Overview: Florida presents a unique system which has dealt with and is currently dealing with environmental misuses and large-scale restorations. Participants will investigate the environmental issues of invasive species, habitat destruction and restoration, water issues related to the Everglades, endangered species management, and historical environmental issues related to overuse. Key management areas such as Everglades National Park, USFW Crystal River Manatee area, Nature Conservancy restoration projects, Florida State Wildlife areas, Big Cypress Swamp NWR, Ding Darling NWR, Biscayne Bay National Park and other associated areas will be visited.

• Course: ECO-442 Ecology of the Greater Everglades Ecosystems
• Trip Leader: Dr. Robert Keys, Professor of Science

Overview: Being the 5th largest country in the world, Brazil provides unique cultural and economic business practices from both a local and international perspective.  Exploring a manufacturing business of the coffee industry will highlight retail, roasting, sourcing, and packaging of its product for sales both domestically and internationally. Visits will also include agricultural irrigation systems with insights into land use and development, low-cost labor sourcing, automation and global supply chains, and economic growth. Whirlpool’s Latin American HQ will add to the participant experience with distinct compare and contrast perspectives in areas such as supply chain, finance, team building, automation and artificial intelligence.

• Course: BUS-215 International Economics Experience
• Trip Leader: Jeff Degner, Assistant Professor of Business

Interested in going on a short-term trip with Cornerstone? Luckily, we have made the process of applying for a short-term trip quite easy. We offer step-by-step checklists to help guide you through the process! For a trip application, contact the appropriate trip leader.

Three Months Prior to Your Trip

1. Apply for the chosen short-term study abroad trip. Contact the trip leader for an application and application deadlines.
2. Upon being accepted, complete a trip confirmation (registration and deposit form). Contact the trip leader for a form; some will give you the confirmation form with the application.
3. Submit a non-refundable deposit to the Business Office. (Please note: It is advised that you do not put a deposit down until you have submitted the application to your trip leader and have been accepted.) Once your deposit is paid, staple the receipt to the confirmation form and give both to the trip leader.
4. Confirm your passport is up to date if traveling outside of the United States. If you do not have a passport or need to get one renewed, do not put this off. The passport process takes weeks to complete, and it is not something that can happen quickly.
5. Confirm your visa is up to date (if needed).

Two Months Prior to Your Trip

1. Complete all mandatory Study Abroad Orientation modules and quizzes in Moodle. Upon registering for the trip, you will receive an email with instructions regarding these online modules.
2. Attend the mandatory wrap-around orientation session. Contact your trip leader for date(s).
3. Attend pre-trip group meeting(s) as assigned by your trip leader(s).
4. Review guidelines and policies in the Student Conduct Handbook. This can be found on Web Advisor under Handbooks.
5. Complete the required items for Cornerstone University Health Services (CUHS):
   • Complete the Off-Campus Study Program Health Record and Personal Authorization Form. (CUHS will send you this form. If you do not receive it before two months prior to travel, contact health.services@cornerstone.edu.)
   • Return the above completed form to CUHS.
   • Discuss required and recommended travel immunizations with CUHS.
   • Complete missing immunizations, and turn in proof of immunizations to CUHS before deadline (as determined by your trip leader/CUHS personnel).
6. Review the packing list. Contact your trip leader.

After Your Trip

1. Complete and submit the post-trip evaluation. Your trip leader will distribute the evaluation.
2. Attend the debrief gathering. Contact your trip leader for date(s).

All tuition and trip expenses are included in the advertised trip cost. Cornerstone does not offer study abroad scholarships for short-term study abroad trips. However, three tuition credits are included in the trip cost during their time abroad. If a student chooses to do a J-Term study trip, they can still take 12-18 credits in the spring semester at no extra charge.