I would like to clarify some issues that were presented in the article “Honduras mission trip attracts students looking to serve globally.” There were several factual errors and misleading statements regarding Elizabethtown College study abroad programs.

While the article alluded to support from several different departments on campus, the medical mission trip to Honduras is actually not endorsed by the Study Abroad Office or Elizabethtown College. The College’s Travel Risk Policy is that students may not travel to areas where the U.S. Department of State has issued a Travel Warning. Warnings are issued when long-term, protracted conditions make that country dangerous or unstable and lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government’s ability to assist American citizens is constrained. The College does not take these warnings lightly since the Study Abroad Office is committed to the health and safety of our students abroad. For more information on this Travel Warning, and why “[t]he Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens that the level of crime and violence in Honduras remains critically high,” please visit: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/honduras-travel-warning.html.

The student interviewed in the article was quoted saying that most Etown students “can’t afford to study abroad or pay for the much more expensive trips that the school offers, so this trip gives you incredible value for your dollar.” While studying abroad does require some additional costs, this one-week trip to Honduras with “its relatively low cost of $1,000 plus airfare” is actually more expensive than most study abroad programs offered or endorsed by the College. The majority of these short-term trips are quite affordable and end up costing around $1,000 per week including airfare.

When considering value for your dollar, rolled into the price tag of Elizabethtown College, study abroad trips are also several credits to count towards graduation, the possibility of completing a Signature Learning Experience, support from the College in safety and risk management and a faculty or staff member to help facilitate some of the challenges overseas. Usually the longer you stay on a short-term trip, the more value you get for the money you spend, because a majority of the initial cost is airfare. Participating in a trip endorsed by the College also makes students eligible for funding to help with their study abroad experience. For example, among other scholarships, there are $1,000 and $500 travel grants available for students who are interested in long- and short-term study, respectively.

I’m not denying that this trip to Honduras can provide a valuable experience to the students who choose to participate in it. In the future, however, I ask that the some of the facts provided by students might be verified by the Etownian before printing, in an effort not to deter someone who may be seriously considering study abroad. There are many college-sponsored trips and opportunities for serving the global community. These include opportunities in the health care field, which is a growing area in the study abroad sector. In fact, according to the 2014 Open Doors Report by the Institute of International Education, STEM majors are the top fields of study for U.S. study abroad students.

Finally, it would be great to see more of our short-term faculty-led trips featured in the Etownian. There are several professors who have had information sessions promoting their trips over the last few months. Please consider showing off some of the fantastic work they do alongside our students abroad.