Jiselle Santos/The Cougar
Psychology senior Lee Wagner was supposed to go to Mexico this summer to complete his foreign language requirements, letting him finish two semesters of coursework in a single five-week period.
But with the coronavirus pandemic forcing the Learning Abroad office to suspend all of its programs, Wagner now expects to graduate next spring instead of this fall since they can’t go on the trip now.
“I would be finishing my Spanish requirements for my BA, but now that the programs are canceled, I’m most likely going to have to split up the credits over two more semesters,” Wagner said. “Or I would have to push back studying abroad until next year.”
As the new coronavirus has spread throughout the world, UH has canceled all upcoming summer 2020 Learning Abroad programs.
This includes all faculty-led programs as well as affiliated, exchange, student service organization programs, sponsored scholarship, fellowship, or research opportunities abroad, and any other programs that would be considered international travel for curricular or co-curricular purposes, according to the Learning Abroad web page.
Learning Abroad said on its web page that Fall 2020 abroad programs are still being planned out at this time but that these opportunities are subject to change based on conditions of the pandemic in the U.S. and worldwide.
Wagner was planning to study in Cuernavaca, Mexico in summer 2020 to finish his Spanish course.
“I mean I know we all have our hands tied right now and are limited on what all we can do, but I wish there was still some sort of summer program that would still be able to allow me to finish both of my Spanish credits together,” Wagner said.
Wagner was given the option to apply for a different abroad program at a later date when the coronavirus pandemic would possibly be over.
“I haven’t studied abroad before, but I’ve heard many good things from people who have,” Wagner said. “I was really excited for the opportunity, but now it’s all been taken away.”
