The university has canceled all spring 2021 study tours as well as the popular, semester-long Belgium internship program and a French studies program in Paris due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The state of eight other spring programs, in which 18 students are enrolled, remains uncertain, according to Tom Kesaris, director of the Center for International Programs (CIP), with the university conducting a review of each program individually.  

Other programs have already been canceled outright because of COVID-19 protocols established by the countries or by partner universities, including those in Australia and New Zealand, Kesaris wrote in an email to The Hawk.

“As of Oct. 15, St. Joe’s has suspended any program set to travel to a country where our students would not be permitted entry or where entry requirements such as quarantine would not be feasible,” Kesaris wrote. “For countries where students traveling from the U.S. are currently permitted to enter, we are continuing our program review.”

Kesaris said students planning to go abroad in the spring of 2021 will receive a final decision for their particular program no later than Nov. 16.

Last semester, 17 semester-long study abroad programs ran with 46 students total, according to Sara Haines, CIP’s assistant director for semester abroad and health & safety. Many students, however, returned home in March as the pandemic worsened, ending their studies early. 

All spring 2020 study tours and summer 2020 programs were later canceled. Fall 2020 programs were eventually canceled or deferred as well. 

Kesaris said he is reminding students that COVID-19 is an evolving situation, and CIP will continue to monitor conditions after official decisions are shared. Changes may still be made if travel conditions become unsafe. 

Maddie Rose ’22 is signed up to study abroad in Florence, Italy next spring. Rose’s trip was originally planned for this fall but was deferred. Rose still plans to go in the spring, even with restrictions and a smaller number of students participating.

“I don’t exactly know what’s going to happen,” Rose said. “I’m trying to be the most optimistic with planning, but I have housing ready if I can’t go, and we’re picking classes. I will be disappointed, but not surprised, if it gets canceled”

Cheryl McConnell, Ph.D., provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said the potential cancellation of a study abroad program is one of the exceptions the university will make for students who want to request a fully online schedule even though the original Oct. 15 deadline has passed. Both Kesaris and McConnell are advising students to prepare for any scenario. 

“We do encourage anybody that’s thinking about studying abroad in the spring to fully prepare a schedule now and to register now,” McConnell said. “It’s so unpredictable what might happen, and we did this [for] the fall as well.”

 Olivia Cardarelli ’22 had also planned to study abroad in Florence, Italy this fall. Even though the program was deferred to the spring, Cardarelli pulled out altogether. She said she was told the program would be shortened to 90 days and students would not be issued visas to travel on their own.

 “I don’t want to do school field trips,” Cardarelli said. “I want to be independent. I can’t even do some of the things I want at home. Why would I want to try that abroad?  I just think that it’s not realistic. Now I’m not going fall or spring. My experience with study abroad was destroyed because of COVID.”

For students who do end up getting to travel, Kesaris said CIP is looking to support them in the event that additional public health safety measures are put in place by the host city or country. For example, if a temporary lockdown was imposed, or if an individual student needed to self-isolate, Kesaris said CIP would ensure that students are offered support, including online courses, assistance with accessing food delivery and frequent communication and guidance about the local situation.

 “If an early return became necessary, the CIP would coordinate with our partners abroad to guide each student through a safe return home,” Kesaris said. “Students would receive frequent communication and guidance for their return, as well as check-ins upon arrival. We are also assessing each program’s refund policies and remote course capability should students need to return early.”

Megan Hayes ’22, who was also scheduled to study abroad in Italy in the fall, canceled her plans in August after the last $1,000 deposit for the trip was due, which she said was “a lot to put down if we’re not entirely certain that we’re going to go.” Hayes had planned to go abroad with a group of her friends, who collectively withdrew after fears of catching the virus. She decided not to go next spring either.

 “I didn’t feel too comfortable going abroad, with COVID and everything, because God forbid something happened to us and one of us got sick or we had to leave suddenly,” Hayes said. “It would just be a lot to figure out. I think we made the best decision for ourselves.”

Haines said deposits for spring 2021 programs are refundable if a program is canceled or if a student voluntarily opts out. The deadline to withdraw for a full refund is Dec. 15, Haines said.

As of now, faculty-led summer programs to Greece, Rome and South Africa are accepting applications and are planning to run in the summer of 2021.