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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with the mission of increasing engagement among its students, UTEP will continue hosting virtual events in Spring 2021. Throughout the semester, Miners will have the opportunity to engage in activities organized by the Office of International Programs and Study Abroad and the Student Engagement and Leadership Center (SELC), among others.
From study abroad information sessions, scholarship workshops to virtual drop-in advising, the Office of International Programs and Study Abroad is set to welcome students looking to travel in 2021.
The virtual events will guide and provide students with information on programs, refund policies and funding sources, as according to Judy Moore, assistant director of UTEP’s study abroad office, the department will have opened programs for Summer and Fall 2021. The deadline to apply for these programs is March 1.
However, Moore said these programs will more than likely continue to see traveling regulations and protocols.
“Some countries for example, require that you have to have proof of a negative test, you have to show that right before you leave your home country,” Moore said. “You have to quarantine for two weeks in one of their designated places and then after your two weeks are up, negative tests and everything go well, you can go out into the country.”
Because of this, Moore said the expenses associated with studying abroad programs may be higher than past years. However, students are still invited to emerge themselves in the life and culture of a foreign country through virtual programs.
Although virtual study abroad opportunities became more accessible in 2020, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases across the world, Moore explained this method is not new.
“It is something we have seen, there are virtual options, those are available regardless of what’s going on with the coronavirus, because you don’t have to physically travel anywhere,” Moore said. “My hope is that some of these virtual opportunities stick around to support students who can’t leave for other reasons.”
The start of the spring semester will also see virtual opportunities for students organized by SELC. This includes the university’s annual Miner Welcome week set to begin Jan. 19, which will include online Bingo games and a virtual student mixer for the chance to socialize with fellow Miners and win prizes.
SELC’s events also include two days of the virtual student organization and college tabling fair and two in-person, socially distanced, beginner yoga sessions at UTEP’s Student Recreation Center.
The Recreational Sports Department itself will be hosting a virtual “Nintendo Switch Friend Party” Jan. 21 to play games like Mario Kart and Super Smash Brothers with those who have a Nintendo Online account.
The UTEP Career Center will also be inviting students to its online Spring Career Fair Week starting Feb. 1. From how to master a virtual interview to how to dress for a remote career fair, the department’s events aim to prepare students for the Spring Career Fair happening Feb. 5.
For a detailed schedule of some of these Spring 2021 events refer to the list below and visit https://minetracker.utep.edu/ to RSVP.
Miner Welcome UTEP Bingo
12 p.m. – 1 p.m., Jan. 19
Miner Welcome Beginner Yoga
2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Jan. 19
10 a.m. – 11 a.m., Jan. 20
Miner Welcome RSO and Academic College Virtual Tabling Fair
1 p.m. – 3 p.m. , Jan. 20
4 p.m. – 6 p.m. , Jan. 21
Nintendo Switch Friend Party
6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Jan. 21
Miner Welcome Student Mixer
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. , Jan. 22
Study Abroad Info Session
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., Jan. 22
11 a.m. – 12 p.m., Jan. 26
2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Feb. 1
12 p.m. – 1 p.m., Feb. 4
Study Abroad Virtual Drop-In Advising
2 p.m. – 4 p.m., Jan. 22
2 p.m. – 4 p.m., Jan. 29
2 p.m. – 4 p.m., Feb. 12
Career Fair – Mastering the Virtual Interview
11 a.m., Feb. 1
Career Fair – How to Dress for a Virtual Career Fair
11 a.m., Feb. 2
Career Fair – How to Network at a Career Fair
11 a.m., Feb. 3
Career Fair – Mastering the Virtual Interview
11 a.m., Feb. 4
Virtual Career Fair 101
3 p.m., Feb. 4
Career Fair
9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Feb. 5
Study Abroad Scholarship Workshop
1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Feb. 5
I <3 Study Abroad Week
12 p.m. – 1 p.m., Feb. 15 – 19
Internship and Part-time Job Fair
9 a.m. – 3 p.m., April 1
Noelia Gonzalez may be reached at [email protected]; @OfficialNoeliaG on Twitter.
