This semester the St. Lawrence study abroad program to Nairobi, Kenya, resumed its duration after the fall semester trip was canceled due to safety concerns. Over the summer, the United States government issued a travel warning statement that was drastically different from previous statements. This statement was pretty specific about some serious safety issues, so the university decided to take the fall semester to figure out what to change in order to make the program safer for travelers.
Associate Dean of International Studies, Karl Schonberg, explained how the Kenya program coordinators came to campus here in Canton during the fall to revisit their plan for the spring. They spent the semester making sure that all the safety procedures and practices were updated and ready to go for this semester’s trip. “We used the semester to evaluate our program and make some necessary changes for safety,” Mr. Schonberg said. “The goal was to continue having Kenya be the rich educational program it is, while also keeping it safe.”
Changes were made to update safety protocols and precautions so the students will be aware of what to expect in advance. Mr. Schonberg said that changes were made to the compound in Nairobi to make sure it was as tightly secured as it could possibly be. Additionally, a large component of the program was added in Western Kenya. The region has a very different culture than Nairobi, so it will be a great addition to the program. In addition, the area in Western Kenya where students will stay is very safe, allowing for more travel without added security concerns.
When students in the fall began to apply for the spring semester, they may have been unsure of the safety situation, but the university and study abroad office were very confident that they would be able to offer the program. “We would not have let students apply to go to Kenya if we were not confident that we could offer the program,” Mr. Schonberg said. For those students who were unable to go to Kenya in the fall, they were given the chance to go to Tanzania instead or move their application over and go in the spring semester.
The Kenya program is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and held a large reunion last spring for all alumni of the program. Hundreds of former travelers came back to campus and spoke with each other about how much the program influenced them. “My image of the Kenya program is a deep connection to campus and a really powerful connection for students to Nairobi,” Mr. Schonberg said. He explained that as a result of this, St. Lawrence has a firm commitment to Kenya, and will continue this relationship for a long time. “St. Lawrence is part of Nairobi and the program is a part of St. Lawrence,” Mr. Schonberg said. “The deep tie between them is not going to change.”
As of now, campus has gotten confirmation that all the students arrived safely at the Nairobi compound over the weekend, and are very excited to get started in Kenya.