Students mulling over whether to apply for a study abroad program will have more time to consider their plans now that MSU has extended its deadline to Nov. 2.
On Oct. 15, the original deadline for semester break and spring semester programs, enrollment was down by about 25 percent. Since then, the Office of Study Abroad has received more than 70 applications, including at least 22 Tuesday.
Applications for summer programs are not due until March.
Laura Mercer is trying to convince her friend, Marlene Baranda, to apply for next summer’s Italian Language and Culture program in Florence, Italy.
“I just want to see what is going on with the conflict,” said Baranda, an education and biology junior. “My parents are wary about me doing a study abroad right now, so I am still talking to them.”
Mercer, a social relations sophomore, tried to entice her friend with the opportunity to use their language skills and immerse themselves in Italian culture.
And Mercer said she’s not worried about security - an issue on many students’ minds since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“I am going for sure,” she said. “I think the airports will be safe and I don’t think the school would send us anywhere that is dangerous.”
A university promise to refund any canceled programs has also helped reassure Mercer.
Despite the slow down, MSU President M. Peter McPherson said enrollment is still up considerably from a few years ago.
“Students and families may just need more time to think about it,” he said. “We need to continue to keep a close eye on situations overseas because safety of students studying abroad is of paramount importance, just as it is on campus.”
Applications were coming in slowly before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said Julie Alderfer, program coordinator for the United Kingdom and Ireland courses.
“At this point, we don’t feel we need to worry because you tend to get a lot of applications closer to the deadline” she said.
Alderfer said the slumping economy could also play a role in a lower number of applicants.
“We are not getting a lot of questions about safety and security issues,” she said. “We are getting the same questions we have always gotten - ‘Are there programs in my major, where can I go and how much does it cost?’”
Finance freshman John Lewis, who is contemplating studying abroad, said he would consider how a country is politically involved in the U.S. conflict with the Taliban before choosing to travel there.
“There is a lack of knowledge about what is going on with study abroad,” he said. “Some people just don’t know where to find information at.”
