Winter 2014 Newsletter - Community Colleges for International

Transcription

Winter 2014 Newsletter - Community Colleges for International
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
COMMUNITY COLLEGES FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INC.
Greetings from the President
A
s our team at CCID and Lone Star College System assembles these issues of
International News, it never ceases to amaze me to see the variety of
innovative programs and activities happening across our global membership.
This issue in particular is full of so many “firsts” for community colleges and for
CCID as a whole – things we really need to take pride in.
So please take a few minutes to do so! From corporate
responsibility programs to service learning to outstanding
faculty leaders, there are so many models to look toward as
we seek new pathways for internationalization. But even
more refreshing is the ever present commitment to
expanding access and increasing participation in global
engagement opportunities. Just looking at the faces and
locations in the photos, you can see the diversity of the
populations we reach. And while everyone looks so happy,
it’s important to not forget that behind each success story in this issue is a long road
of struggles taken on by people with a passion for this business. Thank you to all of
you who took the time to contribute to this issue. Make sure you take the time to
read your own stories and marvel at what you’ve accomplished.
Carol Stax Brown
TROIKA
THE STUDY ABROAD INCUBATOR
Delivers immediate educational benefits to students:
• Provides faculty with extraordinary professional
development opportunities
• Gives CCID member colleges a viable and costeffective means to sustain international programs
• Strengthens the consortium as a whole by expanding
its capacity as a provider of knowledge-based services
• Positions community colleges as the local gateways
to global education
WINTER 2014
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
3
4
5
5
6
Northampton Community College
Lone Star College System
Delaware Technical Community College
Miami Dade College
Humber Institute of Technology and
Advanced Learning
8 Kirkwood Community College
9 Hillsborough Community College
10 Madison College
11 Challenger Institute of Technology
12 Davidson County Community College
13 Daytona State College
14 Ivy Tech Community College Northeast
15 St. Louis Community College - Florissant
Valley
16 Valencia College
17 Universidad Tecnologica de Xicotepec de
Juarez, Puebla
17 Brookdale Community College
18 Hillsborough Community College
19 Tacoma Community College
19 St. Louis Community College - Meramec
20 Northcentral Technical College
21 Wayne County Community College
District
22 Miami Dade College
22 Hillsborough Community College
23 Universidad Tecnológica de Tulancingo
24 Craven Community College
25 St. Louis Community College Forest Park
25 Northwestern Michigan College
26USMEXFUSION
27 Northwestern Michigan College
28 St. Louis Community College
http://ccid.studioabroad.com
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 1
CID J1 Visas Card_Layout 1 5/16/13 3:21 PM Page 1
CCID EVENTS CALENDAR
CCID
Expecting summer visitors to the U.S.? Plan now!
J-1 Visa Services
Cost effective and hassle free!
Community Colleges for International
Development is authorized to issue
J-1 visa applications (DS-2019 forms)
to its members.
Expecting summer visitors to the U.S.? Plan now!
Contact our experienced staff for details.
Local Access
Global Opportunities
319-398-1257
[email protected]
www.cciding.org
www.ccid.cc
CCID EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Chair
Dr. Tom Ramage
Parkland College
Chair Elect
Dr. Jack Bermingham
Highline Community College
Secretary/Treasurer
Dr. Mick Starcevich
Kirkwood Community College
Member at Large
Dr. Barbara Prindiville
Waukesha County Technical College
Past Chair
Dr. Richard Carpenter
Lone Star College System
Executive Director
Dr. Carol Stax Brown
EXECUTIVE OFFICES
P.O. Box 2068
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-2068
Phone: (319) 398-1257
Fax: (319) 398-7113
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.ccidinc.org
CCID was founded in 1976
CCID is an Affiliate Council
of AACC
International News
is published by
Lone Star College System
5000 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 2
uBuilding a wind turbine requires a high degree of skill.
uInstalling it at an altitude of 4,882 meters
isn’t easy either.
Community College Chosen for 100,000 Strong Initiative
by Heidi Butler
N
orthampton Community College in Bethlehem, PA is one of the first four colleges
and universities in the country selected to
receive grants to participate in President Obama’s
100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative to
increase study abroad between the United States
and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The announcement was made on January 17 following a news
conference at the State Department in which Vice President
Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry spoke about the
importance of international partnerships to foreign policy
and to economic development. Northampton’s president, Dr.
Mark Erickson, and Dr. Manual Gonzalez, director of international programs at Northampton, were
both at the State Department for the
Northampton
announcement, as was Dr. Orlando
Community
Velásquez Benites, the rector (presiCollege
dent) of the Universidad Nacional de
Trujillo, the university in Peru with which
Northampton will partner.
The grant will give students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics at Northampton the opportunity
to participate in a summer study abroad program devoted to
bringing sustainable energy systems to a remote area of Peru.
Students undertook a similar project last summer. It is expected
that the expansion of the program may provide a model for other
community colleges looking to enrich the educational experience
of science, technology, engineering and mathematics students and
to provide more international experiences for their students.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uStudents from Northampton Community College join other
volunteers in celebrating the successful completion of work that
brought electricity to a remote village in Peru.
The goal of the 100,000 Strong in the Americas program is to
increase the number of U.S. students studying in Latin America
and the Caribbean by 100,000 and the number of students from
those regions studying in the United States by 2020.
More than 100 proposals were received in the first round of the
grant competition. In addition to Northampton’s partnership
with the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, the others chosen for
funding were the University of Arizona and Pontifica Universidad
Católica de Peru and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
in Santiago; the University of North Texas and the Universidad
de Magallanes and the Institute for Ecology and Biodiversity; and
the University of Rhode Island and the Pontificia Universidad
Catolica in Chile.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 3
Lone Star College Receives Prestigious International Education Award
by Bill Van Rysdam
L
one Star College System
has been awarded the 2014
Andrew Heiskill Award for
“internationalizing the community college” by the Institute of
International Education.
LSCS was recognized for its Faculty
International Exploration (FIE) program,
which offers full-time faculty members
the opportunity to conduct research and
collect materials abroad with the goal of
internationalizing their curriculum and
developing study abroad programs.
“The FIE award promotes curriculum
internationalization, study abroad program
development, and increased student
involvement,” said Nithy Sevanthinathan,
LSCS chief international officer, international programs and strategic global partnerships.
uLone Star College professor Shawn Miller is pictured during his FIE trip in 2008 to Sri Lanka,
which later led to an accounting-based study abroad program for LSC students in 2010
“Resulting programs have broadened the career horizons of
students, enriched the annual Lone Star College System International Education Conference, and fostered engagement with the
community,” Sevanthinathan said.
The Institute of International Education created the Andrew
Heiskell Awards in 2001 to recognize and
honor the most outstanding initiatives
Lone Star
that are being conducted in international
College
higher education by IIE Network member
System
universities and colleges. By recognizing
excellence and innovation, the institute
hopes to promote and further wideranging internationalization efforts on campuses across the world.
LSCS is among an elite group of winners of this year’s awards that
included Clemson University, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire,
and the University of Michigan.
front among our peers and providing our students the best tools
possible to succeed.”
As part of the LSCS FIE awards, study abroad programs have
been held in China, Costa Rica, Italy, the Philippines, Sri Lanka,
Tanzania, and the United Kingdom.
Lone Star College System has been opening doors to a better
community for 40 years. Founded in 1973, LSCS remains steadfast in its commitment to student success and credential completion. Today, with 78,000 students in credit classes, and a total
enrollment of more than 90,000, Lone Star College System is the
largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and
the fastest-growing community college system in the nation. Dr.
Richard Carpenter is the chancellor of LSCS, which consists of
six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University
Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn
more visit LoneStar.edu.
“We are living in a global economy and it’s crucial for our faculty
and students to understand the role that Houston area plays in
that economy,” said Dr. Richard Carpenter, LSCS chancellor.
“This award represents our commitment to being at the fore-
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 4
Students from Cuba to Spend
Semester at Miami Dade College
by Sue Arrowsmith
F
u James Volkomer, Energy Department Chair Jennifer Clemons,
Steve Seichepine and Dean Zinetti on top of the Navitas New
Zero Energy Building in Denmark
or the first time in 55 years, students from
Cuba have arrived in Miami and will spend
a semester studying at Miami Dade College
(MDC). This historic, groundbreaking project
is being coordinated through MDC’s Center for
Latin American and Caribbean Initiatives (CLACI),
with the support of the Foundation for Human
Rights in Cuba.
Students Explore Alternate
Energy Sources in Denmark
by Taryn Gassner Tangpricha
I
n June 2013, the Delaware Technical Community College Energy Department returned to
Denmark for the second year in collaboration
with CCID partner colleges Hillsborough Community College and the Institute of Technical Education in Singapore to explore how alternative energy
is produced and consumed on a large-scale basis.
Energy Department Chair Jennifer Clemons noted that Danish
consumers pay one of the highest rates for electricity of any nation
across the globe; thus, there is a huge incentive to reduce consumption and produce energy from renewable
sources. This has led to Denmark having
Delaware
Technical
one of the highest percentages of renewCommunity
able energy consumption of all industrialCollege
ized nations. “In Denmark, they’re doing
in practice what we teach in theory,” says
Clemons. “When students actually see it
and experience it first-hand, there is a greater impact. They know
that alternative energy is not just the future: it’s happening now.”
