Our travels with Pinellas students began in 1973 when Mrs. Martha Brincklow, then humanities teacher at Dunedin High School, was asked by some of her students to personally show them the places they had been studying. That first trip to Europe included 24 students, Mrs. Brincklow, and two other humanities teachers.
Mrs. Brincklow was requested by what was then St. Petersburg Junior College to create an international travel-study program including college-level instruction. This new program was supported by the state of Florida’s Dual Credit initiative and continued for 26 years. When, in 2006, SPC chose to discontinue its international studies programs, Stephan Straub, who had joined Mrs. Brincklow’s staff in 1980, created Europe Grand Tour and continues today introducing travelers of all ages to the architecture, painting, sculpture and history of Western Europe.
To date, this program has safely taken over 1,000 travelers to Europe.
Meet Our Staff
Stephan Straub is celebrating his 40th year traveling with students and adults through Western Europe. He began in the 1970s as an independent traveler backpacking through Europe. He joined SPJC International Studies Programs in 1980 as a chaperone, continued as a director in 1986 and began giving guided city and museum tours in the late 1980s.
His arts-related experience includes employment by Florida Gulf Coast Art Center as a ceramics instructor for 15 years. He was active as a working artist in the Bay Area for 8 years and has completed extensive undergraduate work in humanities, art history and European history. He was employed by the Pinellas County School Board as a high school teacher starting in 1973 and his most recent teaching assignment was AP Art History.
Other Staff
Madison Thayer – Marketing Director