History

G-RAP History & Commitment to Global Education

Since the early 2000s, from the very beginning of its history, Global RAP distinguished itself by
promoting education abroad opportunities. Former G-RAP directors and program managers,
Tom Zeiler, Carol Conzelman, Catherine Bogle, and Artemi Romanov led CU summer Global
Seminars in France, Bolivia, Peru, Russia, and other countries.

For many years G-RAP students participated in spring break Global Experience programs. These
trips provided students with an opportunity to explore various countries beyond the traditional
classroom setting during spring break. Students had a chance to visit such countries as Thailand,
Vietnam, India, Morocco, Croatia, Slovenia, and Turkey.

Additionally, G-RAP faculty members regularly lead CU Global Seminars in Bolivia, Norway,
Indonesia, and other countries. G-RAP is dedicated to its mission of exposing its students to the
world and all its knowledge.

Croatia - March 2021

March 2021 G-RAP's Spring Break Global Experience was to Croatia, Slovenia and Venice! Director Artemi Romanov accompanied 15 students on this exciting trip across the ocean. They landed in Venice, explored a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visited Bled Castle, seaside Opatija, and much more!

Morocco - March 2019

An exciting experience awaited the G-RAP Spring Break Global Experience participants as our Director Artemi Romanov guided 8 students on an incredible 2-week stay in Morocco! They toured spice markets, saw ancient mosaics, rode camels in the Sahara Desert, and sampled couscous and other local delicacies. Exploring a culture different from their own, these students learned about the diverse and historical land of Morocco!

Thailand - March 2018

For this year's G-RAP Spring Break Global Experience, our Director Artemi Romanov guided 11 students on an incredible trip to Thailand! They toured extravagant Buddhist temples, ruins, and sampled some of the best cuisines Thailand has to offer. This enriching cultural experience was definitely a trip to remember for these G-RAP students.
 

India – March 2017

Director Artemi Romanov chose India as this year's exotic location for the G-RAP Spring Break Global Experience. A group of eager G-RAP students joined Dr. Romanov on the 12-day adventure. They saw the Taj Mahal, visited the Chandela Dynasty Temples, and rode elephants at Amber Fort. The students learned about Indian culture, cuisine, and daily life. 

Vietnam- March 2016

For this spring's Global Experience, Dr. Romanov led a group of G-RAP students to Vietnam. Students were able to explore different cultural sites, eat delicious local cuisines, and meet people from diverse backgrounds. One student wrote the following about his experiences in Vietnam with G-RAP:

“As an International Affairs major with a focus on Latin America, the spring break trip to Vietnam offered by the G-RAP was an amazing way for me to see a new country that I never thought I would have visited before. Four of the other students and I were simultaneously taking a history of the Vietnam Wars class in the G-RAP at the time of the trip which allowed us to both understand the country we were going to better, and appreciate the history and culture even more. Every day we spent the morning touring cities and religious and political sights. By the afternoon, we were free to explore as we pleased and follow our personal interests. I could not think of a better way to spend my freshman spring break than by joining this great group of people and experiencing a completely new world, trying new foods, and learning a different way of life.” – Henry Allen, G-RAP 2015-2016 

Thailand- March 2015

During the Spring of 2015, Dr. Romanov took a group of G-RAP students to Thailand on a trip of a lifetime. They toured elaborate Buddhist temples, ruins, and sampled some of the best cuisines Thailand had to offer. This enriching cultural experience was a trip to remember for these G-RAP students. A graduate of G-RAP and CU Boulder wrote this about his experiences in Thailand below:

"This was a very life-transforming trip for me. As a History and English major here at CU, I study a lot of different cultures, but this was the first time that I was able to travel the world and experience the cultures first hand. People in Thailand are devoutly Buddhist and it was very humbling to witness many different sacred Buddhist temples and Buddhist ruins that are scattered throughout Thailand. One of my favorite relics that we visited was the Emerald Buddha Temple. When I walked into the temple I could feel the centuries of history radiating off that magnificent piece of stone. This truly was a trip of a lifetime and I will cherish the memories that I created there for decades to come." – Aaron Miller, G-RAP 2013-2014

G-RAP Faculty-Led Summer Global Seminars

CU Boulder offers a variety of summer global seminars, and two are led by G-RAP faculty, Dr. Artemi Romanov and Dr. Carol Conzelman. The summer global seminars offer course credit and multiple weeks abroad. See below for more information about G-RAP faculty-led Summer Global Seminars. 

St. Petersburg, Russia - May-June

Based in St. Petersburg, students earn nine credit hours during a six-week period. The Russian culture and language courses fill students’ time along with various field trips and cultural excursions. After morning classes, students have the opportunity to explore palaces, museums, churches, attend concerts and operas, and meet new people. This summer global seminar is led by Dr. Artemi Romanov, who is a native of St. Petersburg and a Russian speaker. A past participant said, “Artemi Romanov was an amazing instructor. He had more knowledge of the area than one could imagine.”

La Paz, Bolivia - June

The enthusiastic and knowledgeable Dr. Carol Conzelman accompanies a group of CU students to the country of Bolivia during the month of June, every other year. This global seminar, lasting two and a half weeks, allows students to earn three upper-division credit hours while they learn about democracy, life in the rural Andes Mountains, Bolivian history, Aymara culture, agriculture, and rural development. While in Bolivia, students will gain a unique perspective of the coffee industry, social movements in Latin America, and so much more. A former student wrote, “The course is very experiential and interactive. Every day there are engaging discussions and you get to meet experts on topics that you study. You have your own research that you do, so you get to decide how you want the class to relate to your interests and can choose how in-depth you want to study your topic. Coroico is a beautiful place with very welcoming people. The small-town feel sets in quickly as you see people you know every day in the plaza or your favorite restaurant. It is better to know Spanish before you go so that you can get to know the locals on a deeper level.”