Ebola 101 and a Student Wanting to 

Study Abroad!

They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. The present Ebola virus and the impact it is having on students from West Africa trying to study abroad reminds me of an incident several years  ago with a student arriving in the U.S. only to confront someone fearing AIDs. 

I worked with a student who had selected a university in as I can best describe it,  “the middle of nowhere.”  He came to Chez Alpha for assistance after having been accepted and we worked with him through the visa process and pre-departure.  Despite our best efforts to provide him student with a thorough and well developed training related to culture, language, the academic differences he would confront and more, this student had one desire and that was to go out!  In addition, we encouraged him to consider staying in the residence hall as opposed to a long term home-stay.  Yet, he was unwilling to change his mind so we delved into preparing him for living abroad with another family and the varied issues he might confront including food, religion, behavior, pets and more.

What we did not prepare him for was a family who refused him housing unless he was willing to submit to an HIV test!  For them African students equaled HIV and they needed an assurance that he was not HIV positive. When he called, full of shame and despair to share what had happened, I told him to go to the residence hall.  For once he listened and was able to move quickly.  This moment shaped his experience abroad, and it would take months for him to move past this experience.

This week, I was contacted by another student  preparing to study abroad.  The student was hesitant as he had been seeing information on various blogs and Facebook posts about students from Africa being examined upon arrival at both the airport and campus for symptoms of Ebola.  In addition, he feared  receiving a letter saying that as he was coming from an Ebola affected country admission was delayed.  He asked me what to do and with great anger said to me, “Africa is always a problem!”  

According to the 2012-2013 data from the Institute of International Education (IIE), Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’ Ivoire, Senegal and Burkina Faso remain the top five countries of origin for students from West Africa studying in the U.S.  The data indicates that Nigeria had 7316 students and Senegal had  688 and while these numbers may not equal students coming from Asia they do reflect revenue, global exchange  and knowledge sharing and this is not always a problem. 

In response to his comment that “Africa is always a problem!”, I  had two answers for him.  I started by saying, “If you were my child, I would ask that you wait as there can be an educational opportunity available for you at home. Also, the possible bias, racism and outright ignorance you may confront during this time may be such a major negative factor that it will outweigh all of the positive experiences.  Second, Africa has fought and continues to fight Ebola as best she  can. When the first case was reported in Senegal, there was a major movement of support and strong public awareness campaigns as a community rallied to confront this virus collectively.  From Facebook to government offices and nonprofit agencies, people were involved and remain involved today.  Certainly there was an immediate sense of fear, but the young man who came to Dakar from Guinea was not verbally attacked  in the most brutal manner.  Most people spoke of him from a human perspective and with great empathy. Whatever challenges that may be ahead regarding the Ebola virus and even what casualties that may occur the preservation of dignity, compassion and empathy for other people in another house, city or country is the key to survival.”

I assured him that Africa is not always a problem. In the case of Ebola, it may have been that an international community remained silent for much too long.  I reminded him that it is moments like this when we are reminded that I am indeed my brother’s keeper! My advice to him was, as a student, you may want to delay your study abroad, pursue some courses at home all the while understanding that in the fight against Ebola Senegal stood united and handled their business.  As we watch “greater” nations reduced to finger pointing, media hysteria and all out cruelty towards one another ultimately these are major life lessons and one does not need to travel abroad at this time to learn them. 

 

Helping Students Cross the Bridge to Where They Want to Be!

As summer looms ahead, students frantically begin their search for something to do.  In a fast changing workforce, they recognize the fierce competition ahead to secure a professional position.

Before our eyes, the streets are filled with students seeking paid internships or work experiences, yet willing to accept unpaid opportunities.  Arriving with freshly printed CVs in their right hand, they are proudly displaying their end of year results in their left hand.  These students openly express their desire to seek an opportunity that will empower them with the valuable experience that can only be obtained with the marriage of academic and hands-on learning.

Best described as, “diamonds in the rough” the lives of these students will be transformed as they take their first steps into the professional world.  When we look closely, each of us will see a bit of “me” in each of “them”.  We will remember our own fight and determination to succeed and the bridges we crossed to get to where we wanted to be if it took 5 years or 15.  Some people say, “Praise the bridge that carries you over” and because of this we can remember that person(s) who provided to us one of many early opportunities, shared our CV with the right person or wrote that winning letter of reference.

Beyond memory, if we are in the position to do so, then each of must aspire to be that bridge for committed students in the summer of 2014 and all the summers to come. 

Creating Student Survivors: One by One

Whether we are talking about students beginning their university search process or preparing to begin their first day at the university, if I could give them a gift it would be the gift of hardiness.

Hardiness is defined as the capacity for enduring or sustaining hardship, privation, etc.; capability of surviving under unfavorable conditions or courage; boldness; audacity. 

I would wrap it up and present this gift to them on the first day of their new journey through the university search process or for their first day of class.   

