When Amanda Minervini, assistant professor and director of the Italian Program, was planning her First-Year Program class on the rise of fascism last year, she had an idea that would inspire and teach her students more than just the history of fascism: Equine-Guided Learning and Healing Experience.

“EGLHE inspires students to look for communication in places they are not used to, for instance, in the very subtle ways an equine face and whole body change to signal relaxation, pleasure, discomfort, satisfaction, or wanting a carrot,” says Minervini. “[Horses] are the masters of embodied emotions! This type of observation requires attention to detail, presence, and attunement. Being present and aware helps students focus.”