A local university student is back home after her study abroad program in Italy was suspended because of COVID-19.
Kassidy Geringer, who attends San Diego State University, was studying economics in Milan, Italy, when the university decided to suspend the program.
“Everyone’s super sad the program has ended. The process of studying abroad – you wait a year, you’re saving up. I was saving up for three years before doing this and I left Feb. 2 and came back March 2. I was only there a month,” said Geringer.
She finished a two-week language course that was four to five hours a day, and only got to visit Venice and Cinque Terre.
“I’m sad that I had to leave. Obviously, everyone looks forward to this experience and it’s kind of a one-time chance thing,” said Geringer.” I am relieved that I don’t have to worry about being quarantined. That was our main issue. I didn’t want to get back to the states and have to be quarantined for two weeks.”
The university is working on an eight-week online system for students to complete their programs. The university canceled its spring semester study abroad programs in China, South Korea, and Italy.
Currently, classes and campus events will continue to be in session under normal operations, the university told NBC 7.
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Since January, the university has been planning for the possibility that members and or students may become ill or quarantined due to the coronavirus. They advised faculty to be prepared if the campus will need to temporarily suspend in-person instruction.
The university is providing students, faculty and staff email and in-person communications updates on the coronavirus.
Geringer said SDSU will reimburse the flight home for her and others in the program, she said her flight cost $1,300.
For more information, you can visit SDSU’s COVID-19 web page.
