Getting paid to travel the world, and write about the experience, is something many journalism students dream about. CSU is offering a new course that will make that dream a reality.

In summer 2015, the course will take place in Croatia, where students will have the opportunity to travel along the Croatian coastline and to historic cities and sites.

According to Steve Weiss, an instructor in the journalism department at CSU, the new three-credit summer journalism course is called JTC 382, International Travel Journalism. Students will learn how to produce travel journalism products.

“We are thrilled to have a former CSU journalism student co-teaching the Croatia program,” Weiss said. “Ashley Colburn is an Emmy-winning television producer and travel journalism host, who has had tremendous success in this area. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to see firsthand how one of the best travel journalists in the world conducts business.”

Madison Sloan, a journalism and media communications sophomore at CSU, said she would like to see the University offer an entire major for travel.

“If CSU implemented a new travel journalism major, I think it would be a really awesome opportunity, and it will definitely get more people interested in coming to CSU for journalism,” Sloan said.

Sloan said she has had experience with travel journalism when she traveled to Washington, D.C.

“I like new experiences, especially in different places,” Sloan said. “I think it would be really cool to learn about something I love doing in somewhere completely different than where I’m from.”

Weiss said he is not aware of plans for the travel journalism major specifically, but is excited to lead the brand new travel journalism course in the summer.

“Contrary to some people’s perception, I see travel journalism as just one more example of how the field of journalism is evolving and growing,” Weiss said. “Although I am not aware of plans for a specific major or concentration in travel journalism, I certainly expect our program to make it a larger part of our future. We are always focused on future journalism trends, and this is certainly a popular trend at the moment.”

Tim Postilion, a journalism and media communications sophomore at CSU, said travel journalism is an interest and a field he wishes to pursue in the future.

“I like the idea of writing with a clean slate,” Postilion said. “When you go to a place, you have no impression of what you may find, and you can lose yourself in that new experience. When you do that, your writing changes and it becomes discovery in its greatest form. I love that.”

Collegian Reporter Amanda Thompson can be reached at news@collegian.com or @amanduhh3003.