As we watched the volatile political situation unfold in Egypt this week and started thinking about the implications of the recent demonstrations, many of us also wondered about our classmates who had recently embarked on semester abroad programs in Cairo. Thankfully, we swiftly got our answer.
Yesterday, The Hoya reported that all 15 Georgetown students studying abroad at the American University in Cairo had been safely transported to Georgetown’s SFS-Qatar campus. University President John J. DeGioia sent an email to the campus community shortly afterward announcing the students were out of harm’s way.
The university emergency response team’s rapid decision-making process and quick action deserve praise. Many students contemplating travel abroad during tumultuous times have dealt with the possibility of such an uprising during a stay in a foreign country. Following Georgetown’s response this past weekend, even the most anxious students can feel at least slightly more at ease knowing that the university will do everything in its power to ensure the safety and comfort of its students abroad.
Georgetown’s response was not only rapid and efficient, but also superior to that of other U.S. universities. Georgetown students at the American University in Cairo landed in Qatar on Monday. Meanwhile, officials at area universities such as The George Washington University and American University are still developing plans to safely evacuate their students. They will hopefully have left the country by Monday evening.
Additional kudos goes to Georgetown for keeping the wider university community abreast of the developing situation via broadcast emails and press releases on the main website.
We commend AUC officials and the U.S. Department of State as well as our administrators and personnel from the Office of International Programs for being decisive when it counted most. Though students in Cairo got a unique chance to witness history first-hand, thankfully, Georgetown has made it clear that its students’ safety comes first.
