Seattle U Continues to Droop Research Overseas Packages Via 2021 – The Spectator

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to uproot the academic school year, students planning to study abroad in the fall quarter of 2021 will no longer be able to do so. The Education Abroad Office (EAO) announced on April 28 that Seattle University had decided to suspend all education abroad until the fall quarter and winter break of 2021.

This announcement affected students and faculty alike. Although the The European Union will allow vaccinated tourists to enter the continent until June this year. The university remains strict with its decision.

EAO director Gina Lopardo explained her disappointment with students unable to study abroad.

“We work hard to bring these amazing experiences to students, but keep bumping into the wall with the hangings,” Lopardo said in an email statement. “It’s not only a disappointment for the students who wanted to study abroad, but also for our team. Our advisors for education abroad get to know their advisors and their motivation to study well abroad. Participation in the program was suspended in every break and every quarter from summer 2020 to winter break 2021. This is a lot of bad news for avid participants. “

Lopardo went on to say that everyone at EAO understands the importance of studying abroad in a Jesuit education. Despite the setbacks, they will continue their work, offering information events and counseling appointments for students looking for educational opportunities abroad after the winter break of 2021.

To Zachary Wood, a professor of public affairs, the news came as no complete surprise. Wood was involved in leading an urban development class in Germany for several years while teaching at Rutgers University and hoped to bring the program to Seattle U.

“I expected it. I originally got this course approved for spring 2020, ”said Wood.

He explained how he tried to express concerns to students who were interested in the program.

“I put it in as transparently as possible and let the students know that it probably won’t happen this spring,” said Wood.

Wood stated that while he was cautiously optimistic about study programs resuming abroad, he will continue to monitor the number of vaccinations and availability in other countries, and what the spread of viruses looks like when programs resume overseas can be.

“I think the most important piece for this is that every place [study abroad] Excursions could take place under very different circumstances right now, ”said Wood. “I hope we cautiously enter the post-pandemic world, even after studying abroad.”

Despite the uncertainty and confusion, Wood said he would continue to prepare for his next overseas program until he hears otherwise.

While staff and instructors do their best to plan a realistic schedule for resuming training programs abroad, some students find themselves in difficult positions.

Danielle Miller, a sophomore Spanish major, originally planned to study abroad in the fall of 2020.

“I was obviously disappointed, but more than that, I was like, ‘now what?'” Said Miller.

Miller stated that Seattle U does not offer the level of courses she would have taken on her overseas program, which resulted in her second year taking higher-level courses instead of taking a year of Spanish classes in total.

“My current hope is to go in the fall of my senior year. Hopefully this will give you enough time to relax and be safe again. But if that doesn’t work, I don’t know what’s going to happen, ”Miller said.

While some had to postpone their study abroad plans for a year or two, some had to cancel their plans altogether. Jaida Rose Hanson, who graduated in the winter quarter of 2021, had to give up studying abroad completely because of the pandemic.

“I feel like I shouldn’t have put it off, I know there was no way to know, but I wish I hadn’t waited until my junior or senior year to study abroad,” said Hanson . “Even if I can’t study abroad, I still want to travel, so now it just has to be outside of the university.”

Third and fourth year students will soon graduate, and as the quarters continue to come and go, there is also an opportunity to study abroad. For now, students and faculties will have to reassess their overseas programs until the rest of 2021.