The students’ most memorable experiences included a visit to a wind
farm where they had the opportunity to climb a wind turbine, and
a visit to the Siemens Corporation where the group saw large wind
turbines – up to 6MW – being built. According to student Steve
Seichepine, the impact of the trip went well beyond the curriculum:
“I have nothing but positive experiences that I’ve taken from this
opportunity and hope to apply lessons learned to challenges I may
meet in the future, whether it be meeting new people, encountering
a foreign culture, or discussing sustainability and renewable energy
sources. I also hope to continue to nurture the personal connections
I’ve made along my travels and continue to build these relationships
across cultural boundaries and vast distances.”
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uMDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón chats with a student from
Cuba as the group prepares to meet their new professors.
The “We Are One People” scholarship that makes this project
possible is the first of its kind since 1959. More than a dozen
students will take the following courses: Introduction to Sociology,
Introduction to Microcomputer Usage, Psychology of Personal
Effectiveness, and Principles of Business & Organizational
Management, as well as English as a Second Language (ESL).
They will obtain certificates of completion once finished. With the
exception of ESL, the classes are for college credit. The students
range in ages from 18 to 37, are racially
diverse, and hail from throughout the
Miami Dade
island. More than half are women. The
College
students are expected to return to Cuba
after the program concludes and teach
what they learned in Miami to their peers.
“We want to be free individuals with knowledge of technologies
that don’t exist in Cuba,” said student Danilo Machado. MDC
welcomes these students from Cuba as it does with hundreds of
students it receives each year from across the globe, especially
from the Caribbean and Latin America. “We always say we are
a single people, if we are over there or here,” said MDC Provost
of Operations Dr. Rolando Montoya as he and faculty formally
welcomed the students. “We are here with our arms wide open.”
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 5
New Humber College Program Fosters International Educators
by Nikki Sinclair
A
n innovative new Certificate Program
offered by Humber Institute of Technology
& Advanced Learning in Toronto, Canada
is helping educators to gain the broad range of
skills and knowledge they need to successfully
work in culturally diverse settings. Humber’s
Internationally Inclusive Educator certificate
program aims to enhance the intercultural experience, cross-cultural knowledge, communication
skills, curriculum development and differentiated
teaching skills of faculty teaching international
higher education students.
uEducators acquire the essential skills and knowledge required to
work in an intercultural context
Launched in 2013, the International Inclusive Educator program
is designed for those interested in the field of teaching or private
sector training. The certificate is comprised of five individual
courses that are designed to develop essential intercultural
teaching competencies:
• Intercultural Context
• Intercultural Communication
• Intercultural Curriculum
• Understanding Students in Transition
• Supporting Language Acquisition
Chrissy Deckers, an instructor in Humber’s School of Social and
Community Services and member of the first IIE cohort enthuses,
“Completion of the Internationally Inclusive Educator Certificate provides instructors, including myself, with an invaluable
opportunity to collaborate with others, to work towards creating
a learning environment that is mutually beneficial to both our
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 international students and domestic students.” Upon successful
completion of the five courses, participants receive a Certificate of
Completion.
It is well known within the international education community
that the number of students choosing to pursue post-secondary
education outside of their country of citizenship is growing
rapidly. A recent projection by the OECD suggests that the
numbers could grow from 3.7 million students in 2009 to 6.4
million by 2025. This trend is reflected
Humber
at Humber, where there has been a 25%
Institute of
increase in the number of international
Technology
students attending our institution in the
and Advanced
Learning
past five years. International students
presently account for thirteen percent of
our 22,700 full time student population. The academic areas and
program selections of international students are wide and diverse.
As a result, the vast majority of professors, instructors and staff
at Humber are engaged in the higher education experience and
curriculum of international students.
As with other post-secondary institutions, Humber is enriched by
the many students who come here to study from around the world.
Our international students bring new cultures, new perspectives
and new ideas to our campus community. Canadian students
learn about culture directly from international students, which
enhances their understanding of the world. Diversity in the classroom helps students develop a broader world view, a critical trait
for future leaders. Diversity encourages students to step outside
themselves and see the world through someone else’s perspective.
International students add richness to the Canadian classroom
dynamic because of the vastness of ideas, life experiences and
knowledge they share. International students who return home
after their studies at Humber College bring with them their new
skills and knowledge and an understanding of the Canada; our
language, values and culture. While international students benefit
from a great understanding of Canada, Humber staff and faculty
also gain from the opportunity to grow, learn, serve and teach in a
global learning environment.
While there are many benefits to student mobility, the benefits are
not realized without challenges. The challenges faced by international students adjusting to life in a new country and educational
institution may include a sense of social loss, culture shock, and
confusion regarding social and academic norms and expectations.
Some students also face language and academic barriers in the
classroom, including difficulty adapting to new learning styles
continued on page 15
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 6
CCID Keynotes Inter-American Development Bank
Dialogue on Community Colleges: A Good Model for LAC?
by Don Matthews
D
r. Carol Stax Brown was invited to give
the keynote address representing CCID
at the Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB) Education Regional Dialogue – Community Colleges: A Good Model for LAC in Washington November 6-7, 2013. The objectives of
the dialogue were: to learn from the experiences of community colleges focusing on their
strengths and challenges, discuss the central role
of community colleges in expanding job oriented
post-secondary education opportunities in the
US and evaluate their potential contribution in
addressing the skills gap in today’s Latin American economies and other educational challenges
in the Region.
The countries represented included Argentina, Brasil (states of Sao
Paulo and Ceará), Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Perú , Costa Rica,
Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, and included secretaries and
ministers of education, undersecretaries, vice presidents, principals, coordinators, and foundation representatives. IDB staff
uOpening Session - Gustavo Arnavat, US Ex. Dir. IDB; Matthews;
Emiliana Vargas,Chief of Education Division IDB
attending included Emiliana Vegas Chief of Education Division
and Gustavo Arnavat, US Executive Director among others. Due
to a travel conflict, Dr. Don Matthews, representing Dr. Stax
Brown, opened the meeting with the keynote address discussing
CCID and the CC system in the US. Additional presentations
included making the case that what workforce training in LA is
inadequate and that more needs to be done. Best practices in the
US were covered by the presidents of LaGuardia and HCC North-
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uReception with Juan Paublo Bonilla, Chief Ex. Assistant for Ex.
VP IDB; Dr Mitsui, Dept. Asst Sec. for CC USDOE; Matthews;
Emiliana Vargas, Chief of Education Division, IDB
west. The rest of the day had presentations from the for profit
sectors in Chile and Mexico and ended with a reception hosted by
Juan Pablo Bonilla, Chief Advisor to the Executive Vice President,
IDB and Dr. Mitsui, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community
Colleges, USDOE.
The second day began with a presentation by Dr. Keith Bird,
Senior Policy Fellow for Workforce and Postsecondary Education
talking about curriculum development for workforce training and
evaluation issues dealing with credits. We visited Montgomery
College and then wrapped up the conference with observations
about the meeting. Problems identified with workforce training
in LA include: at times the questionable quality, not necessarily
relating to local workforce needs, lacking access (large numbers
of college age students are not in higher education training
programs), not accredited and not widespread. University education is even more disengaged from the economy in general with no
incentive to change.
There is movement to provide more access and gear workforce
training to the economic realities of the country/region such as the
UT’s in Mexico. The barriers to change include not having data
to measure labor force needs and how that relates to education,
the cost effectiveness of the current system, culture and tradition,
ensuring quality education and dealing with students entering the
higher education system not prepared for it, generating an interest
and fascination with the college prep programs offered by our
colleges. A more complete summary will be available when the
IDB issues its report on the meeting..
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 7
Kirkwood Faculty Leads Service Study Abroad Program to India
by Dr. Alissa King and Dawn R. Wood
D
r. Alissa King, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Kirkwood Community College had
the energy and spirit from her very first
day at Kirkwood to lead a study abroad program.
When she arrived as a new faculty at Kirkwood
about three years ago, she was impressed by the
opportunities for faculty to develop and lead
study abroad programs.
In her second year at Kirkwood, she applied for Professional Development funds to join a University of Iowa winter interim program,
developed in 2006 by geography professor Dr. Rangaswamy
Rajagopal, to Madurai, India focused on
Education. During this experience, she was
Kirkwood
able to develop the necessary connections
Community
in
India to pursue her own program for
College
January 2014. The interest in Study Abroad
India far exceeded the expectations of both
the Study Abroad staff and faculty as applications to participate
came in quickly. With the dramatic cultural differences in India
expected by everyone, a series of pre-departure meetings were held
to better prepare students for the environment in India.
The Kirkwood program was designed as a service learning opportunity with a sociological foundation to work with the Shirdi Sai
Baba Temple School in Faridabad, India. Faridabad is located in
northern India near Delhi and is the largest city in the state of
Haryana. The Shirdi Sai Baba School, founded by Motilal Gupta,
served by the school has risen to more than 1,100, and 40% of
these students are girls. Kirkwood was able to send a group of 15
faculty and students to Faridabad to experience the rich culture
and history of India, and to interact with the students, teachers,
and staff at the school.
