STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—Franciscan University of Steubenville will host its annual Austria Summer Experience from May 15–June 5, 2026, in Gaming, Austria.

Held at the Kartause Maria Thronus Iesu, a restored 14th-century Carthusian monastery and the University’s study abroad site located in the foothills of the Austrian Alps, the Austria Summer Experience offers anyone age 16 and older the opportunity to take one-of-a-kind courses and travel abroad while also living in community.

“The Austria Summer Experience provides unique and transformative classes within the Catholic tradition to students from a range of universities and of all ages,” said Dr. Brandon Dahm, philosophy professor at Franciscan University and director of the Austria Summer Experience. “Students and faculty also live together at the Kartause and participate in everything from afternoon hikes to drawing nights to trips around Austria. Although the classes are the backbone of the three weeks, the community beyond the classroom makes it the singular and life-changing experience it is.”

Interested participants can choose to enroll in one of the six courses planned for summer 2026.

In “Knead Virtue: From Gluten to Glory,” students will learn about virtue through the art of sourdough bread making. As they craft and bake sourdough loaves from scratch, they’ll learn from Dahm and psychologist Dr. Matthew Breuninger about the philosophy, psychology, and theology of virtue formation. The class will also visit an Austrian bakery and host a pizza night for the Kartause community.

“Writing a San Damiano Crucifix: Hear God Speak Through Franciscan Art” will allow students to explore sacred art through creating their own hand-painted icon. Sacred artist and Franciscan professor Amber Knorr will teach students icon writing while Franciscan professor Father Gregory Plow, TOR, explains the spirituality of sacred art. Participants can also enroll in an optional trip to Assisi, Italy, to visit the original San Damiano Crucifix in the Basilica of St. Clare.

Dr. Ben Reinhard, Franciscan English professor and author of The High Hallow: Tolkien’s Liturgical Imagination, will teach “The Last Homely House: Tolkien and Imagination.” Participants will explore the works and literary artistry of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and learn to see the world as Tolkien saw it through liturgical prayer, communal life, and immersion in nature.

In “Around the Catholic Table: A Theology of Food, Friendship, and Hospitality,” Emily Stimpson Chapman, a Catholic writer, speaker, and author of the Around the Catholic Table cookbook, will unpack the meaning of food through a scriptural and sacramental worldview. Students will also discover why hospitality is key to fostering Christian community—and practice this hospitality through planning and cooking a dinner.

Students will see how God’s work unfolds in the story of salvation and within their personal lives in “History Is Built With the Heart: Catholic Spiritual Autobiography.” Led by Dr. Shane Owens, Franciscan theology professor and author of Return to the Heart: The Biblical Spirituality of St. Augustine’s Confessions, the class will study spiritual masters such as St. Augustine and St. Thérèse, grow in prayer and self-knowledge, and uncover how God is divinely authoring the stories of their lives.

In “Principles of Marketing and the Power of the New Evangelization,” entrepreneur and visiting professor Bob Olsen will lead students through an immersive class where they will apply modern marketing principles to Christian evangelization. They will develop their leadership skills while also crafting effective and practical tools to share the Gospel.

Austria Summer Experience participants can also enjoy regular communal events such as hikes, Theology on Tap talks, trivia and movie nights, praise and worship, and an Austrian ball. Daily Mass and eucharistic adoration are offered in the Kartause’s chapel.

Day trips to Dürnstein, Vienna, and Salzburg, as well as a pilgrimage hike to the Marian shrine at Mariazell, are included. The second week of class also provides a long weekend so students can travel on their own in Europe.

Following the three-week experience in Austria, an optional trip to Assisi, Italy, is provided for an additional cost.

2026 will mark Franciscan’s third Austria Summer Experience. Past participants have included Franciscan University students and students from other colleges, as well as many non-traditional students including young adults, parents, and retirees.

To learn more about the Austria Summer Experience and to apply, visit austria.franciscan.edu/austria-summer-experience.

View photos from past Austria Summer Experiences here.