Coronavirus and Fashion Students

For the last several years, China has emerged as a great exporter of students to the U.S. Nowhere is this more evident than at fashion schools, where Chinese students often make up 50% of a student cohort. Luckily, most Chinese students arrived in the U.S. for the spring semester before travel sanctions were put in place, due to the coronavirus, but are now facing uncertainty about their ability to return home. For seniors, this is especially acute, as families cannot plan to attend graduation ceremonies, typically held in May.

Additionally, many fashion schools offer spring learning sessions and study abroad opportunities in China during the spring. These have all been cancelled, leaving students and schools in a lurch. For American students, studying in China is a chance to see the heart of the manufacturing industry firsthand. 

Finally, there has been an uptick in violence against Chinese students that school administrators must grapple with. Recently, a student at The New School was hit over the head at a local restaurant in New York City. The assailant shouted an epitaph about the coronavirus and China. While these attacks are largely due to fear and misinformation, the coronavirus can add another level of stress on Chinese students studying in the US.  

UPDATE: Universities are now largely closed in the US, including The New School. Most students have returned home. Classes will be finished online and plans are underway for summer and fall terms.