Kirkwood students engaged in service learning projects that
included such topics as American-Indian cultural exchange,
photography, a letter-writing exchange with elementary school
students in the Cedar Rapids area, robotics, chemistry, drug and
uKirkwood India Study Abroad group visiting the Taj Majal on one
of their cultural excursions
alcohol education, cultivating happiness and anti-bullying education, and motivation. The goal of these projects was to empower
students to engage in a mutually beneficial experience that highlighted the sociological concepts used to frame this entire experience. In addition to engaging in interactions within the school,
Kirkwood students also experienced cultural excursions, such as
visits to Agra Fort, the Taj Mahal, Ranthambore Fort, and a safari
at the Ranthambore Tiger Preserve where they were fortunate to
see one of the 52 rare Bengal tigers in its natural habitat.
uKirkwood India Study Abroad group pictured in front of the school
where they provided Service
provides free education, vocational training, meals (breakfast and lunch), uniforms, healthcare, and mass marriages to
underprivileged children in Faridabad. The number of children
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Reflecting on the experience, Dr. King says she has already begun
to integrate her experiences in India into her teaching at Kirkwood through examples of cultural differences in relationships
and families in her Marriage and Family classes to concrete experiences with culture shock and norms in her Sociology classes, and
is ready to plan for her next experience in India Kirkwood strives
to ensure that every Kirkwood student, faculty, and staff have an
intercultural experience as part of their Kirkwood experience.
continued on page 9
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 8
Academic Intervention Program for International Students at
Hillsborough Community College
by Erin Pew
T
he academic advisors in the Center for
International Education at Hillsborough Community College are focusing on
student retention for F1 international students
who are on academic warning or probation. The
academic intervention program, called PASS,
stands for Plan for Academic Student Success.
Students on academic warning or probation, who have a cumulative GPA of below a 2.0, are strongly encouraged to participate
in the PASS program. The PASS student will sign an academic
success contract committing to put forth a full effort to achieve
a higher grade point average and to agree to work with his or
her advisor regularly throughout the semester so the advisor
can review study habits, share campus
resources,
and have an honest dialogue
Hillsborough
with
the
student
regarding how he or
Community
she is doing in classes. The advisor and
College
the student will work together to build a
personalized student plan for academic
success by discussing study skills, attendance, and time management practices. Students may receive minimal or full intervention
depending on whether they are on academic warning or academic
probation. For example, a student who is in academic warning
may only need to meet their advisor bi-weekly or monthly, but
a student on academic probation will be required to visit their
advisor weekly and will need more intensive academic support
(by being required to visit a tutor once a week or have attendance
signatures submitted). The advisor will be working with the
student in a “coaching” role and the student will need to put forth
KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE continued from page 8
These student and faculty quotes are the proof that our efforts are
successful.
“I was struck by the differences between India and the
United States, the level of poverty, the more rigid social
stratification, and the belief system. Seemingly everything
was different. The moments that really resonated with me,
however, were when I noticed the similarities. When a child
would giggle to her best friend about an inside joke, when
a husband danced with his wife at their wedding anniversary, when a local stood next to me, just as awed by the Taj
Mahal - It made me realize that even though India is very
different, we are all still people, and that is comforting to
think about” (Andrea Jayne, Kirkwood Student)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 the extra effort to not only see the advisor on the scheduled dates,
but also to make appointments with the free tutoring and writing
center (at one of the five HCC campuses available to students), to
keep track of all classwork due dates in a student planner, and to
have attendance verification forms
signed by
their instructors. PASS is
being offered
to help the
students
achieve their
educational
goals and will uStaff at Hillsborough’s Center for International
Education.
require the
students to
commit 100% to the individual program outlined for them. The
PASS program is being piloted for the spring semester 2014 and
the Center for International Education will be collecting data at
the end of the semester to determine how effective the program
is in assisting students with raising their grade point averages. F-1
visa holders are required by federal law to “make normal progress”
towards their degree [8 C.F.R. § 214.2(f)(7)(iii)]. The advisors
at the Center for International Education hope this academic
intervention program will prevent international students from
requesting an extension of their I-20 since poor academic standing
is not an acceptable reason for extension of stay in the U.S.
“The most impactful experience that I had on this trip was
the realization that no one was asking for us to help them.
We, as Americans, have the notion that everyone else needs
our help, thanks to the media which makes things worse
than they really are. When we interacted with the children
and most of the teachers, all they wanted to do was show us
their world and learn more about ours. They never dwelled
on what they didn’t have; they embraced what they already
had” (Mindi Kauffman, Kirkwood Student)
“Three years ago, I had a dream to take students somewhere,
but I never imagined it would be India. What an incredible
experience to be back here with students in tow, and I can’t
thank those who made this possible enough. Thank you”
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 9
uMadison College nursing student Ashley
Raanes checks blood pressure of a local
resident at the Jamaica clinic.
uRenewable Energy student Tylor Lalleman with students at
Penlyne Primary School in rural Jamaica.
uEnglish instructor Amy
Edwards and education
student Emily Koebke Barsic
with students at the Mento
Primary School in rural
Jamaica.
Madison College Students Learn Through Service in Jamaica
by Geoff Bradshaw
T
his January 2014, 13 students traveled
to rural Jamaica to engage in a 10-day
sustainable development service learning
program. Students installed solar electric systems,
volunteered in local schools, and provided nursing
services at rural clinics. The program, coordinated
by Madison College, included students and faculty,
not only from Madison, but also from Moraine
Park Technical College (WI) and Red Rocks
Community College (CO).
lighting and computer access that function independently from
the Jamaican Power Service electrical grid. In addition to reducing
the monthly bill for BMP, these solar panels now provide a critical
emergency backup for the community as a whole. During hurricane season when local power is out the BMP clinics can serve as
both health care facilities and important communications hubs.
With the solar power, the BMP Internet connection will remain
as an important communication link when other systems may
be down and local people can come to the clinic to recharge cell
phones during prolonged outages.
This opportunity is an outcome of Madison College’s Dept. of
State, “Capacity Building for Study Abroad” grant designed to
develop service learning and sustainable development programs
in Central America and the Caribbean.
Students conducted their volunteer service
Madison
in Hagley Gap, in the Blue Mountain
College
region of Jamaica, St. Thomas Parrish. The
community sorely lacks government infrastructure and support. The main bridge
washed away nearly a decade ago, dirt roads erode annually, electrical power regularly cuts out for hours (and sometimes days), and
unemployment outpaces employment among the local population.
Nursing track students provided care for local residents including
wound care, blood pressure and blood sugar testing, and shared best
practices related to neonatal care and other topics with BMP volunteer nursing staff. Nursing students also provided outreach education to local residents, school sessions on preventative care, and
home visits to care for home-bound elderly individuals. Education
track students designed teaching lessons for primary school students
and basic school (preschool/kindergarten) groups. Students learned
about the Jamaican educational system and the importance of selective testing that regulates access to high school. Education students
also developed lessons to tie in with the other tracks of the service
including health lessons related to hand-washing and tooth-bushing,
and a solar energy unit where students used solar panels to pump
water and magnifying glasses to create heat.
In this environment, the Blue Mountain Project (BMP), is a
non-profit community development organization that has been
working in Hagley Gap for 10 years. Madison College partnered
with BMP to create service learning opportunities that allow
technical and community college students to share their skills and
work with BMP staff in community development projects. Renewable Energy students worked to install solar systems on BMP’s two
health clinics in the region. After a week of work, BMP now has
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 “This was truly a life changing experience for me,” said renewable
energy student Aaron Thompson. “I never would have had the
opportunity to come to a place like this without this program,
and now I want to re-think my studies so I can take advantage
of both the renewable energy and global studies certificates at
Madison College.”
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 10
Challenger Cares About Corporate Social Responsibility
by Nikki Sinclair
C
hallenger Institute has committed to local
and global community engagement with
the launch of its Corporate Social Responsibility program Challenger Cares. “A range of new
initiatives have been launched including scholarships assisting Challenger staff to volunteer
abroad and the establishment of international
projects in Cambodia
and India,” Challenger
President and Chief
Executive Officer Liz
Harris said.
more than 20 Cambodian teachers in anatomy, strength training,
cardio fitness and children’s nutrition. The Cambodian teachers
took their new skills back to their schools to educate their students.
Additionally, Challenger IT students and a lecturer spent three
weeks in Cambodia assisting One2One in website security, Microsoft programs and IT networking. Digital strategy manager Adam
Quigley was the first Challenger staff member to undertake a chari-
This year, in conjunction
with the India Study Abroad
Centre in India, nine of Challenger’s Children’s Services
students and two lecturers
spent time working at the
Shikshan Gram Shelter for
Homeless Children and the
Modern English School in
Malavli, a village 100 kilouChallenger Institute staff with children from the Shikshan Gram Shelter for Homeless Children in India.
metres from Mumbai. The
shelter provides food, accommodation, clothing, medicine and education to more than 100 chiltable overseas experience as part of the Challenger Cares program.
dren. Challenger’s students worked with local teachers at the shelter
to develop their curriculum and helped assist children with special
In 2013, Mr Quigley took part in The Rickshaw Run, an event
needs. In Cambodia, Challenger worked on a number of projects
that saw competitors from more than 70 countries travel 4,500km
with non-profit organisation, One2One Charitable Trust. One
of India, from Cochin to Shillong, in a 7 horsepower tuktuk.
project involved health and fitness students and a lecturer training
Mr Quigley’s team spent 12 hours per day for two weeks navigating some of the world’s worst roads
to raise money for FRANK Water, a
Challenger
UK-based charity that provides clean
Institute of
drinking water to underprivileged
Technology
children. Another Challenger employee,
Sarah Furness, visited Kenya and spent
a week at the Limuru Children’s Centre. “I helped teach the children basic maths and English, distributed food for their feeding
program and spent time with the kids making them feel special,”
said Sarah, an executive assistant at Challenger.
uChallenger Institute’s Children’s Services student Samantha Hatton
with children from the Modern English School in India.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Challenger’s CEO Liz Harris said the institute had wholeheartedly embraced contributing to the local and global community
through the Challenger Cares program. “I’m delighted with the
passion and commitment that our staff and students have shown
towards this worthwhile initiative,” Ms Harris said.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 11
Living Local – Thinking Global: Scholars of Global Distinction
at Davidson County Community College
by Susan Scarboro
G
lobal interconnectivity and interdependence are undeniable, and Davidson
County Community College is passionate
about inviting the college community to live
locally, yet to think globally. With support and
guidance from the administration, DCCC’s International Education Committee designed and
launched the Scholars of Global Distinction
Program in the fall of 2013.
