Alayah Byers was one of 19 students who participated in the 2017 summer program that visited two refugee centers in Italy — one in Villaggio La Brocchi, a hilltop village outside of Florence, and another in Porteci, a suburban town outside of Naples. Read the full article from CSUF News Service here.

"There is no one poster child for what a refugee looks like or what they are seeking safe haven from," says Pamela Fiber-Ostrow, a Cal State Fullerton professor of political science.

Fiber-Ostrow leads a six-week study abroad trip to Italy each summer, where students learn about the complexities of the worldwide refugee crisis in addition to being exposed to Italian life and culture.

"The Mediterranean Sea has been called a graveyard," explains Fiber-Ostrow. "Refugees from Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Ghana, Sudan, Egypt, Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa are dying by the hundreds and thousands weekly, attempting to cross to reach the European Union."

Alayah Byers, a communications and African American studies double-major, finds herself paying closer attention to news beyond the U.S. since returning from Italy.

"I am much more aware of global news and spend more time reading about what's going on in other countries," says Byers. "It's important for us all to remember that injustices are happening globally and not just in America."

Read the full article HERE.