2 University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee officials safe in Brussels after attacks

BRADENTON -- Two University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee officials are safe and unharmed in Brussels, Belgium, after morning attacks killed more than 30 people.

Sandra Stone, the regional chancellor, and Amela Malkic, director of global engagement, are in Brussels as part of a trip through the Global Engagement Office, according to a statement issued by USF system president Judy Genshaft.

"USF System personnel are working with the central USF World office to ensure that they arrive home safe and sound," Genshaft said in the statement. "The safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff are paramount to the USF System, and we continue to do everything in our power to ensure that they remain safe when traveling abroad."

The Sarasota-Manatee Global Engagement Office is an arm of USF Tampa's USF World program. The local office opened in May 2014, and enrolled 50 international students, from 17 foreign countries in the fall of 2015. In addition to bringing international students to USFSM and helping USFSM students study abroad, the Global Engagement Office works on diverse initiatives aimed at expanding the international reach of USFSM, including global perspectives in the curriculum, according to the office's website.

Two explosions in the departure hall at the Brussels airport killed at least 14 people just before 8 a.m. local time, or 3 a.m. EDT. About an hour later, an explosion at the Maelbeek subway station in central Brussels, not far from the European Union's core institutions, killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 106.

"The entire USF community is saddened by the news of the attacks that happened in Brussels, Belgium, throughout the night. Everyone affected by these attacks is in our thoughts and prayers," Genshaft said.

Stone began her tenure at USF Sarasota-Manatee on Nov. 1, 2014, coming to USF from the Dalton State College in Georgia, where she was vice president for academic affairs.

Malkic, a former international adviser for USF Sarasota-Manatee, was named the assistant director of global engagement when the office launched in 2014, and was named director in the spring of 2015.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter@MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 11:56 PM with the headline "2 University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee officials safe in Brussels after attacks ."