Experiential Learning in the Time of COVID Pandemic: Study in the USA-Southern California and Arizona

The COVID pandemic has had an impact on higher education, especially on experiential learning opportunities. Travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancelation of several study-abroad programs. To provide the much-needed in-person experience, we created an experiential learning course titled “Study in the USA" structured to accommodate variable domestic destinations. The key driver of the course is experiential learning, hands-on and face-to-face experience with industries involved in food production. The purpose of this course is to provide students with new insights through comparison and contrasting regional production practices across the United States. Specific objectives of the course are: 1) Provide students with a baseline understanding of experiential learning so they can apply academic learning in work settings appropriate for their career plans, 2) Engage students in developing skills and competencies relating to producing food in the time of COVID-19, and climate change, and 3) Develop a deeper understanding of challenges faced by people who are engaged in all aspects of agricultural enterprises. Overall, the course provided far more than academics to help students recover from the pandemic, it provided a perfect platform for social interaction which was missing for several years due to the COVID pandemic.