Nov. 19, 2002
GW Reaches Out to Arab Students
Scarboro Travels Abroad to Promote American Higher
Education
By Ashley
Adams
Donna Scarboro, assistant vice president for special academic programs,
joined two other officials from US universities recently on a visit
to Lebanon, Egypt, and Tunisia to encourage Arab college students to
attend school in the United States.
“Such personal interaction
is the best way to break down the stereotypes that stand in the way
of greater cooperation and understanding,” Scarboro says. “We
want our universities to contribute to this process to the fullest extent
possible.”
Joining Scarboro were Howard
Dooley, executive director of international affairs for Western Michigan
University, and Patrick Plunkett, vice provost for international initiatives
at Northwestern University.
The delegation hopes that by
speaking to students in person they can explain the positive Arab experience
on their campuses; safety measures their universities are taking to
respond to the concerns of Muslim and Arab students; their efforts to
broaden international understanding in their local communities; and
the mutual benefits of international exchange. To explain new restrictions
on student visas, a consular official from the American Embassy in Amman
was available to answer student visa questions throughout the Middle
East tour.
In an effort to allay fears
of backlash against Muslim and Arab students in America following the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the delegation covered three countries and
four cities. Their message was both welcoming and reassuring. “Openness
and tolerance are at the core of what we, as educators, hold most dear
and seek to instill in all our students, American and international,
alike,” Dooley says.
Enrollment declines among Arab students, while relatively small, are
still of concern to US universities. Arabs represented 17,000 enrollments
in the US university system last year.
The trips are sponsored by the US Department of State and administered
by America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST)
in cooperation with the US embassies in the region. AMIDEAST is
a private, nonprofit organization working to strengthen mutual understanding
and cooperation between the United States and the people of the Middle
East and North Africa.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