The mission of the Scholars of Global Distinction (SGD)
Program is to develop engaged global citizens who are prepared
to be successful in our increasingly interdependent world.
DCCC students who are accepted
Davidson
into the program agree to successfully
County
complete at least five courses considCommunity
ered to be “globally intensive.” While
College
some courses are inherently global, such
as foreign language, world religions or
cultural studies, the International Education Committee (IEC)
recognized the need to encourage faculty to globalize the content
of gateway courses as well as program specific courses, such as
uParade of Nations for International Night
The second component of the SGD Program requires attendance
at eight “Passport to International Education” events. The College
offers between 40-50 of these events each year, so achieving that
goal is easy and fun! Students thoroughly enjoy interactive activities such as Salsa dancing or African drumming, as well as the
many educational displays and multicultural offerings of International Night. On this special day, The College invites not only
students, but the local community to learn about cultural diversity
and to “think globally.” Other passport events include presentations from international students and scholars.
Lastly, Global Scholars must have 30 hours of global experience through travel abroad or a domestic intercultural experience. DCCC offers several travel abroad trips each year and even
provides partial travel scholarships. One scholar, Marisa Drake,
engaged in a personal service learning trip to an orphanage in
Paraguay. Other participants in the SGD Program travel on
CCID troikas to Peru or China or study Spanish in Spain. Local
projects include internships at the annual multicultural festival,
volunteering at a Chinese church, and researching the educational
crisis in Ethiopia. Students share the impact of these experiences
through a capstone presentation.
uGlobal Scholar Marisa Drake at Orphanage in Paraguay
Over 25 DCCC students are currently pursuing the Global
Scholar distinction. They love the program and are excited as they
“think globally” about the diversity of the human experience.
pharmacy and welding. The energy and commitment of the IEC
spread contagiously to DCCC faculty. Currently, SGD students
may select their required five courses from 36 globalized sections.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 12
Daytona State Serves As Model For College In Dominican Republic,
Now In Its Second Year
by Don Matthews
T
he first community college of its kind in
the Dominican Republic modeled after
Daytona State College was inaugurated
in July, 2012 now is beginning its second year.
Former Daytona State College president Kent
Sharples, now president of the CEO Business Alliance, Daytona Beach and Don Matthews, former
Daytona State associate vice president for global
education and affairs who headed up the effort
for the college and now a CCID personal associate for outreach and development, attended
the opening event.
The Instituto Técnico Superior Comunitario (ITES – Superior Technical Community Institute) has 14 buildings and can accommodate
10,000 students. Currently, the college has 3,383 students enrolled
in 27 programs, the top 10 most popular
are in order: nursing, network management,
medical
imaging, software development,
Daytona State
graphic
design,
computer support, dental
College
technician, culinary arts, automotive technology and dental hygiene. ITES also offers
college prep programs in Spanish reading
and writing and mathematics for students who need to improve their
basic skills in order to be successful at the college.
The Minister of Higher Education Ligia Amado Melo noted
recently that 90% of students tested were deficient in math and
uSwearing in of Board of Trustees for ITES by President Danilo
Medina, from left Minister of Higher Education, Liga Amada
Melo, Rector Dr. Victor Hugo De Lancer and other community
members.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 u Exterior view of ITSC entrance
70% in reading and writing. ITES also has a locally appointed
Board of Trustees mirroring the US model. The collaboration
started in 2002 with DSC personnel contacting the Global
Foundation for Development and Democracy headed by former
President Leonel Fernández, 1996-2000, who was reelected president 2004-2012. Preliminary discussions focused on collaboration
efforts and the conversation resulted in the idea of assisting the
DR to develop a community college.
In January 2007, DSC received a $1.78 million contract from the
Dominican Government through the Office of the President for
the project. President Fernández mentioned at the inaugural event
the importance of this collaboration to their country and in developing ITES. Over the next few years, over 74 DSC faculty and
staff provided consulting to help develop curriculum, training of
faculty and staff, and making recommendations for the buildings,
technology, equipment and other related aspects. Over 50 higher
education personnel in the Dominican Republic were involved in
the project. Sharples said: “It’s a major accomplishment and point
of distinction for Daytona State to help another nation create a
community college system that provides educational access to its
citizens and relevant education for work and social mobility”.
Current president of DSC Dr. Carol Eaton noted “It’s great to
hear that this inaugural institution in the Dominican Republic
is successful. We’re gratified to see Daytona State’s expertise
with community-college development contribute to workforce
growth through quality training and education. This model can
foster economic opportunities for the people and industry in the
Dominican Republic and beyond.”
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 13
Graduate Endures Longest Journey to Commencement
by Dane Hawley
Y
ou can’t go home again” is more than
a trite, throwaway expression to some
people. For Atchima Mahamat-Zene in
particular, it serves as a painful reality check
given her exposure to unimaginable conditions growing up. It’s her resilience in spite of
them,however, that has helped her earn the
2013 Melvin L. Curtis Award for Academic Excellence—Ivy Tech Community College Northeast’s
highest honor for a graduating student based on
outstanding academic achievement, communityservice participation, and personal qualities.
Mahamat-Zene is a native of Chad—a landlocked republic in
north central Africa that possesses some of the most unenviable high rankings among nations. According to United Nations’
data, Chad is one of the poorest and
most politically corrupt states in the
Ivy Tech
world.
Most inhabitants live in mud–brick
Community
dwellings
and exist as subsistence herders
College
and
farmers.
Young girls often dream
Northeast
about better futures in Chad, MahamatZene says, but they rarely achieve them.
Many social, cultural, and religious customs deny those ambitions for women and girls, given barriers on access to educational
opportunities,incidents involving domestic violence, and the
practice of female genital mutilation, which are all commonplace
despite laws prohibiting these acts.
“Before becoming teenagers, 13 of my friends and I made a pledge
to go to college. By age 17, only one of us was not married. Now,
only two of us are going to college,” Mahamat-Zene says. “I was
the crazy one (in the group) for having those big dreams and
even thinking of accomplishing them. I always strive to be an
educated and successful woman, and for that reason, I took a
big risk one day, and I decided to leave my home country for the
United States.” Her motivation for doing so as a non-English
speaking asylum-seeker was to reclaim her life after escaping a
kidnapping and hostage scenario. She had been taken to her soonto-be-husband’s remote location for an arranged marriage she
did not want. Following a respite period of several months in the
New York City area,she made her way to a host family in North
Manchester, Ind., where, upon the birth of her daughter,Mariam,
she enrolled at Manchester High School. Upon graduation in
2012, she applied to, and was accepted in, Ivy Tech Northeast’s
Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP)—a one-year, associatedegree option financed by a three-year grant from the Lumina
Foundation.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uBusiness administration graduate Atchima Mahamat-Zene, a native
of the African nation of Chad, receives the Melvin L. Curtis Award
for Academic Excellence from Ivy Tech Northeast Chancellor
Jerrilee K. Mosier, Ed.D., during Commencement on May 10.
The award is the region’s highest honor for a graduating student
based on outstanding academic achievement, community-service
participation, and personal qualities.
The single mother with great financial needs had no relatives to
assist her. She faced numerous challenges while persisting at Ivy
Tech Northeast, from changing living arrangements unexpectedly and finding suitable child care assistance to balancing study
time and coordinating daily, one-hour commutes to and from
Fort Wayne. Nevertheless, she persevered and found the solutions
necessary to complete an associate degree in business administration in 12 months, earning magna cum laude honors with a 3.92
GPA and participating in ASAP-sponsored volunteer work with
school children along the way.
“I am so very proud of Atchima,” says Cindy Chenoweth, ASAP
program coordinator. “She truly values her education and sets
goals for herself along with a plan on how to achieve them.
Atchima does not let any obstacle deter her from achieving
success.”
Mahamat-Zene will be attending Manchester University this fall
with a prestigious President’s Scholarship and advanced standing
in the university’s Fast Forward accelerated-degree program.
Mahamat-Zene says her short-term goal is to complete a bachelor’s
degree in business administration and enter the human resources
field. Her long-term goal is to attend law school and become an
immigration attorney. “Many times, in Chad, when I felt let down
by school, my aunt told me, ‘Knowledge is the only thing you
will have left when you lose everything,’” Mahamat-Zene recalls.
Expanding that knowledge base will continue to be her focus, as
she realizes the dreams she once believed were unobtainable.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 14
St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley Campus
Connects Students with International Producers and Artisans
by Mark Manteuffel
S
t. Louis Community College- Florissant
Valley campus hosted its first annual Fair
Trade Marketplace on November 11, 2013. It
was part of the Global Gathering Series organized
by the Global Education Committee.
