Global Perspectives trips allow students to study abroad safely
Photo by Rhianna Barrow.
As students adjust their plans for the semester to meet COVID-19 requirements, the Global Perspectives office is working to meet these guidelines while still providing students the opportunity to complete their cross-cultural experience.
Director of Global Perspectives Angeline McMullin is at the forefront of providing rapid and efficient updates to students since Lee’s shut down in March. Due to the current state of COVID-19 medical advancements, the United Kingdom semester abroad trip for spring 2021 was recently canceled.
“Students save up to do a [full semester abroad]. We don’t want to take the chance of sending students if we aren’t sure yet of what we are going to be able to do,” said McMullin. “To spend that much money and not be able to do independent travel and not be able to get into places that they would want to go to — to us just seems like too big of a risk right now.”
Following the cancellation, all students admitted for the spring 2021 program are guaranteed a position on the 2022 trip. For students like junior business marketing major Lexi Bailey, the rescheduled trip still provides the opportunity to graduate on time and study abroad.
“This is the only trip I really want to go on, and even though this is my last semester at Lee, I think it would be a great way to end my Lee career in Europe,” said Bailey. “A lot of business classes are only offered in the spring, so the ones I was planning on taking my senior year I’m just going to take in the spring of this year and get them done.”
While the rescheduled trip provides many students with another opportunity to study abroad, others are rethinking their options while fulfilling university Global Perspectives requirements and enjoying their time at Lee.
“I don’t think I’m going because I don’t want to spend my last semester at Lee in Europe,” said Jenny Claire Buckner, junior health science with an emphasis in Pre-PA major. “I would hate to not have my last semester with all the people I’ve been here for four years with. I am waiting to see what [trips are offered], but my advisor told me about a trip to Europe where you can get health science credits, and it’s in the summer, so it’s only three weeks.”
In spring, Chancellor Dr. Paul Conn waived 10 hours of service requirements for all students enrolled due to COVID-19. While service hours can be reduced, McMullin emphasized the cross-cultural requirement cannot be “dropped off” as it is an academic credit for graduation.
“Our goal is to provide as many options as possible for students to be able to meet that requirement safely,” said McMullin. “The requirement is not changing, but the options to meet that requirement are. We met with our trip directors in August before the semester started … and many of them are committed to finding options for our students.”
More domestic trips will be offered this year to ensure safety and accessibility for students to meet the requirement and increased participation from local churches for students to complete the local church study option. Students with extenuating circumstances can petition to participate in a virtual global perspectives trip.
“Our goal is to make sure that everyone has some type of opportunity that meets their needs and that they can do either based on finances or based on health needs so that they can meet that requirement,” said McMullin. “We feel pretty confident that we are going to be able to provide those options.”
Applications for 2020-2021 trips are now open. More information about Global Perspectives can be found on the Global Perspectives website.
