ONEONTA — Irene Bautista of Westfield was one of 26 SUNY Oneonta students who traveled to Guilin, China at the end of May to learn all about cities and architecture in the region and study the history of urbanization and modernization in China and the impact of tourism on Guilin.

Accompanied by professors Ho Hon Leung (SOCL 294), Matthew Hendley (WHIS 294), and Wesley Bernard (CART 211), students in sociology, world history and photography explored the meaning and symbolic power of man’s influence on his environment from a cross-disciplinary approach. Bautista is studying Psychology at SUNY Oneonta.

Following the same itinerary, students attended lectures and classes at Guangxi Normal University and visited the 700-year old Longji Rice Terraces, where they were greeted by Yao and Zhuang villagers, who still use the terraces for growing premium quality rice. They also hiked, explored nearby caves and parks, and shopped in the bustling market town of Yangshuo.

SUNY Oneonta is a public, four-year college in Central New York, enrolling about 6,000 students in a wide variety of bachelor’s degree programs and several graduate certificate and degree programs.