Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

International Students Build Workforce Skills at College of DuPage

  • 08/27/19

GLEN ELLYN, IL – College of DuPage (COD) has welcomed 16 students from around the world through the 2019-2020 Community College Initiative (CCI) program.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the CCI program recruits participants from underserved and unrepresented communities and provides them with quality educational study at U.S. community colleges. The program is designed to build technical skills, enhance leadership capabilities, and strengthen English language proficiency.

Since partnering with the CCI program during the 2012-2013 academic year, COD has hosted 124 international students from 13 countries worldwide. Students have come to the College from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, and Turkey.

International Student Services Program Coordinator Kayla Chepyator said she is thrilled to welcome this year’s studentsand applauded the program for its benefits to the visiting students, as well as native COD students.

“The Institute of International Education states that in 2016-2017, less than 11 percent of all undergraduate students in the United States had the opportunity to study abroad,” she says. “This number is even lower in community colleges. International exchange programs provide internationalization of U.S. campuses and provide students with an opportunity to learn from others to prepare them for their role as a global citizen.”

While at COD, visiting students pursue one-year certificate programs in workforce development fields and receive opportunities for professional internships, service learning, and community engagement activities. After completing the program, the students 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 countries.

This year’s students represent 12 countries, and include Abdullah Abdelraheem (Egypt, Business); Sangrem Bawm (Bangladesh, Business); Kabelo Boleu (South Africa, Culinary Arts); Udayabhanu Bolleddu (India, Horticulture); Marie-Honorée Kadio-Morokro (Ivory Coast, Horticulture); Sylvester Korang-Amoako (Ghana, Engineering); Jesus Miolan Reyes (Dominican Republic, MPTV); Magauta Ntsoeu (South Africa, Tourism); Linda Otieno (Kenya, Hospitality); Edgar Palomino Arevalo (Colombia, Tourism); Ria Pratiwi (Indonesia, Business); Akash Raj (India, MPTV); Ditha Rimadiputri (Indonesia, Business); Francisco Da Silva Santos (Brazil, Engineering); Toni Sitania (Indonesia, Tourism); and Faustina Teye (Ghana, Horticulture).

For more information about the Community College Initiative Program, contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at at[email protected].

For more information about COD’s Field and Experiential Learning/Study Abroad/Global Education programs, call 630/942-2356 or visit www.cod.edu/field.

Featured

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.

  • Opportunity by Design Framework

    Opportunity by Design

    Educational improvement efforts often focus on curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development, and intervention systems while treating the physical school building as background. But school design is not a passive backdrop to learning — it is a structural lever for equity.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.