By Lana Lagomarsini

Despite a recent spate of drug-related violence throughout Mexico, the country will continue to play host to Northeastern students, university officials said.

Interim university spokesperson Jim Chiavelli said students traveling to Mexico are not in danger.

“There are no immediate safety concerns,” Chiavelli said.

More than 4,000 people have been killed in Mexico this year in drug-related violence, according to local media reports. On Friday, a veteran police reporter in Ciudad Juarez was shot to death outside his home, according to local media reports, and in October, 21 people died in a 24-hour spurt of violence.

While the university has no study abroad programs in Mexico, students still travel there while on co-op, in the Bachelor of Science in International Business program and on the Dialogue of Civilizations program.

Chiavelli said the university monitors international situations carefully to ensure student safety.

“The school is in regular contact with students abroad, and university officials check news around the world several times daily to keep apprised of the situation for every one of our international co-op students,” Chiavelli said. “All Northeastern students on international co-op carry emergency-evacuation insurance, through which the US government would extricate students should serious concerns arise about their safety.”

Evan Heath, a sophomore international affairs major traveled to Mexico last summer with 20 other students on the dialogue program.

“I don’t think our school would put us in danger,” Heath said.

Heath said he is aware of the problems in Mexico, but has no worries for those students already living or planning to travel there in the immediate future.

“We were in Cuernavaca, away from Mexico City. … There was a lot of crime in Mexico City, but not where we were,” Heath said.

Heath also added that the host family he stayed with was mindful of his well-being and guided him on where to go and what to do to stay out of trouble.

“You have to be cautious because you are American,” he said.

According to Northeastern’s Study Abroad website, although students are never placed purposefully in danger, they have to take responsibility for their own actions while abroad. This includes their actions and staying informed of situations that might threaten their safety, according to the site.

Jessica Davidson, a middler math major, is embarking on a co-op to Mexico during the spring semester.

“I’m kind of scared of what’s to come in Mexico, but I can’t let it stop me from traveling,” she said.

Davidson is traveling with another co-op student and meeting with two other international business students already stationed in Mexico, she said. The university prepared her for the trip with co-op classes and an orientation preparation course that took place during the course of an afternoon.

Davidson said that although she hadn’t heard anything about safety concerns during the course of her trip, she received a list of safety guidelines and thinks the school will keep her safe.

She said regardless of any concerns, she is looking forward to the trip.”I’m really excited for the opportunity,” Davidson said. “There is such a great opportunity to learn about other cultures and yourself.”