Mount Olive College students leave for Mexico trip
By Staff Reports
Published in News on April 28, 2009 1:46 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- Five Mount Olive College students and their professor flew to Mexico Sunday to participate in a business internship program despite some worries about a swine flu epidemic in that nation.
Officials said Monday that Dr. David J. Hill, associate professor of the Robert L. Tillman School of Business, accompanied the students on the seven-day trip to Leon, Mexico. They had been invited by former Mexican President Vicente Fox.
This morning, Rhonda Jessup, director of public affairs, said details are sketchy on the situation with the students.
Dr. Ken Stokes, dean of the Tillman School, had been in touch with Dr. Hill on Monday, but they had a "poor phone connection," Mrs. Jessup said.
"Dr. Hill could not respond immediately because they were in conferences all day" on Monday, she added.
The group was reportedly 500 miles from where the swine flu outbreak occurred, Mrs. Jessup said.
The college did not respond by deadline to questions about the reason the students left on the trip despite the health concerns or what precautions the college will take to make sure the students are not ill -- and do not become ill -- upon their return.
The trip was expected to include five days of business and classroom opportunities at various sites, including Centro Fox, the Presidential Institute and Library and Universidad Iberoamericane, where they were to have the opportunity to interact with local business students.
The MOC students were nominated through their departments and schools and will receive college credit for the experience.
Representing the School of Business are Felix Reimundo of Miami, Fla., Mishael Bautista of Mount Olive, Camila Kurebayashi of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Michael Ratley of Fayetteville and Ivette Clemente-Andoney of Goldsboro.