KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 26, 2025

 Kennesaw State University students in the Honors Ancient and Modern Classics cohort spent 5 stimulating weeks this summer in Montepulciano, Italy, immersing in the city’s history, literature, culture, and art. 
 
Ancient and Modern Classics (AMC) is a great books study program that enables first-year students to take seminar-style classes framed around some of the most compelling books ever written. The program culminates with a study abroad experience during the summer semester.  The AMC program is one of 5 elite cohort programs offered to KSU Journey Honors College students. 

“Our cohort programs provide truly unique experiences for students to build community as they explore their passions and develop their skills at KSU.  We are proud to offer the AMC program as an opportunity for students to connect over their mutual love for great works of literature,” says Associate Dean Jamie Elliott. 

In June, 16 AMC Honors students packed their bags and journeyed to Montepulciano alongside one of the program directors, Dr. Todd Harper, and four additional faculty members. A portion of the students’ costs for the program were funded by The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. The AMC students formed a cohort within the 44 students total of the "Montepulciano, Italy Summer Session II," a KSU-led consortium program that brings together students and faculty from Kennesaw, GCSU, Georgia Southern, and Valdosta as part of KSU’s Italy program. Students took courses in a medieval fortress in Montepulciano, the Fortezza, which is where Kennesaw State’s facility is located.  
 
Throughout their trip, AMC students read works by Dante – one of the most influential poets/philosophers to come from Florence, Italy – as they explored the very cities and towns in which he lived. In places like Rome, Florence, and Orvieto, students immersed themselves in Italian culture through cooking, art, and historical sites and museums. 

In addition to their AMC course, students enrolled in secondary courses in general education and upper-division electives in subjects relevant to their varied academic majors. Students also had time to choose their own Italian adventure on the weekends, indulging in activities of their choice that sparked their interest. By traveling, learning, and living together, students quickly built a strong friendship that brightened their time abroad. The program is truly a transformational, one-of-a-kind experience. 
 
“They live in a different culture for five weeks, long enough to adjust and take something meaningful from the experience,” said Dr. Harper, who has been a director in the AMC program for 15 years. “Students often come to see Montepulciano as a second home and develop a real love for it.” 
 
The cohort program has had tremendous growth in the past years, and the Honors College expects that momentum to continue as Honors enrollment continues to grow at record rates.  
 
“Each year, it seems like the program gets better and better,” Harper says. “The students develop more of an identity and consider the cohort to be an important part of their college careers. It really means something to them.” 
 
Now an even closer group of friends, AMC students are currently forming a co-curricular book club centered on their shared passion for literature. Dr. Harper and AMC students will be going to England in 2026 as their second education abroad experience in the program.