By: Liliana Gomez
The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has upended day-to-day lives across our community, state, country, and globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how students work, learn, and interact as social distancing guidelines have led to more virtual interactions, both personally and academically.
Due to COVID-19, all travel came to a halt. In addition, the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) understood that students were facing financial implications and hardships related to the pandemic and would not be able to complete a study abroad program. In response to this unprecedented time, CHHS partnered with SJSU Study Abroad and Away to create the Virtual International Partners (VIP) program that allows students to continue to complete their International Experience requirement virtually. Director of Study Abroad and Away, Susie Morris states that “we live in a global world. I think one of the greatest benefits of this program is that it starts a global conversation on our campus and in our community. This program helps us grow our community and provide opportunities to continue intercultural learning even in a time of restricted travel.”
Students that are required to complete their international experience requirement for graduation are able to opt in to the new VIP program. Students enroll in a one-unit course (APSC 198-ITL) after consultation with an Academic Advisor from the CHHS Student Success Center. Students who enroll in the VIP program are matched for the semester with an international student with the help of the Office of Study Abroad and Away. Director of Study Abroad and Away, Susie Morris emphasizes that, “We want our students who have had a global experience to share that with others on campus! The VIP program is perfect in this way, because our students are able to connect in a really authentic way to a peer who has grown up in a different cultural environment.” Throughout the semester the CHHS students and international students will have multiple conversations through Zoom, Skype or similar technology to learn about each other’s cultures in a meaningful way. The conversation topics include family and friendships, education, food culture, holidays and celebrations, etc. “What has been great to observe is how these questions have been a jumping off point into extended spontaneous discussions between partners and have gone so much further into areas that are of interest to each partner,” Susie Morris says. After these conversations, students are expected to reflect, write journals, share with other classmates and participate in discussion posts about what they have learned from each other. The program also includes a food cultural exchange activity, which they have learned from each other, as well as an end of the semester celebration where students and their international partners come together for a virtual get-together. CHHS stands behind what Study Abroad and Away, Susie Morris says that “for students to have cultural experience during the pandemic, being able to connect with and learn from each other is even more important when we are often isolated from our communities. The program helps SJSU students grow our community and provide the opportunities for intercultural learning even in a time of restricted travel.”
The VIP program launched this fall semester, and currently 60 CHHS students are participating in this program. The international students with which CHHS students are paired are from a variety of countries including France, Germany, UK, Norway, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, and India! It has been a great way for students to learn about different cultures and make a meaningful connection with an international student all the while fulfilling their international experience requirement at the same time.
A CHHS student, Ryan Reid (Kinesiology Fall ‘20) shares that he enjoys learning about his partner’s culture and perspectives on the world which has opened up his eyes to a new perspective in finding time to work and rest. In addition, he has also been able to learn new delicious recipes to cook and has been able to connect with his partner through food which has allowed them to open up about their culture and home experience.