TIFFIN UNIVERSITY, TIFFIN, OHIO –Tiffin University is offering a trip to Russia May 15-23, 2014, for students, alumni, faculty, staff and the community, according to Dr. Teresa Shafer, Professor of Management & Associate Dean of International Programs.

The trip, through EF College Study Tours, offers a chance to experience different cultures and a country that is very much in the news these days.

“It gives students and the community the opportunity to get travel experience and get out of Seneca County and Ohio,” Shafer said.

The tour is for nine days starting in Moscow and ending in St. Petersburg. The price for the trip includes a round-trip flight, full-time tour director, land and water transportation, accommodations and a daily light breakfast.

It also includes sight-seeing tours such as Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, the Armory Palace Museum, the Winter Palace, Hermitage Museum, Peter and Paul Fortress. Trip-goers will have plenty of opportunities to explore both Moscow and St. Petersburg according to their interests.

The optional excursions to Sergiev Posad and Peterhof are additional costs.

“These trips are safe, coordinated, and predictable,” said Shafer. “You basically just show up and go. Plus we’ve added a good amount of free time for everyone to have the chance to slow down and explore.”

Those who register will also have the chance to offer their suggestions on where they would like to visit during meetings in the spring.

The cost of the trip is around $4,000 and individuals can register at www.efcollegestudytours.com/1374097. A fall discount of $100 is being offered to anyone who registers before the end of November. Final registrations are due by January 15, 2014. The trip requires a passport and a visa for an additional charge.

Students can receive three academic credits for a culture, business, or humanities class. Financial aid, scholarships, and payment plans are available.

“I realize this trip is expensive. But it’s hard to put a price on traveling abroad. What I can tell you from past trips is that everyone comes back changed and so thankful for the experiences, said Shafer.

A trip extension offers the chance for those on the tour to also visit Tallinn, Estonia and Helsinki, Finland.

The next meeting about the trip to Russia is on October 23, 8:00 p.m. in Chisholm Auditorium located inside of Franks Hall.

For more information about the Russia tour or study abroad programs, contact Shafer at (419) 448-3309 or tshafer@tiffin.edu.