CW44
- WTOG Tampa Bay's Andrea Alvarez stopped by to see our students presenting during ULIM's Symposium Studentium, and drafted this story about our research cooperation:
https://tampa.cbslocal.com/2022/04/20/usf-students-collab-with-eastern-european-students-during-war-1/
If you click on the link, yo can watch the video.
USF Students Collab with Eastern European Students During War
PETERSBURG, Fla. (CW44 News at 10) –
Tampa Bay students have teamed up with students in Eastern Europe amid
an international humanitarian crisis overseas.
Amid the
war involving Ukraine and Russia, law students from neighboring country
Moldova are collaborating with students at USF St. Petersburg to aid
cultural unity and form cultural bonds during the time of chaos. But
that the goal didn’t start that way.
“Initially
it began [when] we were introduced to what we would be working on for
this semester,” said Lea Rodger, a fourth year student at the University
of South Florida in St. Petersburg studying criminology and a
soon-to-be law student. “So we all got connected over Facebook and email
and find different ways with time differences and everything else to
kind of connect and talk.”
“To
focus on human rights issues and we kind of compared and contrasted
cases on those issues,” added USF freshman Taylor Herman, a participant
in the political science project.
The international virtual
collaboration came to a head Wednesday when USF and Moldova students
highlighted comparative legal research from both countries. Planning
with the Free International University of Moldova, or ULIM, began a year ago. But on February 24th, Russia invaded Ukraine.
“That
was a big deal for them and their day-to-day life. I know one of the
students in our group, I believe she has some refugees that her family
have right now as well,” said Rodger.
The invasion altered the context of the project.
“Despite
all the problems and stress that the conflict has placed on them and
the their country and what they’ve been experiencing, they have stayed
so strong in their communication,” said Herman. Students in the two
countries continued meeting virtually, but with missile strikes being
heard in the distance, and refugees crossing into Moldova’s borders, the
backdrop of war posed significant challenges.
“It’s very real.
You really feel the impact of that while you’re doing your research and
working on the project together,” said Rodger.
Despite those
challenges, the global research partnership continued. Organizers, like
political science professor who spearheaded the project Dr. Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan
said that by continuing, it has provided tremendous benefits for
everyone involved, confirming the value of international bonding.
“You
really are a lot closer together in the things that matter, your
interests and again, the issues that we think are so unique to us as
Americans are actually pretty much the same for everybody, wherever you
are in the world. And uh… it definitely helps you grow, both as a
student and as a person,” said Rodger.
To view a blog highlighting the students’ comparative legal research, click here
To view a blog showcasing studies in Moldova, click here.