Dionte Berry
Features Editor
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The pandemic may have derailed much of the traditional college experience, but with the hope of an end in sight the Murray State Study Abroad office is excited for a return to normal. 

Knowing that the pandemic won’t last forever, the Study Abroad office is preparing for study abroad opportunities in the summer and fall. To help students prepare, they are hosting the Spring Virtual Study Abroad Fair Week from Feb. 1 to 5. 

Senior Education Abroad Adviser Steven Guns is a part of putting the fair week together. 

“We are really hopeful that traveling abroad will be possible this summer,” Guns said. “However we are really eager and ready to start heavy recruitment for our fall semester and winter programs.” 

Guns has online events planned for each day of the week. These events are geared toward students who are possibly considering studying abroad and those who are in the registration process.

The virtual fair will offer students sessions concerning their applications, financial aid and scholarships. Through sessions like these, Guns hopes to communicate that studying abroad is quite affordable. 

“We have stories about past students that were able to make it really affordable and took classes that they would have been taking here on campus anyways, so it counted towards graduation and boosted their resumes,” Guns said.

There will be sessions of open advising during the week. Open advising serves to answer any questions students may have about studying abroad as well as helping them with their applications. These sessions are also available during the school year.

Beyond open advising there are more specific study abroad programs being presented. 

“There will be sessions about the winter New York and London programs and the summer Italy program,” Guns said. “Students will get a description of the program and get to meet the faculty that are going on the trip.”

It is hard for people to discuss study abroad without mentioning COVID-19, which has undeniably affected the program, but with the vaccine roll out the Study Abroad office is optimistic about resuming its programs. 

“Within our travel abroad orientation we have the talk about staying safe and healthy and COVID-19 is a topic that we will discuss,” Guns said.

However, until everything can resume normally, Guns and his colleagues are looking out for new travel criteria.

“Hopefully soon COVID-19 will be a conversation of the past,” Guns said. “However, COVID-19 will obviously still be a part of the conversation because there are travel restrictions where some countries will only allow visitors if they have been vaccinated.”

Although COVID-19 is very much a factor of reality, Guns said it’s important to start planning now for those interested in traveling abroad in the upcoming semesters.

Alongside Guns in the Study Abroad office is Education Abroad Adviser Chloe Chaplin.

Chaplin is happy to resume the study abroad program after it has been halted for over a year. 

“We are all eager to get back to traveling and are encouraged by our students who are continuing to plan their study abroad journeys,” Chaplin said. 

Despite the prevalence of COVID-19, preparing for studying abroad has not slowed down.         

“COVID has obviously halted all global travel including study abroad programs,” Chaplin said. “However, we have not seen any decrease in student or faculty interest in study abroad.”

The virtual fair week is an opportunity for students to learn more about studying abroad. A full schedule can be found at murraystate.edu/studyabroad. For more study abroad updates, the office also has an instagram @msu.studyabroad.