The mother of Baltimore journalist Matthew VanDyke ’02, political science, reports that he has been seen in a Tripoli prison, four months after disappearing in Libya. “The most important part of this information is that he is in good health,” Sharon VanDyke told the Baltimore Sun. “This is a real sense of relief.” She has been working with the US State Department and Red Cross, as well as other organizations, to locate her son and secure his release.
Matthew VanDyke speaks some Arabic and is an experienced MIddle East traveler. In addition to his UMBC degree, he has a degree in security studies from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. In a June AP article, UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller called VanDyke one of his smartest students, saying, “I just know he’s going to come out on the other end with quite a yarn.” Readers seeking more information about efforts to locate Matthew VanDyke can see coverage through MSNBC, FOX, WBAL-TV and WBAL radio.
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