As borders have closed across the globe and new travel restrictions arise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students and faculty are anxiously hoping for a return of OU’s flagship study abroad program.
Each year, OU sends hundreds of students to programs across the world to study abroad. Currently however, OU has only one student studying abroad, according to Education Abroad Director Whitney França.
Daniela Kosnacova, an international development and environmental sustainability junior from Slovakia, began studying abroad last spring in France where she requested an extended stay as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading. Shortly after it was approved, all domestic students studying abroad were sent home.
“All the American OU students had to go back to the US, but because there was a ban for Europeans to go to the US, even if I wanted to go I couldn't,” Kosnacova said. “I went back home to Slovakia where I stayed until September, and then in September I came back here to France.”
Kosnacova said this semester is different, as she is the only student from an American university to be studying at Université Clermont Auvergne in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
“We're all basically internationals,” Kosnacova said. “There is no one from OU. OU is (the) only American university they have a contract with, and I am the only student here.”
Even with the uncertainty across the globe at this time, Kosnacova said study abroad will continue, just with a few changes.
“It's definitely not like the end of study-abroad,” Kosnacova said. “They're going to make sure all the students know what to prepare when traveling because the health security measures are now going all over.”
França said they will give students every tool to help study abroad. The number of students still planning on studying abroad won’t be known until the trips begin, she said.
“We are taking every precaution to provide students with the tools to study abroad under the ‘new normal’ of a post-pandemic experience,” França said. “When we review our current application numbers, we seem to be on par with pre-COVID applications, though there is no way to know for sure until we see students on their programs.”
França said her focus has not been on the financial impact that may be looming for the department, and is instead on the impact the year will have on students.
“The lack of students abroad for the summer and fall 2020 terms does have a financial impact on the Education Abroad office,” França said. “However, the most important is the impact it had on those students who were unable to participate in study abroad during those terms. Some students have been able to seek programs in future terms but for some, this was their only opportunity to partake in this life-changing experience.”
One of the students who was hoping to participate in a study abroad program was Grayson Wise, a junior majoring in art history. Without being able to study abroad this year due to COVID-19, her plans had to be changed.
“I was supposed to study abroad in Arezzo, Italy in the fall and then in France in the spring of 2021, so the whole year,” Wise said. “I planned on at least doing a semester but since it'll be my senior year, and I really don’t want to do it in the spring because I would like to walk.”
Wise isn’t worried about studying abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, but she is worried about other countries denying U.S. citizens because of the way it has impacted this country.
“I don't really worry about feeling unsafe or anything about being abroad,” Wise said. “But I do worry about the way that the United States has handled it because it seems very unlikely that we'll be able to go anywhere soon, but I feel like other countries have done a better job at containing it.”
Even with some students possibly feeling hesitant to travel abroad, Kosnacova said she would recommend studying abroad if ever given the chance.
“Everyone is more scared to do things,” Kosnacova said. “When students have the opportunity to go somewhere and the school will allow them to go, I really hope that their passion for traveling is gonna overcome their fear (of) getting something.”
Kosnacova also said she believes that COVID-19 shouldn’t stop people from pursuing their dreams and passions for studying abroad.
“If they have a chance and if they get the money to do it, definitely they should do it,” Kosnacova said. “It shouldn't stop students from pursuing their dream or just pure curiosity. If they want to see the world and they do have a chance, they shouldn't hesitate.”
