For students who may delay their college start date due to the impact of COVID-19, Champlain College has recently introduced a virtual gap program.
According to a recent Carnegie Dartlet study, around 33% of students plan to cancel, wait or defer admission if colleges remain completely online for the fall semester.
Champlain’s 15-week program, equivalent to a semester, allows students the opportunity to earn college credit and also gain experience through a virtual internship.
“We have always been sort of a leader in virtual education and technology so I wanted to offer the students who really wanted a Champlain education an opportunity to get one if we weren’t on campus, or even if we were on campus, but just in a different way,” said Dr. Lisa Bunders, vice president of enrollment management at Champlain.
The virtual gap program offers two tracks.
Under the first option, students earn three college credits. The program’s aim for students is “academic discovery, holistic well-being and internship opportunities.”
“We looked at the elements of a gap year and really tried to think in a student-centered way [about] what students needed right now,” said Emily Crist, library director at Champlain. “This is an anxiety-provoking time for everybody individually, our families, communities and our country. And because of that, we wanted to make wellness the heart of this program.”
