TACOMA, Wash. - Pacific Lutheran University is known for its vigorous study away program, with a whopping 50 percent of students studying away during their time at PLU. That includes several Lute student-athletes with volleyball's Madeline Dawson and football's Jacob Espinosa and Nick Knutson taking advantage of the J-Term study away program in Greece with the religion department.

All three student-athletes have intense training in their respective sports in both the fall and spring, providing very little room in their schedules to study away. Lucky for them, PLU has several J-term classes they can take that give them the opportunity to study away despite their participation in athletics. 

Espinosa spoke up about how the football coaching staff has done a great job promoting the study away program. 

"I feel that (Head Coach) Brant McAdams has made it clear and even encouraged us to study away when we have the chance," said Espinosa. "He made it very easy to attend all of the required meetings beforehand, and was very understanding of any football I had to miss for them." 
 
Dawson echoed how easy it was for her as an athlete to study away. 
 
"As a volleyball player, the J-term season is often my slowest point in the off session, there is no required spring season I am missing to go abroad; I was just missing a couple open gyms."
 
Prior to this trip, all three Lutes haven't had much experience overseas. They have all been to either Canada or Mexico, but this trip was their first experience outside of North America. This trip allowed them to experience a different part of the world and create memories that will last a lifetime.

"Outside of this trip, I had only really traveled to Canada but coming from Montana this was not unusual or exciting. I consider this trip as the first real time I went out of the country," said Dawson.

Knutson also connected with the overseas experience and enjoyed spending his J-term in Greece. 

"My favorite part of the whole trip was being able to expand my horizons and become more enriched overall. I have a better and more well-rounded understanding of our world as a whole that I did not have before," said Knutson.

Greece is a wonderful place to travel to because of its rich history and stunning views. These student-athletes had fun sightseeing as well as completing coursework in a new place. Knutson especially enjoyed the more relaxed form of schoolwork while studying away. 

"Overseas, there seems to be more of a physical application of the education first hand. For example, studying and learning in the first part of the day, then touring sites (temples, churches, archeological sites, etc.) first hand to better bridge the gap between the classroom and real-world application." 

Espinosa and Dawson also loved sightseeing on the trip.

"My favorite memories from the trip are either going to the Monasteries of Meteora- we sat up on the monasteries in the sky for hours in the sun and took in the view, or watching the sunset at Santorini all by ourselves and grabbing gyros with the gang afterward!" said Dawson
 
"My favorite memory was probably walking around the ruins of Delphi," said Espinosa. "It is insane how much beauty is present in Greece as well as being able to walk through this place that played such a major part in history." 
 
Now back in the states, Dawson, Espinosa, and Knutson are carrying their memories of Greece with them while continuing their studies and sports. Although they will miss the sunsets and gorgeous ruins, they are happy to be back to the place they call their home.