By Meredith Haas ’24, staff writer
A group of LVC students have been given new opportunities to study abroad in the wake of a pandemic.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has created several challenges for colleges and their students, new opportunities have arisen for many LVC students in the form of study abroad.
Students from many majors were excited to begin their study abroad experience in New Zealand, but that quickly changed when New Zealand closed their borders to outside travel.
“I was so upset when the New Zealand trip was cancelled,” Kendall Halsey, a sophomore physical therapy major, said. “It was a little unexpected, but I wasn’t too surprised because we knew this could be a possibility.”
Several students who intended to travel to New Zealand questioned if any type of study abroad options would be in their future.
While the pandemic presented several uncertainties, one thing was for certain: Jill Russell, Director of Global Education at LVC, would do everything in her power to give students a safe opportunity to go abroad.
“It was pretty evident by June of 2021 that I didn’t think students would be able to go to New Zealand by spring of 2022,” Russell, said. “At that point, I needed to find a country whose main language was English and provided the very specific courses that students needed.”
The country that fit the criteria was Ireland, with Dublin City University (DCU) being chosen as the best candidate. Organization quickly got under way, and soon enough, disappointed students became thrilled for the new possibility.
“Although I was really looking forward to New Zealand, hearing about the change to go to Ireland was very exciting,” Rachel Snavely, a sophomore PT major, shared. “I didn’t know a whole lot about Ireland at the time, but I knew that I would love to explore this country and learn all about it.”
Flash forward a few months, and a group of LVC students are now safely in Ireland, enjoying their time in Dublin and the surrounding areas. They’re taking every opportunity they can to explore a new country; all while following the COVID-19 restrictions.
“My study abroad experience so far has been amazing,” Megan Strodoski, sophomore PT student, said. “Seeing something new every day is so exciting, and I could not be happier that we were able to make it to Dublin!”
The students will return after four months at DCU. Following the students’ return, the program will be evaluated to determine if it will be given a permanent spot on the College’s list.
Russell credits the willingness of the administration, and the students for being “open-minded, adaptable, and flexible,” for making this new study abroad opportunity possible.
Lebanon Valley College offers a wide variety of study abroad opportunities for students of all majors and interests. Students interested in study abroad should contact Russell at russell@lvc.edu and be on the lookout for upcoming informational sessions.