Goshen College faculty in Perú are safe; College will send students on Aug. 30 as planned

GOSHEN, Ind. – Goshen College administrators are monitoring the death and destruction caused by a major earthquake Wednesday in Perú and evaluating the impact the disaster may have on the college’s Study-Service Term (SST) program.

Goshen College Director of International Education Tom Meyers said Thursday afternoon that faculty and staff are saddened by the widespread death and destruction caused by the magnitude-8 earthquake and are seeking to ensure that the college’s students remain safe when they travel to Perú for a 12-week program later this month. About 16 students are scheduled to leave for Perú on Aug. 30.

“Assuring the safety and security of students is always our first priority,” said Meyers. “To our knowledge no one connected with our programs has suffered significant losses due to this terrible quake and for that we are extremely grateful. We continue to believe that Goshen College students will be able to get the full benefit from the study-service program in Perú, but we will continue to monitor the situation and keep students, parents and the community informed.”

Meyers said he has been in continuous contact with Associate Professor of Communication Duane Stoltzfus, the college’s SST leader in Perú. Stoltzfus said he, his wife, Karen Sherer Stoltzfus, and their two children felt Wednesday’s two-minute earthquake but were safe.

“I have had several phone conversations with Duane and Karen Stoltzfus. Although the quake was a terrifying experience, they are safe and there was no significant damage to buildings in their area of Lima,” Meyers said. “Within minutes of the quake, when phone lines were down, our Peruvians partners walked across the city to make sure that the Stoltzfus family was safe. Once again our international partners demonstrated incredible care and grace as they reached out to our faculty family.

“I am deeply moved by their caring and support in a time of national crisis. Peruvians are kind and generous people, it is now our turn to return the generosity and reach out to them in a time of need.”

The initial six weeks of Goshen’s SST program in Perú is centered in Lima, about 125 miles northwest of the center of destruction of the earthquake — the city of Ica in Perú’s southern desert and the nearby port city of Pisco. During the second half of the SST program, students stay with new host parents and engage in such daily service experiences as volunteering with clinics and hospitals and working in schools.

Meyers said the college will continue to evaluate the possible impact the earthquakes and rescue and recovery efforts will have on the SST program in Perú and will send updates to students, parents and the community as needed.

“We know that this is a serious situation and are committed to communicating as promptly as possible to those in our study-abroad programs in Perú and elsewhere,” Meyers said. Goshen College currently sends students to eight countries.

Meyers said Goshen College parents and students may contact his office at (574) 535-7346 or via e-mails to tomjm@goshen.edu if they have questions or concerns

Editors: For more information about this news release contact either Thomas J. Meyers, Goshen College director of international education, at (574) 535-7346 or tomjm@goshen.edu or Richard R. Aguirre, Goshen College director of public relations, at (574) 535-7571 (office), (503) 551-7974 (cell), or rraguirre@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.