SIT Study Abroad welcomes 164 students on 19 summer programs
Announcement Date: June 24, 2021
SIT鈥疭tudy Abroad鈥痟as welcomed鈥�164鈥痵tudents on鈥�19鈥痵ummer programs鈥痶his year, including鈥�65鈥痵tudents on immersive programs鈥痠n six countries, and鈥�99鈥痵tudents on virtual鈥痩anguage鈥痯rograms and internships.
The enrollment marks a鈥�140 percent increase over last summer, when SIT offered just 10 programs, all of them virtual, with a total of 68 students.鈥��
鈥淭his summer鈥檚鈥痚nrollment is an encouraging sign鈥痶hat undergraduate students remain committed to鈥痝etting鈥痩ife-changing study abroad experience, whether virtual or on the ground,鈥� said SIT President Dr. Sophia Howlett.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
The students鈥攆rom 84 colleges and universities throughout the United States, plus 12 who are not current students鈥攁re enrolled in 12鈥疭IT鈥痸irtual programs鈥痑nd seven鈥痯rograms in country.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
The most鈥痯opular on-site鈥痩ocation for summer students鈥痠s鈥疘celand, where SIT鈥檚 Renewable Energy, Technology, and Resource Economics program accepted鈥�25 undergraduates. Eleven students are on International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy, which was moved from Switzerland to Spain; while the鈥痳emaining 30 students鈥痑re on programs in Ghana, Jordan, South Africa,鈥痑nd Uganda.
SIT鈥檚 on-site offerings鈥痶his summer鈥痳eflect鈥痮ngoing鈥痗hanges鈥痠n pandemic safety and loosening travel restrictions in some parts of the world, according to Michael Zoll, SIT dean of Student Health, Safety and Well-being.鈥�淪IT鈥檚 most important priority is the safety, health and security of its students,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e do extensive pre-departure risk assessments and develop comprehensive contingency plans for each of our programs.鈥濃��
Zoll said鈥疭IT鈥檚 global network of program centers gives the organization the flexibility to change venues鈥痲uickly鈥痺hen necessary. That was the case this summer when programs originally set for Kenya, Madagascar,鈥痑nd Switzerland were moved to Uganda, Ghana,鈥痑nd鈥疭pain,鈥痳espectively.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
SIT鈥檚 Risk Assessment Committee conducts daily鈥疌OVID-19 assessments and related travel restrictions for all the countries where programs are operating. The committee tracks the pandemic through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization, the U.S. State Department, International SOS, and local health advisories and government communiques.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Experienced host-country faculty and staff also monitor the situation through their extensive networks of contacts, which include local authorities and U.S. embassies.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Virtual programs鈥痑lso鈥痗ontinue to remain popular.鈥疉mong the 12 offered this summer are鈥痜our language鈥痯rograms鈥擜rabic in Jordan; Hindi in India;鈥疩uechua in Peru; and Tibetan in Nepal鈥攁nd鈥痚ight鈥痠nternships.
SIT鈥痯rograms are categorized according to seven areas. Of those, most summer students (30 percent) are enrolled in programs that address Identity and Human Resilience; 24 percent are in programs focused on Climate and the Environment; 22 percent in Geopolitics and Power; and 16 percent in Global Health and Well-being.
SIT鈥疭tudy Abroad鈥痗urrently plans to run more than 50 immersive and virtual study abroad programs in .鈥�&苍产蝉辫;