An MU student studying abroad in Egypt is safely out of the country as of Wednesday evening.

“Currently, she is safe,” MU spokesman Christian Basi said in an e-mail. “We have been monitoring the situation very closely, and when the State Department issued the travel warning, we immediately recommended that she leave the country.”

Basi refused to disclose the student’s name and said he hadn’t received permission to share it.

“All I know is that she is safe and out of Egypt,” Basi said.

He said MU was able to make contact with her this past weekend.

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our number one priority,” Basi said. “Any time the U.S. State Department issues a travel warning, we recommend to students that they leave the country immediately and provide any assistance to do so.”

Basi said possible ways MU could assist the student in getting back to the United States include making phone calls and talking with U.S. Embassy officials.

The student was caught in the middle of millions of Egyptian citizens’ protests for the removal of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and for the instatement of a democracy.

Like the student, Department Chairman of Geography Joseph Hobbs was entangled in Egyptian protests when he was studying there in 1977. Unlike the current protests, the 1977 protests stopped once the government responded with brute force, killing some protestors.

“I have always thought that Egypt was a time bomb,” Hobbs said in a news release. “It was a populous and mostly poor country, and so many Egyptians have not seen their lives improve. Egyptians are famous for their patience, faith and good humor. But their patience has finally run out.”

He said he was not optimistic the protests will end as abruptly as they did in 1977, as the 2011 protests trump the danger levels he experienced.

“I don’t expect today’s protests to evaporate as they did in January of 1977,” Hobbs said.

Because of this, Basi said the International Center is reluctant to suggest Egypt as a study abroad option in the near future.

“Until the State Department lifts the Travel Warning, we will not support students traveling to Egypt,” Basi said. “After the Travel Warning is lifted, we will evaluate the situation and make a decision.”

Other countries with Travel Warnings include Pakistan, Haiti, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines. The U.S. Department of State issues Travel Warnings when it deems a country unsafe for Americans to visit.

“In an effort to ensure the health, safety and security of its students and constituents, the University of Missouri adheres to these recommendations,” the International Center’s policy on Travel Warnings states.

If the student chooses to ignore the travel warning and pursue his or her education in these countries, MU will unregister him or her as a student, cutting off access to university support, resources or facilities.

Nonetheless, Basi said a situation like this does not arise very often.

“This situation is rare,” Basi said. “We are constantly monitoring situations, and when we have concerns before a student leaves, we make a recommendation based on those concerns.”