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Exchange Participants Build Workforce and Leadership Skills

By July 29, 2015December 18th, 2018No Comments

(Front row from left to right): Ziadah, Nagina Kulsoom, Necati Ekmekcioglu (Back row from left to right): Amira Elmasoudy, Adil Imran, Sher Baz Khan, Faiz Faiz

Exchange participants are arriving at Kirkwood Community College, one of 17 campuses across 11 states, to begin the 2015-2016 Community College Initiative (CCI) Program. The CCI Program is a program of the U.S. State Department that provides participants with quality educational study at U.S. community colleges and is designed to build technical skills, enhance leadership capabilities and strengthen English language proficiency.

Kirkwood is welcoming a group of nine CCI students from Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia and Egypt to study Hospitality Management, Public Safety and Media. According to Kirkwood International Programs Director Dawn Wood, the program has been a huge success at the college.

“Kirkwood is thrilled to be part of the Community College Initiative program again this year,” said Wood. “We have been fortunate to host some outstanding international students in the past who have overcome amazing obstacles on the path to their education. The CCI program offers a great opportunity for international students to join our community. Kirkwood looks forward to providing them an international education and to the lifelong intercultural friendships with our Kirkwood students, faculty and staff that will result.”

Participants pursue educational study focused on one-year certificate programs in workforce development fields. The CCI program also provides opportunities for professional internships, service learning and community engagement activities. After completing the program, participants return home with a deeper understanding of U.S. culture and new skills to help them contribute to the economic growth and development of their respective countries.

CCI participants also contribute to their U.S. host communities by helping U.S. community colleges to internationalize their campuses. According to the 2012-2013 Open Doors Report, only one percent of U.S. community college students will gain 21st century international experience and workforce skills through study abroad. CCI exchange participants engage community college students with international cultures and diverse perspectives in their U.S. classrooms and on their home campuses. CCI participants will study in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Since 2007, the CCI Program has hosted more than 2,350 participants from 20 countries. This year, CCI participants are from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey. The CCI Program recruits participants from underserved and unrepresented communities, particularly women.

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at eca-press@state.gov.