Kasteel Well
Encyclopedia
Kasteel Well is a fully restored 14th century medieval castle
located in the Dutch province of Limburg
, in the small village of Well
, The Netherlands
. It is located near the border with Germany
, and it is approximately 2 hours southeast of Amsterdam
. Kasteel Well itself is made up of two buildings: the Main Castle and the bailey. There are two courtyards within Kasteel Well. There are also two moats: an inner and outer moat. These moats once provided protection to the castle and today provide a place to swim for many birds including multiple varieties of ducks, black swans, and geese. Kasteel Well's gardens are available for the public to walk around and admire the grounds. Here there are several well-maintained flower beds, shrubbery, fountains, tower ruins, and trees. From time to time, Kasteel Well's third building, a barn, is used for weddings and other events.
Emerson College
obtained Kasteel Well in 1986 and since then has been using it to house students participating in a study abroad program. Over the years since it was obtained by Emerson, they have made several renovations, the latest of which added new rooms bringing the student capacity per semester to around 80 students.
Every fall and spring semester, approximately eighty students from Emerson's Boston
, Massachusetts
, campus live in and take classes at Kasteel Well. The classes at the castle have a European focus. The program is spearheaded by the program director, Dulcia Meijers, who is assisted by Rob Duckers and Chester Lee serving as Assistant Directors. Students studying at the castle have class a maximum of four days per week (Monday-Thursday) and therefore have three-day weekends for travel. Therefore, as a part of their education, students are given the chance to travel throughout the European continent on those long-weekends and also participate in two mandatory educational excursions with the faculty and staff of Kasteel Well. Of late, the first of these mandatory educational excursions has been to Amsterdam
, the capital city of the Netherlands
. For several years, due to European Union regulations regarding the duration of stay in the Schengen Region, a third excursion was required. Starting in the Spring semester of 2009 however, Emerson shortened their study abroad program at Kasteel Well to fit 90 days exactly, therefore negating the need for and avoiding the cost of an additional excursion.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
located in the Dutch province of Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, in the small village of Well
Well, Limburg
Well is a small town of about 2500 residents in the municipality of Bergen in the province of Limburg in the southeastern part of the Netherlands. The town is located between Nijmegen and Venlo. The city of Well can be reached via public transport by using bus line 83 or 30...
, The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It is located near the border with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and it is approximately 2 hours southeast of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Kasteel Well itself is made up of two buildings: the Main Castle and the bailey. There are two courtyards within Kasteel Well. There are also two moats: an inner and outer moat. These moats once provided protection to the castle and today provide a place to swim for many birds including multiple varieties of ducks, black swans, and geese. Kasteel Well's gardens are available for the public to walk around and admire the grounds. Here there are several well-maintained flower beds, shrubbery, fountains, tower ruins, and trees. From time to time, Kasteel Well's third building, a barn, is used for weddings and other events.
Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
obtained Kasteel Well in 1986 and since then has been using it to house students participating in a study abroad program. Over the years since it was obtained by Emerson, they have made several renovations, the latest of which added new rooms bringing the student capacity per semester to around 80 students.
Every fall and spring semester, approximately eighty students from Emerson's Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, campus live in and take classes at Kasteel Well. The classes at the castle have a European focus. The program is spearheaded by the program director, Dulcia Meijers, who is assisted by Rob Duckers and Chester Lee serving as Assistant Directors. Students studying at the castle have class a maximum of four days per week (Monday-Thursday) and therefore have three-day weekends for travel. Therefore, as a part of their education, students are given the chance to travel throughout the European continent on those long-weekends and also participate in two mandatory educational excursions with the faculty and staff of Kasteel Well. Of late, the first of these mandatory educational excursions has been to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the capital city of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. For several years, due to European Union regulations regarding the duration of stay in the Schengen Region, a third excursion was required. Starting in the Spring semester of 2009 however, Emerson shortened their study abroad program at Kasteel Well to fit 90 days exactly, therefore negating the need for and avoiding the cost of an additional excursion.
List of Mandatory Excursions by Year
| Semester | Excursion 1 | Excursion 2 | Additional Excursion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1999 | Amsterdam | Paris | Florence |
| Fall 2001 | Amsterdam | Paris | Florence |
| Fall 2004 | Amsterdam | Paris | Florence |
| Fall 2005 | Amsterdam | Paris | Florence |
| Spring 2006 | Amsterdam | Paris | Munich |
| Fall 2006 | London | Prague | London |
| Spring 2007 | London | Prague | London |
| Fall 2007 | London | Prague | London |
| Spring 2008 | London | Dubrovnik | London |
| Fall 2008 | London | Dubrovnik | London |
| Spring 2009 | Amsterdam | Prague | |
| Fall 2009 | Amsterdam | Berlin | |
| Spring 2010 | Amsterdam | Prague | |
| Fall 2010 | Amsterdam | Berlin | |
| Spring 2011 | Amsterdam | Prague | |
| Fall 2011 | Amsterdam | Florence |