The Marketplace aspired to: 1) raise awareness of environmental
and social justice issues stemming from global trade; 2) introduce
the lives of artisans, farmers, and workers from 15 countries across
Asia, Africa, and Latin America; 3) educate attendees about the
Fair Trade movement and history; 4) encourage attendees to get
involved in service learning involving fair trade and sustainable
solutions to world hunger, poverty, and
environmental protection.
St. Louis
Community
College Florissant
Valley
An anticipated outcome of the Marketplace was to stimulate each attendant’s
interest in moving from a passive
consumer to an active world citizen who
can make a difference. To achieve this, attendees were inspired
to examine the significant role they play as consumers, and the
power they possess to change the lives of people in their own and
other countries. This includes local, national, and global impact of
consumer behavior in terms of social and environmental justice.
The Fair Trade Marketplace brought together local fair trade
vendors on the Florissant Valley campus. The vendors displayed
their products while educating students about fair trade. Vendor
tables were interspersed with informational tables about the Fair
Trade movement, focusing on coffee, women and poverty, slave/
child labor, global economics, and the legacy of colonialism.
The Fair Trade Marketplace was attended by more than 200
HUMBER INSTITUTE continued from page 6
and curriculum differences. As a result, it is inherent upon faculty
to create inclusive learning environments that take into account
diversity and the cultural differences that exist in the classroom
It is for these reasons that our Internationally Inclusive Educator
Program was developed. The response has been overwhelmingly
positive, apparent in the endorsement of Dawn Aitken, a Professor
in Humber’s School of Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism: “I am
very excited to be taking the Internationally Inclusive Educator
Certificate Program at Humber. This program is another example
of how Humber creates a positive and stimulating educational
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 people within the span of a couple of hours. During that time,
the marketplace hall was bustling with sounds of people interacting with questions and answers, interwoven with music and
live presentations by
enthusiastic students at
Florissant Valley who
volunteered to staff
informational tables.
The Fair Trade Marketplace brought awareness
of the global connections that occur in our
lives, especially due
to the globalization of
trade.
Many students who
have not had the
uHadson Jarquin, an international
student from Nicaragua, at STLCCopportunity to travel
Florissant Valley’s Faire Trade
abroad were able to
Marketplace. Hadson is standing in front
learn how connected
of Professor Manteuffel’s fair trade
they are to the lives of
jewelry display table. Behind Hadson
individuals across the
is The Blessing Basket Project table,
one of many non-profit organizations
globe. Attendees were
that participated in the Fair Trade
also presented with the
Marketplace at Florissant Valley on
opportunity to raise
November 11, 2013.
funds (using fair trade
commodities) for scholarships to travel abroad
on a Fair Trade Eco-Tour to Costa Rica in the spring of 2015 to
learn firsthand about fair trade and the lives of individuals participating in fair trade in Costa Rica.
experience for our students. Humber’s success in attracting international students makes this course a “must take” for faculty to
facilitate and ease international students into our Humber culture,
and ensure their success in their chosen program. I am enjoying
the insight and discussions of the IIE sessions and will be able to
take new knowledge and strategies directly into my classroom.”
To learn more about Humber’s Internationally Inclusive Educator
Program, contact Denise Gardner, Director, Professional Development, Centre for Teaching and Learning at denise.gardner@
humber.ca.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 15
Prestigious Andrew Heiskell Award Cites Valencia’s Innovation
in International Education
by Joy Jones
V
alencia College received an honorable
mention in the “Internationalizing the
Community College” category for the
progress it has made in internationalizing the
campus through faculty development for Study
Abroad. The Institute of International Education
(IIE) announced its 2014 Andrew Heiskell Awards,
recognizing Valencia, on Monday, January 27, 2014,
in New York City. .
Founded in 1919, the IIE is a nonprofit organization whose mission
is to advance international education and access to education
worldwide. The award, named for former
chairman of Time, Inc. and philanthropist
Andrew Heiskell, showcases the most innoValencia
vative and successful models for internaCollege
tionalization of campuses, study abroad and
international partnership programs in practice today among the member campuses of
the IIENetwork, IIE’s membership association of more than 1,200
higher education institutions.
“Receiving this national recognition for our work over the last four
years to internationalize the college is an honor and testament to the
collaborative efforts of both faculty and staff throughout the college,”
said Jennifer Robertson, director of study abroad and global experiences. “In today’s global society, it is essential that our students have
the knowledge, skills and attitudes to live and work effectively in a
multicultural environment. Through these study abroad experiences
and internationalization of the curriculum, Valencia graduates will
be well positioned to achieve both their academic and career goals.”
uStudy abroad program leaders include: (top left to right) Karen
Fowler, Deymond Hoyte, Andy Ray; (middle left to right) Kenneth
Bourgoin, Nichole Jackson, Chris Klinger, Bonnie Oliver; (bottom
left to right) Pierre Pilloud, Jennifer Robertson, Karen Rumbley.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uJennifer Robertson (shown standing) works with Valencia's team of
certified as study abroad program leaders.
With a goal of increasing student participation in study abroad,
Valencia instituted several measures to train faculty leaders and
increase funding for students. Namely, the college developed a
Study Abroad Program Leader Certificate to assist faculty in the
program development process and to ensure safety for all programs.
A competitive proposal process was launched for faculty to lead
short-term study abroad that gives priority to programs that have
demonstrated high enrollment. In addition, a Program Leaderin-Training mentorship initiative, which partners veteran faculty
leaders with new faculty leaders who participate on a program as
a mentee before leading students abroad, was established. Valencia
increased student scholarship funding by changing its funding
model and using student development and Valencia Foundation
funds to support study abroad. Moreover, it has also engaged faculty
in the college’s efforts to internationalize the curriculum at home for
students who cannot travel overseas.
The interest prompted an internationalizing the curriculum event
in summer 2013, where faculty teams worked to integrate international/intercultural components into their courses. Faculty members
are also engaged in the work of creating internationalized course
toolkits to make their curriculum work available college-wide. A
collaborative effort by Valencia College’s Study Abroad Committee,
Internationalizing the Curriculum Committee, International
Education Steering Committee, International Education Connections Team, study abroad program leaders, their respective deans,
faculty and student development and the Valencia Foundation
all contributed to this important recognition. IIE will present the
awards at a ceremony in New York City on March 14, 2014, as part
of its ninth annual Best Practices in Internationalization Conference for campus professionals. More than 150 campus leaders
and international education professionals in the United States
and around the world attend the conference each year. Jennifer
Robertson will travel to the conference to accept the award on
behalf of the College.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 16
Internationalization Workshop
at the UTXJ
by Dianne Vargas
T
he UTXJ has
just created the
Coordination
of Mobility and Internationalization and I
am proud to be the
person in charge of
it. My name is Dianne
Vargas and I have been
working in this Institution for about 10 Years.
uConsul General Pedro Soares de Oliveira and Brookdale’s Nancy
Kegelman, Dean of Academic Affairs
uDianne Vargas,
Coordinator of Mobility &
Internationalization
Currently we have been
working with our friends from
USMEXFUSION Jennifer
Granger and Carlos Huerta as well as PhD Heber Tamayo in
order to develop the strategic plan for the
Internationalization of our Institution.
Universidad
Recently we had a workshop and we made
Tecnologica de
a diagnosis of the University by using
Xicotepec de
CCID’s
Framework for Comprehensive
Juarez, Puebla
Internationalization (FCI). The President,
Deans and Coordinators got involved in
this activity which will certainly bring nothing but success on our
way towards Internationalization. Thank you all!
Brookdale Receives Gift from
Portuguese Consulate
by Janice M. Thomas
I
n December 2013, Brookdale Community College
received a set of books from Instituto Camoes of
the Portuguese Ministry of Education.
This gift came about after having signed
a protocol agreement earlier in the year.
Brookdale
Under the terms of the agreement, Camoes
Community
will support Brookdale as the institution
College
promotes the study of Portuguese language
and Lusophone cultures. Brookdale has
recently added Portuguese to its offering of languages and is
hosting a Brazilian Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant for the 2013-2014 academic year.
uStaff who participated in the Internationalization Workshop at the
UTXJ
uConsul General, Pedro Soares de Oliveira (back row 2nd from
left) and Antonio Oliveira from Camoes (back row 2nd from the
right) and Brookdale students, staff and faculty.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 17
Almost as Awesome as our Beaches: Hillsborough Community
College’s First Annual International Student Transfer Fair
by Matt Barrett
W
e offer hundreds of disciplines and
several scholarships for international
students!’ could be heard against the
background noise that consisted of student inquiries and eager college counselors. A quick glance
around the conference room revealed dozens of
students surveying and shuffling the many fliers,
pamphlets, and booklets of the colleges and
universities in attendance.
One ambitious student beamed a smile from ear to ear as she
heard about the wonderful opportunities for engineering majors at
San Jose State University, while another student wrinkled his brow
contemplating the opportunities for international business majors
at Northeastern Illinois University. This was the scene at Hillsborough Community College’s First Annual International Student
Transfer Fair held on January 29, organized by HCC’s Center for
International Education (HCC).
uSUNY Oswego’s Ryan Lemon speaks with one prospective
HCC student
campus for a chance to meet some of central Florida’s best and
brightest young minds from all over the world.
