University of Washington Study Abroad Program in Ghana Goes Haywire

This piece from Inside Higher Ed caught my eye. A summer study abroad program in Ghana led by a University of Washington professor resulted in about half of the student participants being medically evacuated from the northern part of the country. Here’s a quick excerpt.

A University of Washington summer study abroad program that ended in the medical evacuation of about half of the 17 student participants may point to the potential perils of faculty-led programs, which can fly or flop based on one particular professor’s management ability and expertise. That is especially true in the developing world, where partnerships and relationships can be more complex and sometimes more fraught.

A university spokesman, Norm Arkans, confirmed Monday that this summer’s “Sustainable Development & Modes of Empowerment in Northern Ghana” program is under investigation by an independent fact finder. He added that the institution has not yet responded to formal requests from students to recoup their expenses, but is considering the requests as the review proceeds. (Students paid $2,100 in fees, plus the cost of airfare, books, immunizations and visas for the five-week program on community-based sustainable development projects in rural Africa).

While it’s hard to pass judgment from a single media piece, it seems that the professor was inattentive, the Non-Governmental Organization with which the professor contracted was practicing a form of extortion, and the students had very little assistance when they needed it the most.
Sometimes parents and student don’t ask enough questions about study abroad. Most programs are fantastic. And frankly, I’m usually partial to the programs that faculty members create themselves, because they often have a stronger academic focus and build upon excellent personal and professional contacts of that individual instructor. But professors can also be very poor managers.
Moral of the story: ask more questions. Do more research about the programs you in which you plan to participate. Seek independent opinion, of possible. There are no guarantees, but more information is usually better than less.
Mark Montgomery
Developer of Study Abroad Programs in Mexico and South China
Leader of Study Abroad Programs in France
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Claremont Consortium Offers Solid Academics and A Unique Educational Concept

Earlier this week I spent a day at the five Claremont Colleges: Pomona, Pitzer, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Scripps. I enjoyed the red carpet treatment I received as part of a tour organized by the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), of which I am a member. We had the time to tour the campuses and speak to students, and the directors of admission also answered our many questions.
Apparently, the Claremont Colleges have historically not been very welcoming of independent counselors, because they see us as overly preoccupied with helping our clients “get in” to their top choice schools. I hope that they are beginning to understand that the overwhelming majority of independent counselors are primarily concerned with the welfare and happiness of the students with whom we work.
In future posts, I will write a bit about my experiences at each of the colleges. But for those who are not familiar with them, the set up is unique. Five different colleges (plus two graduate programs) share a large plot of land. The campuses are contiguous, but each college is a completely independent entity. Each has its own administration, its own library, its own dining halls. But there are resources that the colleges share. A central library serves all five. The five college are split into two Division III teams (Pitzer and Pomona make up one team, and the other three comprise the other team). Students can cross-enroll at any of the other colleges, and they do…all the time. They also can move from one school to another. Dining halls, for example, have their own specialties, and student know when to take advantage of the weekly menus.
One of the most pleasant aspects of the Claremonts is the town—or “village”—of Claremont. The neighborhoods are quite high-class and comfortable (most professors can’t live anywhere near Claremont, unless they can swing it with a mortgage subsidy offered by the colleges). The village is a nice 10-block area with boutiques, spas, restaurants, coffee shops, and specialty shops (for those from Denver, think Cherry Creek North). There’s a cinema, a couple of drug stores, and places for students to stoke up on necessities (though I didn’t see a full-service grocery store nearby…maybe I missed it). It seems to be a weekend destination spot for folks from LA who seek a small town atmosphere.
All in all the Claremonts have a lot to offer students, and those with strong academic records and who are interested in life in southern California should take a good look at the Claremont Consortium.
Mark Montgomery
Great College Advice in Southern California
Montgomery Educational Consulting