” We didn’t even receive the graduation hat, we had nothing to throw apart from a cap “, says Ruben Ganansia, who left for New York in August 2019 for a year of master’s at Cornell Tech, from Cornell University. If in the collective imagination, studying in the United States involves spring break and the ceremony of graduation and his famous hat-throwing, hundreds of French students saw their hopes dashed this year by the pandemic.
From American University to Home
A law student at Paris-Sud, Roxanne Tsiela won the Georges Lurcy scholarship last year. In July, she left for New York at Cardozo Law School to study fashion law in particular. Everything is going well until last March, when the COVID-19 pandemic explodes in New York. His work-study experience at Gottlieb, Rackman & Reisman as well as his courses then took a completely different turn. ” When the virus was declared in New York, my training supervisor advised me to work from home, then my lessons and exams were taken on Zoom, until the end of May “, She says from France that she returned to the end of March.
A situation in which Océane Felisaz also found himself. La Française, left for Seattle in September 2019 for a Master 2 in French and comparative literature at the University of Washington, was finally forced to return to France. When she had to go to Mexico for her week of spring break, the flights were canceled. Originally from Chamonix, Océane Felisaz took the opportunity to spend his holidays in France. ” Once on the tarmac, the hostesses announced that Trump was setting up the “travel ban”. It was the longest minutes of my life to decide to either leave and leave all my stuff, or stay confined in my 11 square meter room. Fortunately, his university had already set up the Zoom courses. Océane Felisaz will therefore be able to finish her master’s year, which will end on June 12.
Ruben Ganansia, meanwhile, stayed in the Big Apple, had the same online course process. When Cornell University closed in early March, the courses went completely online and the grading system was completely overhauled. ” There are no more notes but a “pass or fail” system, and this does not reward those who work and succeed, it is very demotivating. “
Baptiste Péan has always dreamed of going to the United States. Dream realized last summer, when he arrived at Columbia University in New York for a Master of Science in Financial Engineering. The dream comes to an end. ” At that time, we had our mid-semester exams. We passed them on Zoom, thinking that it would only be temporary and that when we returned from the spring break, the following week, everything would have returned to normal “, explains the young Montpellier. Finally, the lessons continued on Zoom, and the Frenchman did not return to the amphitheatres of Columbia.
Virtual hat throwing
Summer is approaching and the epidemic has not resolved to let students resume the course of their academic year. The legendary American graduation ceremony is canceled and often replaced by an online version.
Cornell University is known for its many end-of-year events, with the grand graduation ceremony and Slope Day, a musical event organized within the university that celebrates the last day of classes. Drake, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and the Pussycat Dolls performed there. ” Instead, the school organized a webinar during which we were sent a video as a ceremony, presented by Greg Morrisett, Dean of Cornell Tech, and our names weren’t even mentioned “, reports Ruben Ganansia. The student impatiently awaits the arrival of his diploma by post. ” I’m disappointed of course, but it’s not anyone’s fault. “
After having kept in the closet her evening dress, originally planned for Barrister’s Ball, an annual event organized by many law schools, Roxanne Tsiela will not wear her toga and hat for the long-awaited ceremony of graduation. ” I imagined the ceremony like in the movies. I had looked at those from previous years and saw myself already with the outfit and the final with the hat throwing. For Baptiste Péan, another chance to put on his hat may be looming at the end of the year. At Columbia, several graduation ceremonies are held, although the May one is the most anticipated and would have been very special for him. ” My whole family planned to travel to attend the event. My parents, my aunt, my grandmother and her siblings and my mother’s cousin. Everything fell into the water. After returning to France at the end of March to confine himself to his family, Baptiste Péan intends to return to New York as soon as the borders have reopened. ” My last semester begins in September and for the moment, Columbia is keeping the prices real. »As for Océane Felisaz, in exchange with the Jean-Moulin-Lyon-III university, no ceremony will be available to him. The French will soon return to the United States, where she will begin her Ph.D. in French Studies doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in early August. ” I am awaiting my appointment at the embassy, and I hope that the borders will be opened in time so that I can continue my studies in the United States “, She concludes.