For some, the International Student
Transfer Fair was an introduction to HCC,
while for others it was a routine visit to
Hillsborough
recruit students. HCC students have been
Community
College
transferring to institutions around the
country for years; however, this was the
first instance in which this many colleges
and universities from all over the country have visited all at once.
Students and visiting representatives wholeheartedly agreed that
the fair was a great success and that it provided students with
helpful information in navigating the transfer process.
uRyan Miller and Daniela Vitale (NE Illinois) speak with prospective
HCC students
Both F-1 international and Honors Institute students were in
attendance. Despite the unseasonably cool and wet weather, ten
institutions—including The University of South Florida, The
University of Central Florida, The University of Tampa, St. Leo
University, and Stetson University, San Jose State University,
SUNY Plattsburgh, Northeastern Illinois University, Lycoming
College, and SUNY Oswego—arrived at HCC’s Dale Mabry
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 The CIE is a true ‘one stop shop’ for F-1 students, offering
comprehensive support and programming services for 230 F-1
international students at the College. With nine staff members (3
Advisors, 2 Recruiters, 1 Center Manager, 1 Admissions Coordinator, 1 Program Specialist, 1 Director), students truly get the
attention and support they require. The dedicated CIE staff work
tirelessly to ensure student’s academic goals are met during their
time at HCC, and the International Student Transfer Fair is just
one example of how the staff is helping our students be successful
beyond their time on our campus!
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 18
TCC International Student
Accepted to Columbia University
by Jon Maes
A
madou S. Jallow from the Gambia received
exciting news during this past winter break
that he was accepted to Columbia University! While many TCC international students have
transferred to top-ranking universities in the US
over the years, Amadou’s success is the highest
in recent TCC history with Columbia’s Ivy League
status and ranking of #4 in the
nation by U.S. News & World
Tacoma
Report 2014 Best Colleges. His
Community
acceptance is also an incredCollege
ible accomplishment when
you consider the fact that only
150 transfer students (both domestic and international) out of 2500 applicants are admitted
according to Columbia’s admissions website.
Amadou arrived at TCC in Spring 2011. He plans to continue his
studies in chemistry or biochemistry at Columbia University this
Fall 2014 term. Amadou is also an avid linguist who is fluent in
three native Gambian languages (Fulani, Mandingo, and Wolof),
English, French and Arabic with proficiency in Spanish and he is
currently studying Chinese as a hobby. Along with his appointment
uDr. Michael Fuller from St. Louis Community College-Meramec holds
a 1,000 year old skate blade excavated this year in Swede
St. Louis Community College’s
Indiana Jones partners with
Gotland University in Sweden
by Lisa Martino-Taylor
D
r. Michael Fuller, professor of archaeology
at St. Louis Community College - Meramec,
is the College’s true Indiana Jones. He
has traveled around the world searching for new
archaeological findings and last fall he traveled to
Gotland University in Sweden during a sabbatical.
uAmadou standing in front of TCC sign
as the designated administrator in Seattle for the ADLaM script
(a newly invented script for the Fulani language), it is no wonder
that Amadou has chosen to minor in world languages at Columbia
as well. While at TCC, he was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa
Honors Society and served as a MARC tutor, Discussion Group
Leader, and volunteered as a mentor for international student
orientation activities. Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting
Amadou knows he is a passionate student with a kind heart and
humanitarian drive to help others. He will surely be missed, but we
are excited that he is “Reaching Higher” in TCC spirit to greater
heights and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. Please join
us in congratulating Amadou for his amazing achievement!
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 At Gotland, Dr. Fuller worked with Viking artifacts that have been
excavated by Swedish archeologists at a
Viking settlement, near Visby, Sweden.
St. Louis
Fuller also worked with archeologists in
Community
Norway during his sabbatical project. Dr.
College Fuller has led numerous study abroad
Meramec
programs in different parts of the world
and he is one of the leaders in international education at STLCC. He brings his
international knowledge and experience to the classroom and our
students are excited to listen to his lectures. During this trip he
worked on establishing contacts for future study abroad programs
and international partnerships in Scandinavia. Stay tuned because
the tireless Professor Fuller always finds ways to deliver interesting
programs to the students at STLCC.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 19
uNTC International students represented at CGI 2013
The Clinton Global Initiative
by Erick Lopez, Meqlui Arias, Laura Benitez, Rosemberg Rojas, Sandy Ochoa, Nancy Silverio
T
he Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) is an
organization that was established in 2005
by former President Bill Clinton. CGI is
committed to gathering leaders who have a strong
desire to make a change and implement innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges of
the world. Every year, CGI hosts a conference
where youth organizations, topic experts, and
students come together to debate and create
solutions to solve global issues.
This year, the CGI meeting will take place at Arizona State
University, and will bring approximately 1,200 attendees together.
This year, nearly 25 international students from the SEED
program at NTC applied for CGI. They developed different
Commitments to Action in order to make a change in their
community. The focus areas that they are addressing are environment, education, and climate change.
Wilfredo Hernandez is an international
student from El Salvador whose Commitment to Action is “Paying It Forward,” a
learning center that will inculcate the
culture of volunteering in young people in
El Salvador. He states, “Someone gave me
the opportunity to grow myself. I know how good it was for me,
and I want to pay it forward. I am sure I cannot do it by myself
so I applied to let other people have the same opportunity as I did
through the help I can get from CGI.”
Northcentral
Technical
College
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uStudents present their action plan to be implemented in their
home countries upon return
There are many inspirations and experiences that motivate the
students to participate in CGI. A good example is Mery Rosa,
another international student from the Dominican Republic.
“What inspired me to apply for CGI is the lack of resources that
prisoners in the Dominican Republic have. If I have the opportunity to go, I can find people there willing to help me.” Throughout
the years, the Global Educational Office has supported the international students with the application process. Last year, the students
did an amazing job and eight of them were selected to attend CGI
in St. Louis. This year, the international coordinators hope to
increase the number of students selected by the program.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 20
uWayne County Community College District students share a moment with Colin Dempsey (red shirt), Director of National Programs at
Maximo Nivel, in Antigua, Guatemala. Students were awarded certificates of completion at the end of their Spanish Language Program.
An Adventure to Remember!
by David C. Butty
S
tudy abroad trip to Belize and Guatemala
offers Wayne County Community College
District (WCCCD) prospective nursing
student a different view on health care delivery.
Marquia Ziyad can only reflect on her study
abroad trip that spanned two Central American
countries – Belize and Guatemala.
While in Belize, she had the unfortunate opportunity to visit two
area hospitals – the Belize Medical Associates; a private hospital,
and Belize General Hospital – where she accompanied her sick
roommate. What impacted her the most,
she said, was the trip to the two hospiWayne County tals took her out of her comfort zone
Community
and opened her eyes to the world of the
College District healthcare delivery system outside of the
United States. “I stepped outside of what
I had been taught in the classrooms with
all the modern equipment – and saw nurses coping with limited
resources and instruments as they took care of their patients.
When a nurse comes face-to-face with the daily challenges of life,
all they can rely on is their instincts.”
Ziyad was one of 28 students from Wayne County Community
College District who spent a week studying the culture, language,
and the contributions of the Mayans. There was no dull moment
but a fun-filled activity for the weeklong study abroad trip. The
students turned everything into a learning experience. The
emphasis was to study the contributions made by the Mayans by
visiting the Altun Ha Mayan Ruins in Belize and learn conversational Spanish at the Máximo Nivel, an international language
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 center in Antigua, Guatemala, where they were awarded certificates of completion. Also on the itinerary was a climb to the top
of Altun Ha’s temple-pyramids, known as the “Temple of the
Masonry Altars”, and a hike up the 8,373-ft active Pacaya Volcano,
one of three active volcanoes in Guatemala.
But Ziyad said while she enjoyed every aspect of the trip, her
visit with her roommate to the hospitals will forever change the
prospective on her future career. “I am grateful to have had the
chance to visit the two hospitals and my experiences were quite
intriguing, informative, humbling, but saddening. The hospitals lacked the simple things that we take for granted here in the
U.S. and those things we have in abundance. As I watched blood
drop from a needle in a patient’s arm into an open test tube, I
was stunned to see this technique because it is not sterile. It was
against everything I’d been taught,” she added. Above all, Ziyad
said studying abroad can open an individual’s eyes to see the
world differently. “To watch a nurse making use of what she had
and not complaining was truly humbling. The staff was courteous
and professional, and without the fancy equipment and latest in
technological advancements, they maintained a level of professionalism and ensured that they gave the best possible patient care.”
She said this experience of studying and observing healthcare
delivery in a developing country reduced her ignorance of other
cultures and will make her into a better person. “I automatically
assumed that it would be impossible to receive adequate health
care in such under-developed country, but I was completely wrong.
The nurses and doctors everywhere; whether in the United States
or in Belize, are all caring and patient advocates.”
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 21
Collaboration Paves Way
for School of Government
At the Start of a Global
International Alumni Network
by Tere Estorino Florin
by Ashley Marie Sansotta
eeping with its mission to provide a truly
international perspective to students and
the community, Miami Dade College (MDC)
will open a School of Government in partnership
with the renowned José Ortega y Gasset – Gregorio
Marañon Foundation from Spain, establishing an
education program for government leaders from
throughout Latin America and beyond.
