Recently, CYA was featured in an article in both Greek and English titled “College Year in Athens an Enduring Institution,” in the newspaper Kathimerini.

The article begins with CYA’s history, noting the fact that its founder, Ismene Phylactopoulou, launched a start-up in education when she saw the need for a study abroad program for American students in Greece. She started CYA in 1962 stressing the importance of strong academics, a concept she thoroughly understood as a school teacher.

Now, CYA brings a great number of students from top universities in America to study in Greece. Staying for an academic year, semester, or for even shorter sessions, CYAers immerse themselves in all aspects of Greek culture. They’re able to study Greece’s rich history, from antiquity to the modern era, by taking advantage of onsite and educational experiences outside of the classroom.

Despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, CYA has survived, and even thrived, ready to welcome a small group of students in Fall 2020.

CYA President Alexis Phylactopoulos noted that study abroad not only benefits foreign students, but also the program’s host country, stating: “The American students come here with an elevated sense of awareness and sensitivity and are therefore more attuned to the issues of racism and tolerance dominating their lives. And their voices come to enrich our own public dialogue. Today’s foreign students have the idealism to want to give back to the society that is hosting them and seek ways through NGOs and other activities to serve the common good.”

“Our job is to show [our students] that a deeper knowledge of history, philosophy, language and the humanities more generally, as well as the understanding of different cultures, will make them more able to adapt to different conditions and ways of life,” President Phylactopoulos emphasized. He argued that this adaptability gained through studying abroad can help students throughout their lives—ranging from “pandemics and the changes in profession they can expect over the course of their careers, to the decisions they make in their personal lives and the choices they make about the politicians who govern them. Above all, it will help them be inspired so that they can shape their own futures.”