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University Honors Program

Resilience in the Time of COVID-19

By Laura Cotten Howell

It will surprise no one who knows me when I admit my favorite part of working at UD is my opportunity to meet and help our students. As an Associate Director in the Honors Program, I am responsible for helping students understand the graduate school process, for helping students apply to prestigious fellowships, and for managing some of our Honors signature programs, namely the DC Flyers and London Flyers programs.

During this time of uncertainty and global crisis, I am both humbled and amazed by the resilience of our students. This isn’t the first time I have had this feeling of awe for the Flyer student body. However, realizing my own struggles with the “sheltering in place” order, I find myself even more inspired by the individuals I am lucky enough to call my students. 

When it was announced that the Honors summer programs, like both the DC Flyers and London Flyers programs, would not happen this year, to put it mildly, I was crushed. Disappointed for the lost experience, exploration and growth I know the students would have experienced through these opportunities. However, in true Flyer fashion, my students have not given up. They are resilient individuals determined to make their summers meaningful.

Resilience comes in the form of students still hoping to make DC happen. Requesting information from me about finding housing in DC and determining whether they might be able to scrape together enough pennies to make it a reality.

Resilience comes in the form of students, still determined to have an internship experience. Students like would-be DC Flyers, Sarah Kuhns and Sophia Palmer who had successful interviews with their respective placements prior to the program’s cancellation. I’m happy to say both still will be able to complete virtual internships this summer. Sarah with Counterpart International (shout-out to our AMAZING alumna Ann Hudock who is the President and CEO) and Sophia with the Department of Energy.

Resilience comes in the form of setting up Zoom calls with alumni from previous cohorts of DC Flyers who are now living and working in DC. Alumni who, I might add, are almost equally as heartbroken for our current cohort of DC Flyers.

My favorite story of resilience, however, comes from a UD alumnus who had a goal and would not give up on that goal. I first met Will Landers when he was a sophomore in our Berry Summer Thesis Institute. I told the cohort about the Fulbright scholarship, and Will, who was adopted from S. Korea as a baby, was intrigued.

As a senior, Will applied to teach English in S. Korea as an English Teaching Assistant with the U.S. Student Fulbright program. We were so disappointed to learn he had not been selected. What did Will do? Will signed up for a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course to become a certified English teacher and make himself more competitive for the scholarship the following year. Will’s second application to Fulbright was much stronger. He was able to talk about teaching techniques and his own experiences tutoring language learners. Will discussed not only his love for the English language, he was, after all, an English major, but Will also expressed his desire to learn about the country in which he was born. This year, I am proud to say Will received the Fulbright Scholarship to S. Korea and will begin his experience as an English Teacher in fall. Although COVID-19 might delay his entry into S. Korea by a month or two, Will has accomplished a goal he made his sophomore year of college.

Put simply, UD students are the best. They are kind. They are generous with their time. They are resilient. I cannot imagine a better group of students to work with, and I am humbled and proud to have this career.  Students, thank you for your commitments to your future, and for allowing me to be a small part in your amazing journeys. Keep up all your amazing work. I sincerely hope to see you back on campus soon.

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