University Exodus: Post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico Student Migration

Hurricane Maria, which made landfall in Puerto Rico in September 2017, caused large-scale displacement and led to a significant number of university students leaving the island. The hurricane caused widespread devastation, leaving the island in a state of disarray, with infrastructure and basic services severely impacted. The higher education sector in Puerto Rico was particularly affected, with students facing challenges in resuming their studies due to closed campuses, limited resources, and financial constraints.

In the aftermath of the hurricane, many students made the difficult decision to transfer to universities in the mainland United States, taking advantage of tuition discounts and relief initiatives offered by institutions there. The exact number of university students who left Puerto Rico is unclear, but the impact of their departure, coupled with the existing issues within the country's higher education system, has had significant implications for the country's social and economic fabric.

Students' mental health

Hurricane Maria had a devastating impact on Puerto Rico, with nearly 3,000 people killed and $100 billion in damage caused. The hurricane also had a significant impact on the mental health of those who lived through it, including university students. In the aftermath of the hurricane, university students in Puerto Rico faced numerous challenges, including displacement, interrupted studies, and mental health issues.

Displacement and interrupted studies

Many university students in Puerto Rico were forced to leave their homes and relocate to the mainland US due to the hurricane. Rosamari Palerm, a student quoted in a news article, described how she left with just her clothes and felt like she had left her family behind in the struggle to continue her education. The sense of displacement and disconnection from their families and familiar surroundings took a toll on the mental health of these students.

University campuses in Puerto Rico also suffered extensive damage, with structural issues, power outages, and water contamination affecting the resumption of classes. The University of Puerto Rico, for example, sustained structural damages that cost over $132 million to fix. As a result, many students had their studies interrupted, with classes and exams postponed or cancelled. This disruption to their academic lives caused uncertainty and anxiety among students, affecting their mental health and well-being.

Mental health issues

The aftermath of Hurricane Maria presented unique challenges for university students in Puerto Rico, causing anxiety and mental health issues. Students had to juggle academic responsibilities with personal losses and the immediate needs of their families and communities. They faced the difficult question of whether to prioritise their academic requirements or use their medical knowledge to help their fellow citizens in the humanitarian crisis.

The hurricane's impact on the mental health of students was compounded by the conditions they faced in the months that followed. Basic daily activities, such as cooking, bathing, and obtaining gas, became challenging and time-consuming. The lack of electricity, clean water, and reliable communication systems added to the sense of chaos and uncertainty. These factors undoubtedly had a detrimental effect on the mental health and overall well-being of university students in Puerto Rico.

Long-term impact

The long-term impact of Hurricane Maria on the mental health of university students in Puerto Rico cannot be understated. In the immediate aftermath, students exhibited resilience and strength, helping with clean-up efforts and providing medical attention to those in need. However, as time passed and the reality of the situation set in, the mental health consequences became more apparent.

The experience of living through a natural disaster, coupled with the challenges of resuming their studies, undoubtedly left its mark on these students. They faced increased anxiety, depression, and stress, as evident in the research conducted by J.C. Hodges on the behavioural health of Puerto Rican migrants. The mental health of this particular group warrants further attention and support, as they navigate the complexities of rebuilding their lives and coping with the trauma inflicted by Hurricane Maria.

Students' academic prospects

Hurricane Maria had a devastating impact on Puerto Rico, causing thousands of people to leave the island. The hurricane wreaked havoc on the island's infrastructure, economy, and society, with lasting consequences for its public university system.

The impact of Hurricane Maria on the academic prospects of university students in Puerto Rico was significant. The storm caused widespread destruction, leaving many students displaced and unable to continue their studies. The University of Puerto Rico, with 11 campuses as part of its public university system, was particularly affected. The hurricane caused structural damage, with costs to fix it estimated at over $132 million. This, coupled with frequent strikes and budget cuts, created a dire situation for the university.

In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, many students had to deal with basic survival needs, such as taking care of elderly family members, gathering food and water, and coping with power outages and water shortages. Students played a crucial role in the recovery efforts, cleaning up debris, opening roads, and providing medical attention in shelters. However, the long-term impact on their academic pursuits was profound.

