Summer is almost here! Summer break is right around the corner for the Marlin community, as well as for many college students, as the semester comes to a close in these next coming weeks. That means no more homework, exams, or essays for the next three months. These last two semesters have been long ones for the students here at Virginia Wesleyan with COVID-19 playing a big factor in their daily lives and having no spring break. However, the time has come for the VWU community to enjoy a well-deserved, long-awaited break.
Many college students look forward to going back home, relaxing, or catching up on sleep. Some might be planning vacations or road trips. Others might learn a new skill or language to add to their resumes, or try to gain some professional experience in their majors or get ahead on their studies for next semester. On that front, some college students are taking advantage of their summer break to participate in internships, undergraduate research projects and summer courses or prepare for graduate school or jobs in their field.
So, what are the Marlins doing during the summer months? Senior Aaron Johnson, a recreational therapy major, will be doing a summer internship at the Harbor Point Behavioral Health Center located in Portsmouth, Virginia. “I’ll be working with younger individuals with behavioral disorders and coming up with different interventions and methods to help them cope. While doing the internship, my boss will be letting me decide which practice I would like to use on them which includes fitness therapy, recreational therapy, and holistic therapy,” Johnson said. Johnson also stated that he will be doing a summer course here at VWU where he will keep track of his progress as he goes through the internship. “Of course! I’m actually excited,” Johnson said when asked if he was ready for his internship.
Freshman Jordan Hudson, a nursing major, will be getting ahead this summer by taking a few summer classes here at Virginia Wesleyan. “This summer I am taking two courses, BIO 202 which is human nutrition, and ART 208 which is Photography 1,” Hudson said. Hudson stated that these are classes she needs to take for her intended course of study. “I’m trying to get into the nursing program, and human nutrition is one of the prerequisites. Photography 1 knocks out my creative arts requirement that I need,” Hudson said. In her BIO 202 class, Hudson stated she will be learning about the processes of how our body obtains nutrients from food to maintain our structural and functional integrity. “We will get to learn about dietary sources, intake levels, and the requirement of major nutrients. [And] in Photography 1, we will learn about control of digital camera functions, laws that affect using photos, artistic techniques and composition,” Hudson said.
Other students’ plans also consist of traveling and visiting family once school lets out. “I’ll be going international for eight weeks,” freshman Grace Adams said. “I’ll be in Brazil for four weeks visiting my family, and then I’ll be in Europe for four weeks, where I will be going to four different countries–England, France, Italy, and Germany–playing on my international club soccer team,” Adams said.
Summer this year will be slightly different, as COVID-19 is still an ongoing concern. However, the Marlins will not let that stop them from having a fun, hardworking, productive summer.
By Shirell Washington
sawashington@vwu.edu
