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International college students, faculty return to Bottineau amid pandemic


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By Faith Hatton
Published: Sep. 9, 2020 at 12:50 AM GMT+2

BOTTINEAU, N.D. – International college students are back in the state for classes after this summer’s short lived VISA restrictions from Immigration and Customs Enforcement left many of them wondering if they would be returning.

Students at Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) are back in class taking necessary COVID-19 precautions. But for international students and faculty, coming back to campus had to go beyond wearing a mask and social distancing.

For DCB Student and Serbian citizen Luka Dragovic, coming back to school meant more than getting on a bus.

“Going through customs and PSA members asking you a lot of questions, it was a nervous procedure because they could’ve said 'hey, we can’t let you in because of COVID,” said Dragovic.

After Immigration and Customs Enforcement modified the guidelines for student Visas in July, many international students weren’t sure whether they would be returning to the country at all.

“A bunch of my Serbian friends go to different colleges in America had different experiences of them not coming back to America because of COIVD and classes switching online,” said Dragovic.

As DCB decided to continue with in-person classes, upon returning to the states, international students were given the choice to either self-quarantine or be tested for COVID-19 within 48 hours.

For college faculty and Canadian citizen Reed Loucks, having an essential employee status has made crossing the border slightly easier.

“I own a house in Canada as well, so I had to go check on that. So I had paperwork that was deemed essential, so I was able to cross back and forth daily,” said Loucks.

However Loucks said that traveling has still been a challenge.

“I’ve been asked multiple times by crossing agents where I’m coming from, what my purpose are. I’ve had to go inside of the building multiple times, had to give fingerprints and different tests,” said Loucks.

Both faculty and students said that despite the trouble, they’re glad to be back.

“Just a year of sitting out, it’s too much, because we all intend to finish as soon as possible,” said Dragovic.

Students and faculty, finding safe ways to continue education across borders. The Canadian border will remain closed through at least Sept. 21.

Copyright 2020 KFYR. All rights reserved.

https://www.kfyrtv.com/2020/09/08/international-college-students-faculty-return-to-bottineau-amid-pandemic/ 

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