The University of Puerto Rico faced significant budget cuts, which led to a doubling of tuition fees and a further decrease in the university's budget. This made it difficult for many students to afford their education, and those who could pay faced a different reality, with fewer resources and faculty members. The quality of education suffered, with students having to provide their own materials and facing a lack of classes for their major requirements.

The disruptions to academic activities and the increased workload took a toll on students' mental health and well-being. They struggled with anxiety and the challenge of balancing their academic tasks with the need to help their fellow citizens in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.

The hurricane also disrupted the crucial residency application process for medical students, with many facing difficulties in submitting applications, communicating with residency programs, scheduling interviews, and traveling due to airport closures and sporadic communication.

Despite these challenges, some students were able to transfer to universities in the mainland United States, where they took advantage of tuition discounts offered to displaced students. These students experienced a sense of relief, with access to basic amenities and a more stable learning environment. However, they also grappled with feelings of displacement and disconnection from their families left behind in Puerto Rico.

The mass exodus of students and the decline in enrollment had long-term implications for higher education in Puerto Rico. It contributed to a “brain drain,” with talented individuals opting to continue their studies and careers in the mainland. This further exacerbated the challenges facing the island's public university system, threatening its role as a vehicle for upward social mobility for low-income students.

Overall, Hurricane Maria severely disrupted the academic prospects of university students in Puerto Rico, causing displacement, financial hardships, and a decline in the quality of education. The long-term impact included a brain drain and ongoing struggles for the public university system to recover and provide accessible and high-quality education.

Students' financial situations

The financial situation of students in Puerto Rico was dire even before Hurricane Maria hit. The country's financial crisis began in 2015, and public institutions, including the University of Puerto Rico, had their budgets and services cut. The university was slated for a $201 million budget cut, and this was only exacerbated by the hurricane.

The University of Puerto Rico suffered structural damage from the hurricane, which will cost over $132 million to fix. To make up for lost revenue, the university has had to increase tuition fees. Each college credit will be nearly twice as expensive by the start of the fall semester 2018—from $57 to $115 per credit. At the same time, federal and local government contributions will shrink. Dr. Isar Godreau, the director of the Institute for Building Research Infrastructure and Capacity at the University of Puerto Rico, is concerned that the budget cuts and increasing tuition rates will affect who can afford to attend the university and the quality of education they will receive. Students are paying more for a university with fewer resources and less faculty.

The relative affordability of post-secondary education is critical in Puerto Rico, where close to half of the population lives in poverty, and over 70% of public university students qualify for financial aid. Despite the cost per credit being lower than at schools in the continental US, Puerto Rican students and their families spend more of their overall income on education. The average student in North Dakota, the state with the lowest-cost college education, spends $17,456, or 23.4% of their income, on college. In Puerto Rico, the average student pays $14,851 for college—less than in North Dakota—but this amounts to 64.6% of the average family income.

The increased financial burden on students and their families is likely to lead to a decline in enrollment, as seen in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where enrollment decreased by over 20% or nearly 40,000 students. A similar trend is expected in Puerto Rico, with predictions of significant decreases in student enrollment and the possible closure of smaller institutions that cannot withstand losses of enrollment and revenue.

The financial strain on students and their families is not only limited to tuition fees. The hurricane's impact on the island's infrastructure has made daily activities, such as cooking, bathing, and getting gas for cars, challenging and time-consuming. Students returning to the University of Puerto Rico after the hurricane faced difficulties in their academic pursuits due to intermittent power outages and unreliable internet service.

Some students have opted to transfer to colleges in the mainland US, taking advantage of tuition discounts offered to those displaced by the hurricane. Rosamari Palerm, a senior biology major at Sacred Heart University in Puerto Rico, transferred to St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, which offered free room and board and tuition discounts to students affected by the hurricane. Florida's public colleges and universities, along with the State University of New York system, are offering in-state tuition to students from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

While these opportunities provide much-needed relief for displaced students, they contribute to a potential "brain drain" in Puerto Rico. Yarimar Bonilla, an anthropology professor at Rutgers University, notes that guest programs for Puerto Rican students have affected the rate of migration from the island and changed the amount of funding allocated to helping students at their home institutions.

