In March of 2020, Quinnipiac University made the decision to convert to online classes for three weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On April 14, they extended online classes through the end of the spring 2020 semester. With that, the QU in Los Angeles and QU in Washington, D.C. programs were ended early. Neither program ran during the 2020-21 academic year. Now, QU in LA has brought Quinnipiac students back to California and both programs are accepting applications for the spring 2022 semester.
Andrés Rosende, the director of the QU in LA program, held six information sessions during the week of Sept. 5 for students wishing to apply to the program for the spring 2022.
Rosende recently took the position over for Jennifer Kalaidis. He produced films such as “The Devil Below,” set to come out this year and directed the 2012 television miniseries “Puppet Cop.”
The internship aspect of QU in LA is the most important. Rosende and each school’s respective career development faculty are available to help students secure their internships prior to the semester. Previous placements for QU in LA internships included Disney, Nickelodeon, the Los Angeles Times, Sony Pictures and The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.
Vera Helein, a third-year media studies major in the 3+1 Communications program, is currently in LA for an internship with H2R Productions, a television production studio and subdivision of the United Talent Agency.
“Since we are the first group to go back to LA after Covid, I felt a little apprehensive at first,” Helein wrote via email. “LA is a hotspot for Covid so maintaining safety precautions is absolutely necessary so we don’t continue the spread. I was excited to be able to finally go as it was something I knew I always wanted to do at Quinnipiac, but definitely nerve-wracking since Covid is still so prevalent.”
Los Angeles County is currently averaging around 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day. While more activities are available that were not in previous semesters, there are still restrictions for Quinnipiac students in the program.
“There are absolutely concerns about COVID,” Rosende said. “We’re not in a situation where California will lockdown…but California is having a lot of problems with unvaccinated people. You will have to wear masks and avoid clubbing, partying and stuff like that.”
The deadline to apply for QU in LA for spring 2022 is Oct. 8, and the internship application is due on Dec. 3.
Scott McLean, professor of political science and liaison between The Washington Center (TWC) and Quinnipiac University, and Hannah Keane, representative of TWC held an information session on Sept. 9 for the QU in D.C. program.
Quinnipiac students who participate in the program live in TWC housing directly in D.C. TWC connects students with their internships and offers classes to fulfill nine credits worth of requirements.
TWC is planning on keeping students in D.C. for the entirety of the fall 2021 semester and continuing the program into the spring 2022 semester.
“Currently, we are monitoring everything (regarding COVID-19),” Keane said. “We have students placed (at TWC) now and things, knock on wood, seem to be going smoothly. We are keeping our eyes on the numbers, though…We are not anticipating further impact from COVID than it already has had on the program and the city.”
The deadline to apply for QU in D.C. for spring 2022 is Sept. 21.