Explore the World with Dean in 2027
Two destinations. Two very different ways to experience them. One more reason to stay connected to Dean.
Questions or not ready to enroll? Email Joanne Coluccio, Director of Alumni Engagement, at jcoluccio@dean.edu.
Tokyo, Japan: A Stay-and-Learn Experience
Dates: March 12 - 20, 2027
Travel partner: EF Study Abroad / EF Language Abroad
This is not a traditional move-from-city-to-city tour. Tokyo will serve as our home base for the week, giving travelers the opportunity to settle in, learn, and experience the city with more depth. The program combines introductory Japanese language and cultural learning with guided excursions, hands-on experiences, and time to explore independently.
Trip highlights
- Tokyo city tour, Tokyo Skytree and SensÅ-ji Temple
- Traditional tea ceremony and Harajuku
- Immersive teamLab experience
- Meiji Shrine and hands-on sushi-making
- Welcome and farewell dinners
Price and what’s included
$5,609 per traveler. The program includes round-trip flights from Boston via Montreal, accommodations, scheduled cultural activities and excursions, Tokyo airport transfers, EF Traveler Insurance, and welcome and farewell dinners.
How to enroll
Enroll by November 30, 2026. First, complete the EF traveler information form. EF will email you a secure payment link within 5 business days. Your place is confirmed after you pay the deposit and select a payment plan. The deposit is $295. Payment plans are available, with final installment payments due January 11, 2027. Pay in full at enrollment to receive a $120 discount.
Click here for full Japan trip overview.
The British Isles: KINGDOM BY THE SEA, a traditional guided tour
Dates: May 16 - 25, 2027
Travel partner: ACIS
For alumni who enjoy seeing more than one destination in a single trip, Kingdom by the Sea offers a traditional guided-tour experience through Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland. Travelers will move through the itinerary together, with an ACIS Tour Manager overseeing the group, coordinating logistics, and helping bring each destination to life.
The full trip overview, itinerary, pricing, and link to register for Kingdom by the Sea trip can be accessed by clicking here.
Trip highlights
- Dublin sightseeing and an Irish dancing lesson
- Ferry crossing and scenic travel through North Wales
- The Lake District, Dove Cottage and Hadrian’s Wall
- Edinburgh Castle, York Minster and Shakespeare’s Birthplace
- London sightseeing, including St. Paul’s Cathedral
Price and what’s included
$5,689 per adult sharing a double/twin room. This price includes the adult and double/twin room supplements. The single-room total is $6,289.
The trip includes round-trip flights from Boston, centrally located 3- or 4-star hotels, daily breakfast, sightseeing and admissions, local transportation, the Dublin–Holyhead ferry, a tour manager, personal headsets and prepaid tipping. Some other meals and personal expenses are additional. Pricing is valid through December 1, 2026.
How to enroll
Enroll by November 30, 2026. Register directly through the ACIS TripSite using Group ID 371644. The initial deposit is $200, with an additional $300 due November 17. For manual payments, the final balance is due January 6, 2027. Automatic payment plans are also available; your schedule will appear in your ACIS account.
Join the Alumni Travel interest list to receive trip updates and information-session invitations. Submitting the form does not commit you to travel.
Space is subject to availability. Review each travel provider’s full itinerary, inclusions, payment schedule, flight and rooming options, and cancellation terms before enrolling.
Iceland offered an unforgettable, immersive experience that won't soon be forgotten.
Dean Alumni Travel Program Launches with Unforgettable Iceland Journey
This spring, Dean College alumni joined students for a remarkable week in Iceland, marking the inaugural alumni experience in Dean’s new Alumni Travel Program.
Dean College colleagues Dr. Rob Lawson, Professor of History and Director of the Honors Program, and Joanne Coluccio, Director of Alumni Engagement, partnered to welcome alumni into the program and create an experience designed to be as memorable for the connections it fostered as for the places it visited.
From May 11–17, three Dean alumni, Arte Lundgren ’71, Sarah Tower ’16, and Cathy Wong ’25, traveled alongside Dean’s Honors Program students for an immersive journey through Iceland’s dramatic landscapes, vibrant capital city, and rich cultural traditions. What began as a group of travelers preparing for an international adventure quickly became a shared experience shaped by discovery, conversation, laughter, and many new friendships.
A Shared Journey Through Iceland
The journey was also shared with Southern New Hampshire University, whose faculty sponsor was Dean alumna Dr. Amanda Presswood ’14. Several Dean students who enrolled in the trip while seniors also traveled as newly minted alumni, further broadening the alumni experience and adding to the range of perspectives within the group.
Along the way, travelers experienced both Reykjavík and the remarkable landscapes beyond it, exploring sites such as Hallgrímskirkja and the National Museum of Iceland, visiting a greenhouse powered by geothermal energy, and encountering waterfalls, moss-covered cliffs, black-sand beaches, basalt formations, and sweeping coastal views. A guided glacier walk and a visit to the Blue Lagoon rounded out a week that offered a vivid introduction to Iceland’s history, culture, and natural environment.
More Than Sightseeing
For Arte Lundgren ’71, the trip’s impact went well beyond the sights themselves. He shared that concerns he had before leaving “immediately disappeared while waiting to board at Logan,” describing the program as “such a well-organized experience that encompassed so much more than just sightseeing.”
As the week unfolded, travelers found connection not only during the major excursions, but also in the quieter moments in between: morning breakfasts, evening meals, chance encounters around town, conversations on the bus, and the easy familiarity that comes from sharing a full week together. Arte noted that some of his favorite memories included “the mornings and evenings enjoying our meals and just having simple ‘get to know you’ conversations,” as well as “the banter in the back of the bus.”
Building Community Beyond Campus
Those moments are at the heart of Dean’s Alumni Travel Program. By welcoming alumni into a student travel experience, the program creates opportunities for alumni and students to learn alongside one another, share perspectives, and build relationships that might not otherwise happen on campus. Traveling with the SNHU group added another dimension, bringing together people from different backgrounds around a shared curiosity, openness to adventure, and appreciation for the experience.
Thoughtful planning, experienced guides, and a carefully designed itinerary gave travelers the confidence to fully engage with the journey while leaving room for the conversations and spontaneous moments that made the week personal and memorable.
As Dean looks ahead to future travel opportunities, the inaugural alumni experience in Iceland has set a meaningful standard. It demonstrated that travel can be more than a chance to see extraordinary places. It can create new friendships, strengthen connections to Dean College, and offer alumni a meaningful new way to remain part of the Dean community.
Thank you to everyone who made this first shared journey such a special one.
If you would like to receive information about future trips or would like to suggest a destination, please email Joanne Coluccio, Director of Alumni Engagement, at jcoluccio@dean.edu.