Students' family situations

Hurricane Maria had a devastating impact on the lives of many Puerto Rican families. The hurricane caused $100 billion in damage, and nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. In the aftermath of the hurricane, over 200,000 people fled to the mainland, and many experienced high levels of depression, discrimination, and cultural stress.

For Rosamari Palerm, a 23-year-old biology major at Sacred Heart University, the hurricane disrupted her plans to graduate and apply to veterinary school. Palerm and her family sheltered in the hallway of their apartment in San Juan as the hurricane winds crashed into their windows and walls. Although their apartment remained largely intact, the outside world was transformed. Sewage water flooded the streets, the electric grid was down, and Palerm's workplace was destroyed.

Palerm decided to take advantage of the tuition discounts offered to Puerto Rican students and transferred to St. Thomas University in Florida. She described the relief of having access to electricity, clean water, and cell service, which contrasted sharply with the conditions back home. However, she also expressed feelings of disconnect from her family left in Puerto Rico, highlighting the emotional toll of being separated from loved ones.

Another student, Leonardo Núñez, faced similar challenges. His school, the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, was closed for about 40 days after the hurricane, and the lack of functioning streetlights and Wi-Fi connection made it difficult to resume his studies. Núñez transferred to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he marvelled at the resources and support available to him as a student.

The impact of Hurricane Maria extended beyond the immediate aftermath, with long-term consequences for families and the education system. The University of Puerto Rico, already facing frequent strikes and budget cuts, suffered structural damages that cost over $132 million to fix. The fiscal board overseeing the island's economy decided to double tuition fees, placing a further burden on students and their families.

The experience of Hurricane Maria and its aftermath prompted some students to reflect on the problems within the Puerto Rican education system and inspired them to pursue careers in education to make a difference. For others, the hurricane served as a turning point, leading them to seek better opportunities and a more stable future elsewhere.

Students' return to Puerto Rico

Students Return to Puerto Rico

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, many students left Puerto Rico to continue their studies in mainland US states, such as Florida, where they took advantage of tuition discounts and free room and board offered to those displaced by the hurricane. However, some students have since returned to Puerto Rico, despite the challenges that remain.

Conditions in Puerto Rico

Hurricane Maria caused widespread devastation in Puerto Rico, leaving much of the island without power, clean water, and cell service. The hurricane also had a significant impact on the island's economy, infrastructure, and society, with many public services, including higher education, affected. The University of Puerto Rico, with 11 campuses across the island, was closed for about 40 days after the hurricane, and even when it reopened, it faced issues such as a lack of streetlights and Wi-Fi connections, making it difficult for students to commute to and study on campus. Structural damages from the hurricane cost the university over $132 million to fix.

Challenges Faced by Returning Students

Returning students faced a range of challenges, including increased tuition fees, a lack of resources and faculty, and a decline in the quality of education. The university's budget cuts meant that students had to pay nearly twice as much per college credit, placing a financial burden on them and their families. The increased cost of education in Puerto Rico was particularly concerning given that close to half of the population lives in poverty, and over 70% of public university students require financial aid.

The Impact of Migration on Education

The migration of students from Puerto Rico to the mainland US had a significant impact on the education sector in both places. In Puerto Rico, there were concerns about a potential drop in enrollment, which could lead to further budget cuts and the closure of smaller institutions. On the other hand, the influx of Puerto Rican students to the mainland US led to concerns about a "brain drain" in Puerto Rico, with highly educated individuals choosing to remain in the US rather than returning to their home country.

Reasons for Returning

Despite the challenges, some students chose to return to Puerto Rico for various reasons. For some, it was a sense of duty and a desire to help rebuild their country. Others may have been unable to afford the cost of living and studying in the US, especially with the uncertainty of federal aid. Additionally, the sense of community and support among Puerto Rican students on the mainland may have influenced their decision to return, as they no longer felt alone in their struggles.

The Future of Education in Puerto Rico

The future of education in Puerto Rico remains uncertain. While there are efforts to invest in and support the higher education system, the impact of Hurricane Maria, coupled with the existing financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, have created significant challenges. It remains to be seen whether the necessary investments and policy changes will be made to ensure the accessibility and quality of higher education in Puerto Rico.

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