Students and instructors at Mott Community College head to Spain for MCC’s first culinary study abroad trip

Mott Community College Culinary instructor Chef Mark Handy and ten Culinary Arts students will be heading off to Barcelona, Spain this coming March to study at the Culinary Institute of Barcelona (or CIB).

While at the Culinary Institute of Barcelona, students will have the opportunity to participate in master classes in Mediterranean cuisine and modern cuisine techniques. They will also get to take part in a farm to table culinary program. In addition, the students will get to participate in many cultural activities, such as dining in Michelin star restaurants and visiting historically significant sites like the Sagrada Familia historic basilica and more.

The students who will be attending the Barcelona study abroad program are Tiara Poe of Flint, Lillian Canavesio of North Branch, Kyra Richardson of Owosso, Julie Garza-Sakalis of Grand Blanc, Jesse Lawson of Flint, Jacquelyn Hicks of Swartz Creek, Gabriel Hinojosa of Attica, Brendan Geralds of Fenton, Asija Jones of Flint, and Anthony McMasters of Flint.

In an article on Mott Community College’s website, Lawson talked about how excited they are to see how the culinary classes at the CIB operate compared to the MCC Culinary Program. “This is a major opportunity for us, I have never traveled outside the country and I think we will learn things about food and culinary techniques we might not have an opportunity to learn in the U.S.,” said Lawson.

Geralds also noted his excitement, saying, “I’m excited for all the foods we get to try. It’s a great opportunity to have so many new experiences and foods we do not normally get to see and taste.”

This trip to CIB is the first study abroad trip in the history of the MCC Culinary Arts program as part of the school’s International Institute. Mott Community College is committed to study abroad through the use of its International Institute, which was established to promote, support, initiate, and coordinate campus and community-wide efforts for intercultural and international programming. 

So far, the Mott Community College International Institute has started five different programs such as International and Global Studies (or IGS), International Student Support (or ISS), Study Abroad, Cultural Engagement, and Curriculum Globalization. More information about the International Institute at MCC can be found at its website.

Mott Community College is also hosting a Fulbright Scholar in Residence for the 2022-2023 academic year. María López de Bayas Alcántara, of Badajoz, Spain, will be joining the community at MCC starting this May. While there, she will provide workshops about curriculum globalization for staff and faculty, help the college apply for European Union funds for study abroad scholarships, create bilateral exchange programs with schools in Europe, and assist in creating virtual exchange collaborations at MCC. 

More information about Mott Community College can be found at the school’s website.