Covid-19 has affected many things, one of those being travel and studying abroad, but studying abroad options are still available. There have just been changes in relation to the pandemic. 

“Travel in general is restricted during a pandemic and if you have to travel, planning is essential,” Dr. Catherine Clark, associate professor of French and English and director of study abroad, said. “However, as we learn more about how the Coronavirus is transmitted, it is possible to take precautions. Travel internationally also depends on conditions and restrictions at the destination. The Study Abroad Office monitors the State Department Travel site (https://www.state.gov/travelers/) which posts comprehensive travel advisories and information about countries.”

If travel is not possible, there are also some virtual opportunities available.

“Our study abroad affiliates have innovated quickly, and working with on-site partners, have established virtual study and internship opportunities around the world,” Clark said. “This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain global career experiences and learn about other cultures from their own home. Programs are increasingly flexible with hybrid and short-term programming.” 

Some students have already done study abroad during this pandemic, like Katelyn Dewberry, a senior double majoring in English and communication studies. 

“During the summer of 2020, I completed a remote global internship through CAPA: The Global Education Network.” Dewberry said. “I worked as a marketing/social media intern for the company SugarMamma.TV/SASS Financial, which is located in Sydney, Australia. During the same time I was an intern, I was taking a global internship course (which I received credit for).” 

For Dewberry it proved to be a valuable experience despite the fact that the internship was virtual.

“I believe studying abroad during a pandemic was challenging at times, but overall, it was an extremely rewarding experience,” Dewberry said. “I enjoyed being able to adjust to a remote environment, and I liked that I had the opportunity to adapt to working in a different timezone (AEST).  Overall, I am grateful for the experience I gained this past summer. I learned new skills and I got to virtually meet very kind people along the way. Studying abroad remotely challenged me to grow as a student and provided me with beneficial experience for my future endeavors.” 

Studying abroad is very different this semester, but there are some plans for moving forward. 

“Averett has suspended study abroad for this academic year, but we anticipate opportunities for the summer 2021. We currently have three exciting faculty-led trips planned for May and June,” Clark said. “All three are interdisciplinary and open to all majors. Faculty-led trips are an excellent opportunity for students who want an international experience but haven’t traveled abroad before, feel more comfortable with a group of others from Averett, or can only take a few weeks to go abroad. Study Abroad is carefully monitoring the conditions domestically and in the destination country. If travel is cancelled due to health & safety issues, participants will be issued refunds.” 

If students are interested in studying abroad, they can contact Clark, and find more information on the study abroad website: https://averett.abroadoffice.net/mission.html. 

“Students should contact me via email if they have questions,” Clark said. “I advise all students on programs, based on fields of study, location and duration, budget, interests, etc. All of our programs are with affiliate organizations and students are fully supported at all stages of the program. All programs through the Study Abroad office (internships as well) are credit bearing. Students enroll in the class at Averett so that they can use financial aid to help pay and all credits transfer back. There are also some scholarships available, and I hope to get a fundraising page up soon.”