By Kailyn Lunn, Editor-in-Chief

La Roche University suspended the Study Abroad program in March 2020. Now, with access to a COVID-19 vaccine and international travel available again, is it time for the program to return to La Roche?

“Whether you’re looking for a short-term travel course or a semester-long experience, La Roche University offers opportunities for you to broaden your world view,” said LRU’s Study Abroad page on their website.

La Roche covers costs for the short-term experience, aside from passport fees, visas, and souvenirs.

Study abroad courses are not exclusively international; in the past, students traveled to Alaska, Los Angeles, and La Posada, Texas.

The La Roche University Office of Mission and Ministry offered vaccinated students a service trip to Philadelphia and Washington D.C. last spring. Because of this, students speculate the possibility of Study Abroad restarting the program with domestic trips for vaccinated students.

“Staying within the U.S. could help students become more comfortable traveling after the pandemic,” said LRU junior Kylee Greig.

While current students wonder if they can look forward to a Study Abroad course, recent graduates question what compensation La Roche and Study Abroad will provide, if any.

“While I understand that this was due to circumstances beyond La Roche’s control,” said 2021 graduate Steven Munshower, “I do believe that students who missed out on a trip should be compensated for the appropriate amount of tuition which is dedicated towards that Study Abroad trip.”

The assistant director of Study Abroad did not respond to questions regarding the future of Study Abroad, so it is unknown when students and alumni will find out more.