Two Kenyon students studying abroad in Paris are safe after attacks in the city Nov. 13 that killed more than 120 people, according to Marne Ausec, director of the Center for Global Engagement. In addition, two other students known to be traveling in Paris this weekend also have been accounted for, as have two students in other parts of France.
College representatives directly contacted students studying in Paris by email. Study abroad program providers were contacted for all other 73 students studying in Europe – including 15 at the University of Exeter in England – to verify their safety and whereabouts.
The two students studying in Paris this semester – Gala Patenkovic ’17 of Belgrade, Serbia, and Julia Plottel ’17 from New York City – have verified their safety via email. Two students in other parts of France – Lucy Vincent ’17 of Monmouth, Wales, who is studying in Montpellier, and Thais Henriques '17 of Lucas, Ohio, studying in Nice – have been verified as safe by their study abroad programs. In addition, Anya Schulman ’17 from Buffalo, New York, and Kelsey Overbey ’17 of Seattle, both of whom were known to be in Paris this weekend, are confirmed to be safe.
"Everyone seems to be in a state of shock," said Vincent, a modern languages and literature and philosophy double major. She said she had several friends in the targeted area at the time of the attacks, but none were hurt. "We will light a candle in the window this evening."
Visiting student Florence Bellot, a Kenyon apprentice teacher from Paris, confirmed to Ausec that her family was unharmed.
Ausec said students studying abroad are told to remain in close contact with their providers and to follow all directives. “The providers can assess the situation on the ground better than we can,” she said.
While she has not heard from any students who want to leave their study abroad programs, she anticipates a number of students might want to re-evaluate travel plans for spring. “It’s a decision each family has to make,” Ausec said. “We at Kenyon stand at the ready to help them with that.”