T
K
MDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón formally signed an agreement with Alfredo Pérez de Armiñán, the Foundation’s general
director, at a ceremony recently. Perez de Armiñán expressed his
pleasure at the creation of this center of higher learning that would
benefit elected officials,
government and business
leaders from Latin America
and the larger Hispanic
community in the United
States, and that it would be
located in the city known as
the Gateway to the Americas.
“We are extremely pleased to
enter into a partnership with uMDC President Dr. Eduardo
J. Padrón formally signed an
the College, especially since
agreement with Alfredo Pérez
it is the institution that gradde Armiñán, the Foundation’s
uates the most Hispanics
director.
in the United States,” said
Pérez de Armiñán. “We
will provide all our cultural knowledge of the Spanish language, to
jump-start the program as soon as possible, plus specially designed
curriculum materials for public servants.”
The Ortega – Marañon Foundation is a
cultural organization in Spain focused
Miami Dade
on the social sciences and humanities. It
College
will contribute its vast network of cultural
resources and educational services to the
new School. MDC will contribute its
proven teaching experience and its great influence and prestige as
an institution known for promoting social development. The new
School will also benefit from the expertise of Enrique V. Iglesias, the
former secretary general of the Iberoamerican General Secretariat,
who will serve as an “honorary collaborator” in the endeavor. In the
near future, MDC will share details of the initial steps being taken
to open the School and receive the first class that will benefit from
this groundbreaking initiative. Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado was
also present at the ceremony and expressed his support for this new
program. The new School also has the support of several international organizations.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 he Center for International Education (CIE)
at Hillsborough Community College (HCC)
has been actively recruiting prospective
international HCC students from countries in
both Latin America and Asia. As part of their
recruiting efforts, they have begun contacting
HCC international student alumni, hoping to
create a global and robust international alumni
network.
On Sunday, September 21, 2013, CIE hosted the first ever International Student Alumni Meeting in São Paulo, Brazil. Ashley
Sansotta, CIE Project Manager, and Michael Brennan, Director
of International Education, met with Daniel Carranza and Joyce
Gomes da Costa, two students who
studied at HCC on Community College
Hillsborough
Initiative
(CCI) program funded by US
Community
Department of State. The meeting gave
College
them both the opportunity to draw on
their HCC experiences and discuss how
their lives have changed. Daniel
was in the Digital Television and
Media Production Program at HCC.
“Thanks to HCC and all the faculty
members, I’m able to shoot, edit,
direct, and act on TV spots here in
Brazil,” he says. Daniel hosts his own
local television show, where he broadcasts music videos in a comedy format. uJoyce Gomes da Costa,
HCC class of 2009
Some of his favorite experiences
at HCC include his internship in
Ecuador, producing a video on HCC’s
study abroad (nursing) program, and
his participation in with the International Student Club. Joyce is currently
working in the U.S. Consulate in
São Paulo, Brazil in the Culture and
Education Office in the Public Affairs
Section. She works mostly with sports
and youth programs, as well as with
information/library
outreach activities.
uDaniel Carranza, HCC
“My experience at HCC was essenclass of 2010
tial for me to decide that I wanted to
work with different cultures. Today
I’m fortunate to have a fun job that I love, where I can help to
promote a mutual understanding between Brazilians and Americans,” Joyce says.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 22
Impact of International Experience for Students
by M. Sc. Gerardo Marcelino Lara Orozco / Dra. Dulce Marisa Barberena Serrano
I
nternational student mobility mainly at the
Technological University of Tulancingoes a
topic of big importance as it becomes a training
strategy aimed beyond academia and is primarily
concerned with about of integral formation.
It is desirable that the experience is rewarding in many different
areas, for those who are away from their homes to other parts
abroad, as well as the challenges of joining a different university
environment with a different culture and other teaching models,
they are added to become independent in different in different
subjects like or as caution in the use of their financial resources,
care for their physical and moral integrity and the necessity to
live with other people with different ideas
and culture outside the university and in
most
cases in another language that is not
Universidad
their
place
of origin as English, French
Tecnológica
de Tulancingo
and Chinese. Particularly noteworthy
is the student Beatriz Delgado Lazcano
outstanding student of Tulancingo Utec
who trained hard in learning the French language from 2011 in
order to participate in international mobility programs who are
offered to students. In 2012 she obtained a scholarship which she
did a studies conducted a year at the Université de Bourgogne,
France, and she
returned with
significantly level
improved their
of French, now
she is practicing
the language giving a classes in her free time simultaneously she
continues its Mechatronics Engineering and learning the English
language in the evenings ; This case is considered a example
success in UTec Tulancingo and we are confident that more
students will follow. Experience: “ My name is Beatriz Delgado
Lazcano citizen from rural El Paredon Chignahuapan Puebla.
After making this wonderful experience abroad I have learned
about my strengths and weaknesses to enhance as a professional
even for international competitiveness. In addition I acquire as a
person the challenge the future of through my family influence
and social change and evolution of thought. Therefore I welcome
the opportunity to my family, school, and people who have
supported in my way and the achievements made in the future is
sow my commitment to my country.”
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uBeatriz in louvre museum
uBeatriz La Seine
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 23
Craven on the Move: Going Glocal and Global
by Cynthia Bellacero
C
raven Community College has made it
part of its mission to go glocal, focusing
on bringing global content to the campus
through the efforts of the Globalization Task
Force, as well as offering experiential learning
in a foreign country through the College’s study
abroad program.
The Global Task Force (GTF) is a cross-campus collaboration that
includes faculty & staff from all areas of the college. Last year
subcommittees focused on the four initiatives: 1) creating an international space on
Craven
campus, 2) designing a global webpage, 3)
Community
creating partnerships with international
College
community organizations and other globally focused schools, and 4) promoting
global professional development opportunities to faculty and staff. This year’s committee added a panel for
International Education week 2014.
The goal for creating a global space on campus was to give
students, faculty, and staff a place to meet and explore the interchange of world views, values, art, customs, ideas, and other
aspects of culture. Craven’s International Room opened its doors
in August. Currently our global space is being used to facilitate a
variety of glocal activities such as a language exchange, language
group tutoring sessions, and study abroad program information
sessions & club meetings. Instructors are holding open hours in
the space to allow students the opportunity to explore the international media resources available there.
uCraven Educators at Pre-Celtic Site of Newgrange, Previewing
Study Abroad Ireland 2014
vision for the global initiative, our study abroad programs, highlights on-campus international activities and visitors, and links
to faculty and staff profiles of our globetrotters. One opportunity
to go global is Study Abroad Ireland. The trip is a partnership
between Craven Community College in New Bern, NC, and the
Institute of Study Abroad Ireland in Bundoran, Western Ireland.
Participants will experience Irish culture, music, art, and history
through an 11-day excursion beginning in Dublin and then trav-
The College’s global webpage (http://www.cravencc.edu/globalinitiative/index.cfm) went live in April. The page describes College’s
uCraven Students Painting Along Side Visiting Artists in 2012
eling west to Bundoran. In preparation for our trip we will host
several on-campus activities celebrating all things Irish.
uStudy Abroad Ecuador Participants at the Equator in 2013
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Our kick-off event was a visit from the director of our partner
institution in Bundoran to give a lecture on the Irish Cultural
Revival and answer questions about the upcoming trip. Other
activities during fall included a lecture on folk mythology and a
poetry reading focusing on the work of W. B. Yeats. In the spring,
the college will host an Irish film series. This Irish adventure is
open to students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 24
Fantastic Festivals Bring Intercultural Awareness to St. Louis
Community College - Forest Park Campus
by Daniel Yezbick
Keith Hulsey; Campus Life Director, PhilisheaIngram; Global
Education Coordinator, Daniel Yezbick; Hospitality Studies Chair,
Ellen Piazza, and Media Services specialist, Donna Bakke. As a
special treat this year, International Festival events were also coordinated around showcasing the campus’ NEH Muslim Journeys grant,
coordinated by Neil Das, Dan Yezbick, and Deborah Henry.
uJordanian filmmaker Suhad Khatib and STLCC students during
International Education Festival
S
TLCC-Forest Park has continued to expand
its Global and Intercultural Programming
with two popular events, the Fall International Education Festival and the upcoming Spring
Intercultural Arts.
This academic year, the Fall program included a number of specialized presentations, workshops, and performances ranging from
highly politicized travelogues of Palestine by Jordanian filmmaker, Suhad Khatib, to screenings of pithy documentaries like
The Dialogue from MSU’s Crossing Borders series. Festival goers,
students, and community members also enjoyed original programming by Forest Park faculty including
the crowd-pleasing “Harry Potter and the
St. Louis
Seven
Pillars of Islam” which re-imagined
Community
J.K.
Rowling’s
Hogwarts through a Muslim
College lens. The event drew quite a crowd and
Forest Park
featured a collaboration by two star faculty,
Hilary Wilson, a Children’s Literature
specialist, and Layla Goushey, a World Literature scholar. Other
offerings included political action seminars by LiNK (Liberty in
North Korea) and discussions of the liberating roll of soccer in
South Africa from internationally recognized scholar, Chuck Korr.
As always, the festival was capped by the International Club’s
exciting amalgamation of song, dance, and fashion as well as yearly
performances by the children of the St Louis Language Immersion
School. This celebration of diversity represents the truly collaborative spirit of multiculturalism that thrives at Forest Park and more
than 100 members of the campus community took part in its
successful orchestration including International Club coordinator,
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Public enthusiasm and administrative support for Forest Park
festivals continues to build and the campus International
Committee is already abuzz in preparation for this Spring’s Intercultural Arts festival, another ongoing collection of guest lectures,
workshops, and performances developed to showcase how visual
art, music, theater, and language allow us to define our differences
and celebrate our increasingly international perspectives on life
and learning.
