Despite a nationwide study reporting student interest in the Middle East is waning, Penn State student enrollment in Middle Eastern studies is increasing, and more students are studying abroad in the area.
The report, Expanding U.S. Study Abroad in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities, found although there is a rise in the number of students enrolling in Arabic language courses and Middle Eastern studies, the number of students who participate in study abroad opportunities is low. But Penn State is bucking the trend, officials say.
"From our perspective, there has been an increase in Middle East countries," said Jenny Dickey, Penn State study abroad adviser for the Middle East. "The number of applicants to Israel alone has doubled from two to three per semester to six for the next spring semester."
At Penn State, the top five study abroad locations are Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Australia, Dickey said. The demand for the new locations has been "refreshing," she said, and she thinks the interest is for several reasons.
"There has been an increase in the globalization of coursework in classrooms," Dickey said. "More students are interested in non-traditional programs. We are showing more interest in the world outside of Western Europe."
Ben Reimold (sophomore-nuclear engineering, Middle Eastern studies and international politics) is currently studying abroad in Turkey. He said the experience so far has been amazing and is glad he decided to take the "non-traditional route."
"I always like to do things a little differently," Reimold said. "I can't think of a more important region of the world to study. It has a deep and volatile history, and that is still true today."
There are many students like Reimold, Director for the Middle Eastern Study Minor Program Janina Safran said.
"There has been an increased interest in the past few years, increasing from 10 to 12 to about double that," Safran said. "It's a partial reflection of interest in current events."
Safran said since Sept. 11 and the United States' involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, there have been more people interested in the minor. Penn State does not offer a Middle Eastern studies major because of insufficient courses and faculty, Safran said.
She added the Middle Eastern studies minor requires 18 credits, three of those focusing on the region since the rise of Islam.
That, Dickey said, has attracted more applicants. Although the report highlighted students' concerns for their safety in the area as a deterrent, Dickey said all of the programs offered by Penn State -- except for Israel -- do not have additional safety requirements.
"Only Israel has additional steps to apply for the program," Dickey said. "And that is only because there is a national travel warning."
Even so, she said most students weren't affected by the warning.