Written by Emily Stinnett // Graphic by Cooper Turman
Harding International Programs (IP) made multiple changes to the fall 2022 programs by combining two programs, shifting a fall program to summer and bringing back a program for the first time in three years.
The Harding University in England (HUE) program, previously known as Harding University in England, is returning to its original itinerary prior to COVID-19 and will be traveling to 13 countries across Europe. Due to the small number of students interested in Harding University in Florence (HUF), the international program decided to invite those signed up for HUF this fall to combine with HUE.
“Because of the specific interest for fall ’22, we decided to do this because it seemed like it offered the best experience to the students,” IP executive director Audra Pleasant said. “We just have to keep adapting.”
HUF directors Robbie and Mona Shackelford are leading the HUE group with HUE directors Lauren and Tyler Knight. Pleasant said the future is undecided on whether the IP will continue to model HUE as it is this fall.
Harding University in Zambia (HIZ) has typically been offered in the fall but will only be offered in the summer starting in 2023. Pleasant said students majoring in health science or nursing are the most common students interested in HIZ. It is hard for them to be gone in the fall because they are not able to take prerequisite classes offered in the fall on campus.
She said she is hopeful this change accommodates all students and opens the opportunity for more students to attend the study abroad program.
Sophomore Holly Windon is a nursing major attending HIZ this fall. She said she would have preferred to go to HIZ in the summer so as not to miss social activities in the fall and to stay on track to graduate on time. However, she said she is excited about the change and hopes future students will be able to benefit from it.
“If it wasn’t as rewarding as I think it’ll be, I don’t think I would be studying abroad at all,” Windon said. “I am thrilled to be able to go to Zambia.”
Harding University in Australasia (HUA) is returning this fall. This is the first opportunity for students to study abroad at HUA since fall 2019. Pleasant said there might be more of a risk in students’ minds when choosing HUA because of the multiple cancellations of the trip in the past. However, the fall 2022 group is almost full, with 28 out of 40 spots filled and the fall 2023 list filling up, according to Pleasant.
HUA was not an option for junior Morgan Kirby when she was thinking about studying abroad. She was immediately interested when IP announced HUA’s return.
“I know it has been a while since the program has been around, but I think that’s kind of the exciting part to experience something new, being a part of the first group back,” Kirby said.
Pleasant said she is confident in these adaptations and looks forward to more students being able to study abroad.
“We want to provide opportunities that are transformational and academic but also that students are interested in,” Pleasant said. “That is the whole reason we do these programs.”
