Summer Abroad programs canceled due to low enrollment | News

Low enrollment rates in upcoming study abroad programs have led to the cancellation of numerous trips by the Study Abroad Office.

Scheduled to take place during the summer term, short-term, faculty-led study abroad programs span between one to five weeks in length and provide students the opportunity to satisfy core and major requirements.  The Center of Global Engagement has hosted around 17 short-term programs in the last three years.

According to Christina Isabelli, the associate provost for global engagement, the success of these programs transforms students’ experiences abroad.

“Study abroad programs are a direct and powerful integrative educational experience that foster global engagement and provide opportunities to develop intercultural competence,” Isabelli said. “They give students an opportunity to interact and learn from different cultures, build cross-cultural relationships and gain perspectives that they might not get on campus.”

Stashia Kaiel, assistant director of study abroad, said cancellations of programming occasionally arise due to factors like summer internships and jobs, conflicting dates of the program, course mismatches and costs.

“While the study abroad team works actively with the faculty leaders to keep the cost down, recent student withdrawals have cited financial issues in the final determination to withdraw from a program or not enroll,” Kaiel said.

Katuska Kohut, the associate director of study abroad, said the office is continuing to work closely with these programs to ensure that program costs, travel periods and academic offerings are in alignment with student interests.

“The study abroad team is close to implementing a scholarship structure that may help with program cost barriers,” Kohut said.

Danielle Knutson, a first-year student at GU, was directly impacted by the cancellations, which altered her plans to study in London this summer.

 “I chose to apply for the program because I wanted to get my Christianity course out of the way and get more immersed and see different places,” Knutson said. “What better place to do that than London?”

Knutson said she was saddened when the office informed her at the end of January that the program had been cut.

“We already had applied and went through the whole application process and met with the coordinators,” Knutson said. “It felt like it was confirmed, and then it was just taken away.”

Kohut said the department tries its best to be transparent with students by emphasizing that no program is ever guaranteed.

“In a way, developing the ability to pivot, whether that’s navigating the challenges of a canceled program or embracing unexpected opportunities of a different program, is a critical skill that will serve students well abroad,” Kohut said.

Colin Stapleton, applications coordinator and general study abroad adviser, said that the deadlines for program cancellations are sometimes delayed in hopes of last-minute signups.

“Short-term, faculty-led programs that are canceled may be reoffered in the future, depending on the faculty leaders,” Stapleton said.

Isabelli said that cancellations of study abroad programs bring about challenges along with new opportunities.

“While the cancellation of some summer study abroad programs may seem at odds with Gonzaga’s mission of global engagement and intercultural competence at first glance, it could be part of a broader strategy to ensure cura apostolica (‘care for the institution’), and that resources are used in ways that promote long-term sustainability and equity,” Isabelli said.

Siena Chadwick is a staff writer.