When working with students to assist them in their search process, my first word of advice is to explore many options. There should be a first, second and third choice group of institutions they are willing to check out.  Then, within these options, I suggest a Plan A, B, C….  Yet, I am consistently amazed at some students who insist on focusing on one institution only.  If denied admission, these same students contact me only to emphasize that they will not try again.  They describe the  college search experience as too overwhelming or say they are too depressed by their rejection to move forward. 

For some students who actually arrive at the campus of their choice, I have seen them quietly derailed by an unexpected turn in the road.  My examples include, students who struggle to adapt from secondary school to university level courses and want to give up, or the student who is overwhelmingly homesick and wants to go back home, or the dynamic student who runs for student council and is not elected.  I have witnessed these twists and bumps in the road lead to high levels of frustration, sometimes depression and a general sense of being overwhelmed.

This is where that wonderful gift of hardiness could best be used.  Students need to know that many of us have experienced what they are going through and we have survived.  I consider myself a survivor and someone with enough hardiness to have overcome both personal and professional challenges.  I also see myself as someone who has addressed these challenges with humor and calm, but I never understood how this was really done until after participating in a presentation titled, Who Will Survive the Changing Workplace presented by Dr. Neda June Salazar.  In this workshop, I learned that I had a stress-hardy personality.

In her presentation, Dr. Salazar discussed research done by Doctor Susan Kobasa in the late 1970’s regarding the personality traits that protected some executives and managers from  stress including:

Commitment-Commitment means having a purpose to life and involvement in family, work, community, social, friends, religious faith, ourselves, etc., giving us a meaning to our lives.  When we have this commitment to something or someone that is important to us, this gives our life a purpose.  When committed to something we tend to be motivated to put in more effort.  This can help us to find a goodness and meaning to our lives. 

Control-Studies have shown that how much control we perceive we have over any stressor will influence how difficult the stressor will be for us to cope with.  Researchers have found there are basically two types of control, Internal and External, and these can either exacerbate or reduce a stressful situation. 

·         Internal-With the internal locus of control, people are aware that they cannot influence all the external events that go on in their lives, but they do have a deep sense that they have a choice in how they react to that stressor and believe that although they cannot totally influence it, they do have some influence over the event. 

·         External-In the external locus of control people believe that they have little or no control over what happens to them; what happens is due to fate or destiny and that they will not be able to influence it

Challenge is about how we perceive the events that occur in our lives; seeing our difficulties as a challenge rather than as a threat and accepting that the only thing in life that is constant, is change (Stress Hardiness, 2014)

Was I born hardy or did the day to day events in my life make me hardy? This is what I am not sure of however, according to Dr. Kobasa, stress hardy people have a natural advantage than those… who do not have these personality traits; however, research is suggesting that those of us who do not naturally have the stress hardy personality traits can actually learn them, with time and practice…(Stress Hardiness, 2014). 

Yes, this is the gift I believe we should share with students while at the same time letting them know that stress hardy people should also know when to seek assistance from others.  This is a gift that can carry them through a lifetime of new experiences, challenges and change. 

Senegal’s Past, Present and Future: A Tribute to Khady, Mariam and Tabara!

As faculty and administrators, we enter higher education believing in the importance of sharing our knowledge and experience with the students before us.  Then suddenly the world spins on its axis, the sun rises and sets, students mature and we evolve into a state of understanding that for all we “gave”, we received two -fold!  More important, if we are wise and see the world with eyes wide open, we realize that we have been blessed to facilitate and participate in the development of young, dynamic future leaders.

In Dakar, during the 2013 Christmas holiday, I had the pleasure to join three of my former students for brunch on December 31^st.  It was a momentous moment as we approached the end of 2013, so meeting them on that day was even more special.  It was also a challenging day as each bank I visited from Ouakam through Almadies either had a long line or was out of cash or service.  Yet, I was so determined to meet them that I borrowed money and almost walked most of the way to our selected restaurant as cabs were not easily found.

It was with great pleasure that I arrived to find my three poised, eloquent, visionary students.  So began several hours of conversation where we examined the past, planned for the future, and talked about the importance of being aware of living and embracing the present.  Someone started a sentence and the other finished it!   We laughed long and hard as we reflected on shared experiences that brought us all joy and a bit of pain!  We recognized  how we had become empowered via our international experiences. Three diverse young women in terms of personalities, convictions, future plans and goals yet one shared passion regarding continuing their education and someday returning to Senegal!  

On this day, we crossed a bridge and the I, higher education administrator transitioned into a better friend and continued mentor.   We left  the restaurant hopeful and inspired!  It was hard to let go.  But I let go knowing that there is a bright future for these young women.   I believe that Senegal will benefit greatly from their knowledge and the experience they gained worldwide.  They have seen the world, including the good, bad and ugly, and their return will not be by default but by pure choice now understanding  that what people say the greater world can do for them can also be done at home.

Angela Franklin-Faye