Without the opportunity to study in China next year, UW-Madison senior Eric Knecht said he will be unable to reach important career goals. Despite the recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in China, Knecht and other UW-Madison students planning to study in China next year said they hope their study abroad program is not cancelled.
Though UW-Madison's International Academic Program decided to suspend the current program in China last Thursday, the IAP is undecided about the fate of next year's program and the summer program.
\I'm planning on having a career in the federal government and dealing with Chinese and so I need to be able to speak it well enough to get by,"" he said. ""Without actually going [to China], I really don't think my degree would be worth anything.""
Not only will a trip cancellation hinder Knecht's career, but it will change it altogether, he said.
""If [studying abroad] doesn't work out, I'll probably just graduate this summer and join the Marine Corps and probably ... have a different [Military Occupational Specialty],"" he said. ""I'd have to change my entire career path.""
UW-Madison sophomore Janelle Ruppel said she has taken summer school classes in Chinese so she could study abroad next year.
""Even though I could go later, I don't want to put [the trip] on hold because I've been working towards it,"" she said. ""It's the culmination of what I've been studying for.""
However, Ruppel said she is somewhat nervous about SARS.
""Initially I felt like it was being blown out of proportion a little bit,"" she said. ""But lately it seems that more and more people are kind of on edge about it so I guess it makes me on edge.""
Ruppel's family does not want her to study in China next year because of SARS, according to Nancy Ruppel, her mother.
""We own a business and our people go [to China] and we cancelled them,"" she said. ""So obviously we wouldn't want our daughter going either.""
Nancy Ruppel said she realizes her daughter's dedication to Chinese and desire to study abroad, but also said she considered the dangers of going. She said she expects UW-Madison to follow other colleges' decisions to cancel its abroad programs in China for next year.
IAP will make a decision regarding the summer program in China May 19 and the program for next year May 10.
