Students allowed to study abroad in Cuba
- Submitted by: manso
- Politics and Government
- 03 / 03 / 2011
President Obama opens country to college student.By Reid Davenport. Hatchet Staff Writer.Issue: 3/3/11.Students hoping to study abroad in Cuba this fall will be allowed to live in the island country, after President Barack Obama announced he would be relaxing academic travel in January.
GW has no plans to launch its own Cuban study abroad program, but students can petition to study with programs offered by other universities such as American University, Central Michigan University and Northern Michigan University.
Adam Frankel, freshman representative for the Organization of Latino American Students, said about 2,100 U.S. students studied in Cuba annually before restrictions were put in place by former President George W. Bush in 2003.
"It's important that as we see, presumably within our lifetime and in the near future, a transition toward democracy in Cuba that Americans be informed and be in touch with Cuban culture so that we can engage and be supportive of whatever direction they may take," Frankel said.
Professor Cynthia McClintock, director of Latin American and Hemispheric Studies Program at the Elliott School of International Affairs, went on a 2-week seminar with GW and American University students to Cuba over 30 years ago and said she sees Obama's announcement as "good news."
"I don't think there's really more risk [in Cuba] than any other country," McClintock said. "In fact, Cuba tends to be a pretty safe country."
Source: http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2011/03/03/
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