Dickinson’s Center for Global Study and Engagement’s (CGSE) director of education abroad says her office is keeping an eye on the Ebola epidemic, but it’s not their main concern.

Director Samantha Brandauer ‘95 says, “While Ebola has gotten a lot of news coverage, there are more real and likely health and safety issues that we plan for, consult resources about, work with our onsite directors and partner programs and prepare students for.” Brandauer says the epidemic isn’t likely to impact any of Dickinson’s study abroad programs this spring.

The Ebola epidemic is concentrated in Western Africa. When asked specifically about the plans for Dickinson’s program in Cameroon, a Western African nation, Brandauer said, “At this point, we are not planning on canceling the Cameroon program.” CGSE determines the status of the program “based on careful monitoring of Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and State Department resources,” Brandauer says. As no cases of Ebola have been reported in Cameroon, Brandauer says, “The CDC is also not recommending any travel restrictions for US citizens to Cameroon at this time.” According to Brandauer approximately 10 Dickinson students are going to Cameroon this spring.

Brandauer adds, “Like any of our programs, we continue to monitor health and safety resources, talk to our onsite staff and program partners to make sure our students can safely study abroad.” Brandauer says that the health and safety of Dickinson’s students is CGSE’s number one concern.

Brandauer says that some student and parents have contacted CGSE with questions about Ebola and study abroad. “We have had a few student and parent questions, mostly from students going to Cameroon. We have answered those questions and sent out a health and safety update to all students currently abroad and who are going abroad in the spring.” The health and safety update explains various measures that CGSE implements, including “medical and emergency international supplemental insurance.” According to Dickinson’s website, this supplemental insurance provides students with “not only health insurance, but coverage for emergency assistance, evacuation and repatriation as well.” The update directs students to visit the CDC website and WHO factsheet for more information about Ebola. The update also states, “Currently there are no travel warnings referencing Ebola in any of the countries to which our students travel for study abroad. Dickinson continues to monitor these resources regularly.”

Brandauer adds that CGSE “also sent a specific letter” to students who are planning to go to Cameroon. She says, “We have talked about health and safety precautions as part of the pre-departure orientations and will continue to talk about it onsite.”

Claire Henriques ’16 plans to study abroad in Cameroon this spring. She says, “I am worried about Ebola as a whole, for the deaths that have occurred and illnesses people have gotten, however I’m not worried necessarily about Cameroon and Ebola.” She adds, “the countries that are infected are far away and Cameroon is taking very good levels of precaution.” Henriques says at her pre-departure orientation CGSE “reiterated that Dickinson is keeping a close eye on the issue and its connection with Cameroon.”

In the worst-case scenario, if CGSE has to cancel the Cameroon program, Brandauer says that students could try to find another study abroad program. “The closer we get to the spring semester the harder it would be for students to find another program, but we would certainly try to support them to find one, if we did need to cancel.”