Lycoming College 2020 President's Report/Magazine

A sudden shift in study abroad travel In the Spring 2020 semester, Lycoming had five students who were studying abroad. One student was unimpacted by the pandemic because she completed a short January program and returned as scheduled prior to the wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Europe. Four students were participating in full-semester abroad programs, with two students in Florence, Italy, and two in Madrid, Spain. The students in Italy were the first to be affected, and the College was closely monitoring the situation. “The real urgency to evacuate quickly came when the Italian government announced a nationwide lockdown, which would restrict travel,” said Allison Holladay, associate director of global education in the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences. “One student had already chosen to depart early due to growing concerns, but A’Feyah Smith ’20 remained. There were fears that she would be unable to return to the United States once Italy went into lockdown, so a one-way airfare ticket was immediately purchased, allowing her to safely depart the day before Italy ultimately closed its borders.” Similarly, immediate arrangements were made for Caleb Beard ’21 and Alex Henry ’21 to return home from Spain. “Ms. Holladay’s swift response to the travel ban and the purchase of plane tickets to exit the country was an unexpected blessing,” said Beard. “Other students I met in Madrid, from NYU, Michigan State, and schools in Florida and Virginia, were caught off guard (as I was) when we woke up to learn that travel to Europe would be restricted. However, the other students were left scrambling by their schools, without communication, and left to fend for themselves. I quickly became aware that her response wasn’t only rapid, it was unique.” With ongoing health and safety risks, border closures, travel restrictions, cancelled flight operations, mandatory quarantines and testing, and visa services and embassies closed in some areas, the College made the decision to suspend international travel and travel courses for the 2020-21 academic year. “We had to redefine what it means to receive a global education until it is safe to resume travel,” commented Holladay. “Many Lycoming study abroad affiliate programs have created ways for students to still have a meaningful cultural experience by offering virtual international exchanges, virtual global internships, domestic programs, and remote global education experiences. These programs focus on cultural learning, language immersion, and international education without traveling abroad.” We had to redefine what it means to receive a global education (L to R) Beard, Holladay, and Henry 12 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2020 PRESIDENT’S REPORT/FALL MAGAZINE