Etter ‘03 Returns to Greece and Italy

This January, a group of Lyndon Institute students traveled to Greece and Italy as part of the school’s immersive January Term (J-Term) program, spending ten days exploring Florence, Sorrento, and Rome while bringing their classroom studies to life.

The trip was connected to the J-Term course Highlights of the Renaissance and Ancient Greece, an interdisciplinary offering designed to provide students with experiential learning beyond the traditional classroom. Throughout their travels, students visited iconic historical sites including the Colosseum, Pompeii, the Parthenon, and the Acropolis — walking through the very places they had studied during the term.

Lyndon Institute’s January Term is a signature component of the school’s academic program. J-Term is a three-week immersive program held between the holidays and the spring semester, replacing the traditional schedule with student-selected intensive courses, travel experiences, or internships. Students engage in four daily blocks, earn transcript credit on a pass/fail basis, and create a final artifact or project demonstrating their learning, culminating in a public Exhibition Night. Designed to spark curiosity and hands-on exploration, J-Term empowers students to take ownership of their education while building real-world skills, global awareness, and meaningful connections beyond the classroom. The Italy and Greece experience exemplifies the program’s mission: to expand students’ horizons while deepening academic understanding.

From navigating unfamiliar cities to sampling regional cuisine and hearing new languages spoken daily, students experienced history and culture in ways that cannot be replicated in textbooks alone. For some, the journey marked their first time flying or traveling outside the US - experiences that broaden perspectives and build confidence.

One of the trip’s chaperones was Social Studies Teacher Martin Etter ’03, whose participation brought the experience full circle. As a Lyndon Institute senior in 2003, Etter took part in the same Italy/Greece trip - an experience that shaped his academic and professional path.

“In 2003 as a senior at LI, I went on the Italy/Greece trip with a group from the college,” said Etter. “I had studied Latin for four years, and it was amazing to see the places we had learned about. That was my first overseas trip, and it led me to study Classical Studies and Archaeology in college, including a semester abroad in Greece. The trip kickstarted my interest in travel and ultimately led to several years living and teaching abroad.”

Returning nearly two decades later as an educator, Etter described the experience as deeply meaningful.

“Going on the Italy/Greece trip during J-Term was incredibly special. It allowed me to revisit the inspirational places that first set me on the path to teaching and traveling. Watching students experience new cultures, languages, food, and 2,000-year-old architecture for the first time was beyond rewarding. Seeing how travel opened their minds to new possibilities reminded me exactly why programs like this matter.”

Experiential learning opportunities like the Greece and Italy trip reflect Lyndon Institute’s commitment to educating the whole student academically, culturally, and personally. Through January Term, students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, pursue new interests, and see the world from broader perspectives.

As this year’s travelers return home, they bring with them not only photographs and souvenirs, but also deeper historical understanding, strengthened independence, and memories that will shape their futures  just as they once shaped a young LI student who now stands at the front of the classroom.