democracy, the First Amendment, and Christian liberal arts education. Dr. Covington has taught at Westmont since 2007 and was recognized with Westmont’s Teacher of the Year Award in 2010 and 2018. He has co-led Europe Semester twice—in 2013 and 2018—and has held appointments at Wheaton College and Princeton University.
Elizabeth Gardner graduated from Houghton College and earned a master’s degree and doctorate in communication at the University of Maryland, where she was the managing director of the Oral Communication Program before joining the Westmont faculty in fall 2016. In 2017 she received the American Society for the History of Rhetoric’s Outstanding Dissertation Award. Her research examines cultural constructions of childhood and adolescence (whether in the United States in the early 1900s or Bolivia in 2013) and visual portrayals of community and belonging. Dr. Gardner serves as Associate Professor of Communication Studies and won Westmont’s Teacher of the Year Award in 2024.
Scott Anderson received his M.F.A. in illustration from The University of Hartford, and an M.A. in illustration from Syracuse University. His illustration work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, LA Weekly, The Village Voice, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, MAD Magazine, and many others. He has also created numerous book covers for the popular “Who Is” series from the Grosset & Dunlap division of Penguin Books. His work has been recognized by Communication Arts, American Illustration, and the Society of Illustrators New York, and he is both a Gold and Bronze award recipient from the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles. A gallery artist as well, Professor Anderson exhibits paintings annually with Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara.