Culver City Observer -

Students who take English 101 at West Los Angeles College this summer will t by be in London learning from Dr. be in London, learning from Katherine Boutry, one of WLAC's most dynamic professors who earned her Ph.D. in English literature at Harvard University where she taught Major British Writers for five years before moving to Los Angeles to teach and write for television. She has also lived in London and worked for BBC Radio London.

West has long offered study abroad trips to Spain where students could learn or improve their Spanish language skills. The college is now expanding its study abroad opportunities, tailored to the budgets and schedule needs of community college students, in response to demands by employers and universities for candidates with greater global understanding.

According to Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education, "Federal agencies are struggling to find employees who have the cross-cultural and foreign language capabilities to effectively meet our nation's security and diplomatic needs.

Corporations face a similar challenge, as managers must function effectively across cultures and gain an international perspective on their jobs in order to survive. Careers in health, education and welfare, even within the U.S. domestic context, will increasingly." Moreover, added Mark Pracher, WLAC's Dean of Global Studies, "Research indicates that students who study abroad stay in school, get better grades, and graduate and transfer at higher rates than those who did not."

Summer classes at WLAC, an accredited community college, begin June 15 and are $46 per unit for California residents. Financial aid is available for qualified applicants. Registration is currently underway. This particular Reading & Composition course is listed as section #0980. The two-week trip at the end of the course will cost between $2150 to $2350, depending on the number of students who sign up.

The cost does not include airfare. Activities include a Literary Walking Tour; visits to the British Museum, the National Gallery, and a theater performance; a double decker bus tour and River Thames cruise, and an excursion to Oxford.

For more information on this opportunity, visit http://www.WLAC.edu/Study-Abroad/index.aspx or call 310-287-4467. West is located near Overland Ave. and Jefferson Blvd. at 9000 Overland Ave., Culver City.