The Brown & White

The semester is almost over. Just a few finals to pass and papers to write and summer break will officially begin. For some, this will mean hopping in the car and crossing state lines or catching a plane to get back home.

For others, the transition will mean moving into a new dorm or, for some upperclassmen, staying put in their off-campus houses.

Lehigh offers a variety of options for students looking for ways to spend the summer on campus, including two course sessions, on-and off-campus internships and jobs and the Global Village program.

The two sessions of classes, together, run from May 26 to August 12, and offer courses in almost every subject.

"If a student is going to stay in the Lehigh Valley, it's because they are taking courses," Donna Goldfeder, director of career services, said.

Katherine Gentile, '09, is staying to finish her masters in the five-year education program. She said she will take classes daily for a three-week intensive period and then twice weekly. After the first three weeks, Gentile plans on working at Taylor Gym to make some money.

Goldfeder said students may land an internship or job in addition to classes, but that is not their main reason for staying at school. Most students are not specifically looking for jobs in the area. She attributed this to the economy and poor job market.

While the recession has made it difficult to find jobs and internships, she said engineers are not as affected as other students.

Kenny Blanchette, '09, will work at Lutron, a lighting company in Coopersburg, Pa. He originally wanted to take additional courses, but night classes are not offered.

Another option for students is the Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry, which runs from June 20 to August 1.

The Global Village is a cross-cultural leadership training program that features seminars, networking sessions, and field trips and focuses on the learning experience over traditional classes and grades.

"We have about 95-100 students altogether, representing between 45 and 50 countries," Global Village Candidate Manager and Residence Life Director Mary Frances Schurtz-Leon said.

Only two of them are Lehigh students from the United States. Schurtz-Leon said program coordinators tried to get more Lehigh students involved by offering $3,000 scholarships, which would cover most of the $3,500 tuition fee.

She said the applicant pool was typical, despite the economy. The recession did not seem to encourage or hinder applicants.

"We thought it would be a good chance for students with the way the economy is," Schurtz-Leon said.

She said the program is a great experience to have on your resume and that employers have expressed interest in students who participated in the program. In addition, when students finish the program they enter a helpful international network. Students who go abroad after have friends around the world, Schurtz-Leon said.

"Students fail to see the value in the program," Schurtz-Leon said. "I can't figure out why the rest of the world gets it and Lehigh doesn't."

The cost of tuition is a small investment with a great return, Schurtz-Leon said. There are 13 other American students from universities across the country.

Through this program, Lehigh aims to represent the world for six weeks each summer.

"It's like Epcot," Schurtz-Leon said, referring to the park in Disney World that features representations of countries.

These options are only a few opportunities offered as an alternative to spending the summer in boredom.