PR: Grants bring a wealth of international students to Pierce College
Posted on August 2, 2010
These 11 students from Turkey, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and South America are attending summer classes at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of State. Six additional students will be arriving this fall.
Pierce College has received two grants from the U.S. Department of State to provide academic and professional training for students from around the world in the 2010-11 academic year. There are currently 11 students taking summer quarter classes at the Fort Steilacoom campus. Six more students will arrive next month for fall quarter.
As a partner in the Northwest Community College Initiative, Pierce has joined with Edmonds and Whatcom community colleges to host students from South Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Near East. A total of 38 students will study in Washington State through this partnership; Pierce is currently hosting 11 students (two more will arrive in the fall) from Turkey, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, and South Africa. The participating colleges will provide access to professional training for young professionals from working class backgrounds
Additionally, Pierce College has received a second State Department grant to bring students from Eurasia and Central Asia through the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program. Under this award, the college’s fourth consecutive Global Undergraduate grant, Pierce will host four students from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Georgia, and the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The Global Undergraduate participants have completed their first year of university in their home countries and were selected on the basis of their academic record and leadership potential.
“In addition to providing academic and professional training, both programs share the goal of fostering mutual understanding between the participating countries and the United States,” said Sandra Plann, International Education’s marketing manager. “Participants take classes related to their professional goals and engage in programs designed to introduce them to aspects of American culture and to give them opportunities to share their cultures.”
The two grants total $682,558 and are awarded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The funds assist the college in its international education goal of fostering better understanding between people of the world and the local community.
|
Would you like to receive a daily digest of all the stories we post to The Suburban Times? If so, just fill in the simple form below and click the Subscribe to List button. Subscriptions are FREE and can be deleted at any time. Enjoy!
(Required fields are bold) |
