UT Students Find New Summer Options After Coronavirus Cancellations

By Faith Castle

Reporting Texas

 

AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas canceled study abroad programs until Aug. 18 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Maya Fawaz, a second-year journalism major, must now find new plans after her Maymester Abroad program, Community Life Documented in London, England was a part of the many canceled trips.

“My original plan was to go on this May-mester in London, come back and kinda just work through the summer,” Fawaz said. “All of these different internships I was looking into it’s the whole summer.

Since most internships require students to apply earlier in the year, Fawaz planned to get experience through her study abroad program.

“All of these different internships I was looking into it’s the whole summer,” Fawaz said. “I was like I can’t take them because I would be gone half of the summer.”

While Fawaz continues to search for new opportunities, UT Alternative Breaks is creating a space for students to get experience even though their international and domestic programs were canceled.

“We’re taking this knowledge as work that we can carry on,” UT Alternative Breaks Trip Leader, Jessica Chavez said.

UT Alternative Breaks plans their trips a year in advance to help communities across the world grow while allowing students to learn about social justice. The program leaders have worked on a manual to ensure students that their work will not go undone.

“We are going to work out a similar resource guide for them,” said Chavez.

While their weekly meetings rely on the input of others, Chavez said students will have to adjust for now. They hope to continue their momentum so that students can have opportunities in the summer of 2021.

“[The guide] is going to have to be virtually delivered as opposed to a big room where everyone learns about other’s experiences, verbally and in-person,” Chavez said.