AYF Program Suspended for Summer Semester 2020

As corona virus infections began increasing dramatically in Europe and confirmed COVID-19 cases began to climb, the suspension of the AYF program for the summer semester 2020 became inevitable two weeks ago. Along with thousands of other study abroad students across Europe, AYF participants were requested by their respective home universities to return home.

Despite the smiles, March 12, 2020, truly saw one of the saddest group meetings ever when we briefed 2019-20 AYF students on their imminent unplanned departure from Freiburg. Departure procedures were streamlined and simplified to make a swift yet orderly departure possible. Moving out at a moment’s notice and the logistics of securing flights amidst growing travel restrictions proved immensely painful to our students, emotionally and financially.

Since the suspension info meeting, AYF students have been able to return home.  But unanswered questions about the consequences of the suspension remain, and it will take some time to find answers to often very complex individual situations. Behind the scenes, AYF staff, faculty members, and administrative colleagues in the US began working immediately on ameliorating the negative impact on students by recovering costs on site that have since been returned to students; by approaching local partners for support; by working with the AYF alumni club to address unmet financial hardships; and above all by moving AYF online for the next semester.

With the support of local teaching staff, US faculty, and partner Universities, AYF was able to pivot on short notice toward providing an expanded set of currently nine AYF courses (the normal number for the summer semester is two). These offerings will, by necessity, provide a very different academic experience than the 210 tentative enrollments across 97 distinct courses in 21 different departments at the Albert-Ludwigs-University and Pädagogische Hochschule Freiburg our students had chosen. Our hope is that returned AYF students will find additional options at their respective home universities. We are very grateful to our faculty colleagues in the US who offered their support without hesitation and have adjusted courses and modes of teaching in order to help our students.

We are deeply moved and heartened by the AYF alumni club’s Emergency Fundraising Initiative to benefit 2019-20 AYF students impacted by the suspension of the program. A heartfelt “Thank you!” goes to all of our alumni who reached out to us, asking how they may help and offering their support. Your kindness, generosity, and support of our students mean a lot to us and our students in these trying times!

And, of course, as the fate of our AYF Anniversary and Reunion 2020 hangs in the balance, we would also like to provide an update on the planned July events

In closing, our alumna McKenzie Barber (2014-15) provides some perspective on the current situation by reporting from a COVID-19 ward in Michigan.

Mit herzlichen Grüßen und den besten Wünschen für die Gesundheit,

Ulrich (Ulli) Struve, AYF Program Director
Prof. Peter McIsaac, AYF Academic Director 2019-20