Flying High
by Jim Bensley & Steve Ursell
S
ince 2011, the aviation program at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) in Traverse
City, Michigan has worked to ensure international participation with seven institutions around
the globe. NMC has been successful in signing
memorandums of understanding with universities/colleges in the United Kingdom, India, South
Africa and China that enable international aviation
students to train at NMC while also providing US
students the opportunity to gain aviation experience overseas.
One such partnership between NMC and
Northwestern
the University of Hertfordshire (UH) has
Michigan
allowed over 50 Aerospace Engineering
College
students, representing more than 15
countries, to gain required flight hours
high above the waters of Lake Michigan.
Students come to NMC to complete either a two-week flight experience course or an eight-week private pilot license course. Since
its implementation, the college has had a 100% completion rate.
Emmanuel Adeniji, a student form Nigeria enrolled at UH says,
“Flight training at NMC has not only been educational and fun, but
has underscored daily the fact that my occupation is truly an intercultural endeavor!”
continued on page 28
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 25
CCID/USMEXFUSION Internationalization Workshop in
Querétaro, México
by Carlos and Jennifer Huerta
C
CID Outreach Partner USMEXFUSION
delivered a workshop on Comprehensive
Internationalization to the technological
universities of León and Tehuacán in Querétaro,
Mexico January 30, 2014. Participants included Dr.
Jesús María Contreras Esparza, rector of UT León,
Dr. Francisco Valencia Ponce, rector of UT Tehuacán, and approximately 20 middle managers and
coordinators from each of their institutions.
The 6-hour workshop began with a presentation by U.S. participants Don Matthews, CCID Internationalization Coach, and Liz
Bergeron, CCID Program Manager. They joined the workshop via
Skype to participate in the discussion and encourage engagement
with CCID’s System of Comprehensive Internationalization (SCI). Liz also
provided
some background on CCID
USMEXFUSION
and the importance of SCI. Don added
his expertise by examining the difference between global and local education to help the participants contemplate why it is important to
internationalize even if they are part of a system that has traditionally focused on the “local” only. Carlos Huerta, Co-Director
of USMEXFUSION, and Dr. Heber Tamayo Cruz, USMEXFUSION’s Strategic Planning Coach, continued by defining comprehensive internationalization, highlighting the importance of
uJoint UT Discussions
Institutional Assessment and Engaging Leadership, authored by
Shawn Woodin, former CCID CCI Program National Director,
and Bonnie Bissonette, Associate Director of the Student Center
for Global Education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
The Framework for Comprehensive Internationalization (FCI) tool
was introduced to all workshop participants.
uSWOT Analysis Synthesis
u Workshop Facilitators and Participants
developing a new institutional culture, and providing additional
rationale for comprehensive internationalization within higher
education institutions in today’s day and age.
Completing the morning session, Jennifer Granger de Huerta,
Co-Director of USMEXFUSION, presented relevant data from
The Community College in a Global Context: New Directions for
Community Colleges, Number 161 (2013). Discussions focused
on Chapter 2, Building Support for Internationalization through
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 In the afternoon session, participants completed a brief SWOT
analysis focusing on the perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats concerning internationalization at their individual institutions. Following this activity, they synthesized their
answers in small groups. The discussions were lively and there was
strong participation from everyone. The day ended with smallgroup reflections between the two universities. They analyzed
similarities and differences between their institutions in the area
of internationalization. It led to very engaged discussions between
the participants. According to Dr. Contreras, “The seminar and
workshop on internationalization was a rich experience with a lot
of learning for the entire management team of UTL. It showed
both the work and knowledge of the speakers and CCID.”
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 26
NMC and EARTH Team to Bring Global Awareness
on Clean Water Issues
by Constanza Hazelwood
N
MC and EARTH team to bring global
awareness on clean water issues Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes
Water Studies Institute established a program in
Freshwater Studies in 2009 with an emphasis in
global policy and sustainability.
This emphasis area calls for a thorough understanding of waterrelated issues affecting the whole world. A key strategy is to
promote awareness of water challenges around the world, and
NMC has developed a global partnership with the Escuela de
Agronomia para la Region Triopical Humeada (EARTH University) in Costa Rica. NMC’s institutional agreement with EARTH
University was signed in 2011 to cover
Northwestern many aspects of international cooperation
including joint research projects, faculty
Michigan
exchange, short summer courses and
College
student internships. This joint collaboration serves students from the United States
and 30 other countries who exchange knowledge, dispositions and
expertise in sustainability and resource management, using innovative, efficient cost-effective technologies.
An outcome of NMC’s partnership with EARTH has been the
promotion of cross-functional teams within each respective
institution. At NMC, preparation for study abroad includes the
development of content knowledge in fresh water, in addition to
the development of language competencies in Spanish. Faculty
from NMC’s world languages and freshwater studies areas come
uNMC students take a break at Flamingo Beach, Costa Rica
together every year to offer an interdisciplinary course that
supports students in both areas before they embark on a trip
abroad. In addition, the experience abroad is suitable for students
studying world cultures with an emphasis in community service.
Faculty from the humanities is directing students towards the
completion of a summer course at EARTH, awarding them credit
for community service.
NMC’s partnership with EARTH University allows the college
to host students who need to complete their internship semester
abroad. These international students bring to a wealth of expertise
and knowledge to the local community in Traverse City, Michigan in the areas of horticulture, agronomy and waste management. During their internship, students serve the community by
volunteering at the college or at local schools, sharing their unique
cultural assets and language. Student exchange is not the only
component of NMC’s partnership with EARTH.
As a result of the memorandum of understanding, NMC has
connected with faculty and staff across 10 US universities-members of EARTH’s Consortium for Sustainability, who share
resources to offer outstanding summer programs in environmental
studies at EARTH.
uWater testing near Earth University in Costa Rica
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 27
St. Louis Community College represented
at the 2013 Chinese Bridge Delegation
by Chris Sulincevski
C
hris Sulincevski represented St. Louis
Community College at the 2013 Chinese
Bridge Delegation, a one-week educational
program in China, November 6-14, 2013. This was
an outstanding opportunity to deepen the understanding of China, share best practices, and build
partnerships with Chinese schools and universities.
The program is sponsored and hosted by Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters, Beijing. The program
included school visits, cultural activities
and educational workshops. Over 400 US
St. Louis
leaders from K-12 and higher education
Community
institutions participated in the week-long
College
program. The delegation members visited
Chinese K-12 schools and postsecondary
institutions, met with Chinese educators,
observed classes, interacted with students, established partnerships with Chinese educational institutions, networked with
NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE continued from page 25
NMC’s association with schools in the UK does not end with
hours completed in the skies of northern Michigan. During the
past two years, NMC has taken groups of students and instructors
to the University of Hertfordshire to complete a UK aviation experience course which includes a wing design project, glider flying
and tours of Airbus and Rolls Royce aviation companies. The partnership has had great success providing students and faculty from
both institutions an understanding of the global aviation industry
as well as overseas flight opportunities. This spring, NMC plans to
take advantage of a South African partnership with the University
of Witwatersrand (UW) and the Blue Crane Development Agency
by sending a combined group of aviation and nursing students to
Johannesburg, Somerset East, and Cape Town. While there, they
will be working to advance a partnership with UW (currently,
NMC offers their students an online aviation course) and develop
another with their department of nursing.
More developing countries are in need of pilots and looking to
procure them from the United States, or send their own students
here for training. To aid this future expansion at NMC, the
college has hired a former international student to head the aviation partnership programs. It is often said that, “The sky’s the
limit”…at NMC, we truly believe it.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS | Winter 2014 uChris Sulincevski was part of the delegation group that visited
Shandong University
U.S. colleagues, attend presentations on best practices, gathered
resources to build and support Chinese language and culture
programs, experienced China firsthand, and marveled at the
rich Chines culture, tasty cuisine, and modern and ancient cities.
The organization of the program was immaculate. In Beijing
the group stayed at the famous Beijing Hotel. Beside visits to
Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters and universities, the
group had an opportunity to visit the Forbidden City, the Great
Wall, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Confucius, and other attractions. After two days in Beijing the delegation was split into
several smaller groups of about 30 delegates and each went to a
different regional province for a three day trip. Sulincevski was in
the group that visited Shandong province which is considered a
pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese Buddhism,
and Confucianism. Shandong’s Mount Tai is the most revered
mountain of Taoism and one of the world’s sites with the longest
history of continuous religious worship. The Buddhist temples
in the mountains to the south of the provincial capital of Jinan
were once among the foremost Buddhist sites in China. The city
of Qufu is the birthplace of Confucius, and was later established
as the center of Confucianism. Shandong province has emerged
as one of the most populous (95,793,065 inhabitants at the 2010
Census) and most affluent provinces in the People’s Republic of
China. The group visited University of Jinan, Shandong University, and several historical sites including the Confucius Temple,
Confucius Family Mansion, and Confucius Cemetery. The
group took the bullet train to and from Shandong province. This
program repeats every year and it is strongly recommended to all
CCID members. More information can be found at: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/awards/chinese/bridge.
Community Colleges For International Development, Inc. | 28