In the fall of 2021, Simpson College reinstated the study abroad program after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

Students who had gone to study abroad in early 2020 were brought home. Due to the closure of airlines inside and outside the country, some students have been temporarily stranded in foreign regions.

With study abroad options returning, COVID-19 is still a concern. The new director of off-campus programs, Matthew Kaye, reassures the campus that the first priority is the safety and health of the students.

Some students are ready to take the bull by the horns.

“I feel like this if you are [going to] just do it yourself [kind of] have to do it, ”said freshman Clarke Latchman.

Others take every detail into consideration.

“I would say depending on how the country handles it [COVID-19] I would see some concerns; However, I am fully vaccinated so I’m not too worried myself, ”said first year student Bodhi Mains.

On Wednesday September 22, Simpson hosted the Study Abroad Fair in the Great Hall.

The fair offers students the opportunity to learn about various opportunities and scholarships to study abroad. The teachers leading the various travel courses were there to answer questions from the prospecting students.

“I am very excited to study abroad and believe that all students should try to take advantage of the financial aid and scholarship opportunities that exist”, Assistant professor of political science Adrienne Gathman said: “because it is in many ways a once in a lifetime opportunity”.

There are financial aid and scholarship opportunities such as the Gillman Prize and the Walt Scholarship to Study Abroad and May Quarter Travel.

“Scholarship funding for the Gillman Prize or the Walt Scholarship ranges from a few hundred dollars to $ 6,500,” Kaye said.

May semester study abroad is a three week period for intensive study on a topic or research project. Simpson College encourages success without borders.

“Italy is so different [from] the United States in the way they run their businesses, ”said freshman Madison Wiertzema. “They offer a higher salary to their workers, so their standard of living is very different [and] I would like to see [that] firsthand.

Many employers today are looking for people who have a comprehensive understanding and experience with other cultures. Study abroad not only encourages an appreciation of different cultures, but it pushes students to step out of their comfort zone.

There are nine options for different major / minor. This year’s options range from Europe: A photographic tour of Ireland in Morocco, Africa: The legacy of colonialism.

Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Assistant Graphic Design Instructor Luke Behaunek explains what students can look forward to on the Photographic tour to live. “We will be spending time in Italy and Spain. My goals would be to get students to really experience important aspects of their culture and elements of their country through a photographic perspective. “

For more information, contact the Director of Off-Campus Programs Mathew Kaye.