May 17–26, 2027
Join Rockhurst faculty and students on this adventure to an island in the Mediterranean Sea! Study wellness and daily life in a place where people are known for living long, healthy lives — and experience it firsthand. Think swimming and snorkeling in clear water, walking through small villages, sharing long meals, and learning how food, community, movement, and culture all connect.
More information will be available soon about the undergraduate and graduate courses offered in conjunction with the trip.
Interested in learning more? Contact Rockhurst professors Jana Arabas (jana.arabas@rockhurst.edu) or Rachel McGraw (rachel.mcgraw@rockhurst.edu).
Total Program Cost
$5,850 (including deposit)
- $500 non-refundable deposit will be made directly to Rockhurst
- Remaining $5,350 of program price will be billed with Spring 2027 tuition
- Includes international airfare and lodging
Program Itinerary
Image
Day 1 – Monday, May 17: Depart Kansas City
Depart Kansas City and travel to Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, Italy.
Day 2 – Tuesday, May 18: Arrival & Program Orientation
Focus: Framing wellness through place and experience
- Arrive in Cagliari and begin adapting to the rhythms of Sardinian daily life.
- Engage program leaders in an orientation introducing core themes of health, lifestyle, and well-being.
- Share a welcome dinner that frames wellness through culture, relationships, and environment.
Day 3 – Wednesday, May 19: Observing Daily Life & Community Wellness
Focus: Wellness embedded in everyday routines
- Walk through historic neighborhoods, observing how residents move, gather, and use shared spaces.
- Engage local vendors at a central market to explore food access, shopping habits, and daily nutrition.
- Reflect on how environment, routine, and social interaction shape community wellbeing.
Day 4 – Thursday, May 20: Healthcare, Wellness & Academic Perspectives
Focus: Institutional and professional approaches to health
- Engage healthcare professionals or academics to examine Italy's approach to care and prevention.
- Explore clinical or academic perspectives on community health and wellbeing.
- Compare Italian and U.S. systems, considering how structure and culture influence outcomes.
Day 5 – Friday, May 21: Coastal Wellbeing
Focus: Outdoor environments and mental wellbeing
- Experience Sardinia's coastline through walking and time by the sea, observing how locals engage with outdoor spaces.
- Connect movement, rest, and environment as components of stress reduction and mental health.
- Reflect on the role of nature and daily exposure to outdoor settings in long-term wellbeing.
Day 6 – Saturday, May 22: Transition to Sardinia's Countryside
Focus: Rural life and environmental context
- Travel inland to Ogliastra, experiencing the geographic and cultural shift from urban to rural Sardinia.
- Observe village life and landscapes associated with long-studied patterns of longevity.
- Share a community-style meal that highlights connection, place, and local tradition.
Day 7 – Sunday, May 23: Food, Tradition & Longevity
Focus: Traditional diets and daily practices
- Visit a family-run agriturismo to engage directly with local food producers.
- Prepare and share a meal using seasonal ingredients, exploring traditional food practices.
- Examine how diet, routine, and social meals contribute to longevity and overall wellbeing.
Day 8 – Monday, May 24: Community Engagement & Everyday Wellbeing
Focus: Social connection and shared responsibility
- Engage in a locally guided activity highlighting relationships, cooperation, and daily social structures.
- Observe how community ties and shared responsibilities support wellbeing across generations.
- Reflect on the role of social connection in sustaining long-term health.
Day 9 – Tuesday, May 25: Coastal Experience & Program Synthesis
Focus: Physical activity, environment, and reflection
- Return to Cagliari and reconnect with the coastal environment through an active experience.
- Engage in a coastal activity such as hiking, kayaking, or snorkeling, linking movement and place.
- Conclude with a farewell dinner and reflect on how culture, environment, and lifestyle shape wellbeing.
Day 10 – Wednesday, May 26: Departure
Departure from Cagliari in Sardinia, Italy, to return to Kansas City.