Roanoke Students in Paris are safe
November 14, 2015
Updated 11/21/15
Roanoke College officials made contact with three Roanoke students who were traveling in Paris when the attacks occurred and another who is interning in Paris this semester. All four are safe but understandably shaken.
Three of the students were originally in Paris for a weekend from their study abroad at Regent's University in London. The three students are now safely back to London.
Natalia Riley is studying at Regent's University in London this semester and was on a Regent's trip in Paris. Lydia Dey also was in Paris from her base in London.
Roanoke officials helped the three students stay connected to each other and also connected them to the tour provider working with the Regent's group. Roanoke officials were impressed with the rapid response and communication from the Regent's University group.
A better tomorrow is not built on hope, and it certainly is not built on leaving in times of trial.
Wes Knowles, an international relations major at Roanoke who is studying abroad in Brussels, Belgium. He explains his decision to remain in Europe, despite terrorist threats in Belgium following the Paris attacks.
One of the three students in Paris, Madison Pinckes, reported to WSLS in Roanoke that she was just eight blocks away when the attacks began. Pinckes also was interviewed by Roanoke graduate Matt Chittum '91 for The Roanoke Times.
Allison Baker also was in Paris during the attacks. Baker took a semester off to do an internship at the American Embassy in Paris and reported in that she was safe as well. Unfortunately, she cannot share any details of her work at the embassy because of security concerns.
Read about Knowles' experiences in Belgium in the aftermath of the Paris attacks here.