A fire at Heathrow Airport on Friday, March 21, left a group of Fairmont State Honors students stranded in London. The Honors Program’s return trip was delayed, causing many students and the few professors with them to miss some classes. The group consisted of twenty-two students and three professors. Most of the group was able to return the following Wednesday; However, others had to wait until the following Friday, a whole week after their original departure was planned.
When asked about the difficulties they were facing at the time, Dr. Keisha Kibler, one of the attending professors, said, “The main struggle was securing flights. We wanted to stay together or be separated in 2 groups, which is what we were able to accomplish. There was no way we would put only one or two students on a flight back to the USA.” When asked about whether the students were concerned about missing classes, she stated, “Students have been in touch with their professors, and as always, the professors at Fairmont State are supportive and understanding.” She also said that the students were “in great spirits” despite the situation. When asked further about how they were able to amend the sudden change in plans, Kibler added, “We used the travel plight as an opportunity to extend the learning. We visited multiple historic sites that we could not see in one week. We also spent time reflecting in the evening. Students had dedicated time to write and discuss their thoughts on the specifics of our journey and on gratitude. We recognized that our situation could’ve been a lot worse, but with the support of the University and our travel agent, we were able to quickly plan and keep all of us together. The Honors Community is resilient. These students have been so patient and supportive of each other and the faculty leads.”
The official Fairmont State University Honors Program Facebook Page made several posts updating the public on the situation as well. These posts shared pictures of them all visiting several historical sights during their unexpected “Bonus Days.” These included a visit to the London Zoo, Camden Market, the Cotswolds, and a Jack the Ripper tour. The fun did not end when the first thirteen were able to head back to the U.S.A., however. The nine that remained until Friday were able to continue doing different activities, including seeing a production of Richard II, touring the Imperial War Museum, and dining at the famous Black Dog Pub. The first of the posts on the Facebook page regarding the delay said, “As always, I am impressed by our student’s chutzpah and resilience!” Thankfully, despite the setbacks, all students made it back to West Virginia safely and were able to resume their classes. Furthermore, they seemed to have taken this unexpected delay well and used it as an opportunity to continue the fun. Thankfully, fast action was taken to make sure the students and faculty on the trip were all taken care of.
