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Exploring New Cultures for Community College Students

Your Institution Name, Your Name, Title, Department

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Introduction

© In this slide you will want to introduce yourself and tell the audience where you are from and why you are in the U.S. In the next couple of slides you will want to tell the audience more about your home country in greater length.

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Home Country

Break up your home country into different regions, then in the following slides highlight the attractions, distinctions, and culture of each region to inform the audience about the various parts of your home country. Introduce the audience to the lifestyle and culture of your country, and emphasize how life differs outside of the U.S.

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My Region of the World

Add pictures and information about your region of the world (ex. Southeast Asia, Europe, Middle East, Latin America, Western Africa, etc.)

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My Country©Add information here about your

country, such as your head of state, types of houses, what your money looks like, types of food, attractions students would be interested in, etc.

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My CityAdd pictures and information about city

views, your friends, where you went to school, places in your community, etc.

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Culture©Have a slide here about your culture

of your home country and how it differs from culture in the U.S. Perhaps you want to include differences in lifestyle, food, dress etc.

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AttractionsMention here different attractions to your

country-both physical and intangible. May want to include picture of a landmark or just a picture you are fond of at home. Another attraction might be the language, and you can say a sentence or two in your native language.

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Typical Living in (home Country)

Provide information here about what daily living is like in your home country…include pictures, and highlight the differences between typical living arrangements back home and those evident in the U.S. Include these even if they are minute differences-such as different kinds of toilets or different eating utensils.

Changing Perspectives“It boils down to changing your perspective in hopes of expanding your mind. Luckily for me, I was used to changing my perspective like I changed schools. In this sense transfer students are well suited to study in other countries.”

Danielle Foster, UC San DiegoUniversity of Bristol, 1997-98Transfer student, Grossmont Community CollegeUC Education Abroad website, www.eap.ucop.edu

Why Learn about Other Cultures?

• Create Global Awareness

• Promote International Security

• Enhance Academic Learning

• Develop Leadership Skills

• Advance Your Career

• Experience Personal Growth

• Learn Another Language

Top 5 Reasons to Learn about New Cultures

1. Learning about new cultures is a life-altering experience!

2. A chance to learn about yourself and be independent

3. Gain perspective on your own country and culture

4. Learn a new language

5. Make connections that can last a lifetime

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Where Can You Learn About?

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Africa

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Asia

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Australia

Latin America

Europe

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Middle East

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North America

Individuals must acquire and demonstrate a number of skills or competencies to be able to live and work successfully in a global economy and a diverse society of people from different backgrounds, cultures and countries.

These skills are often characterized as global competencies

Global Competencies

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Advancing Tolerance and Understanding

“Clearly, we need to use education to advance tolerance and understanding. Perhaps more than ever, international understanding is essential to world peace -- understanding between faiths, between nations, between cultures. Today, we know that just as no nation is immune to conflict or suffering, no nation can defend itself alone. We need each other -- as friends, as allies, as partners -- in a struggle for common values and common needs.”-Kofi Annan, Former U.N. Secretary-General

The Future of Community Colleges and International Education

Community colleges have made their mark on "traditional" international education, and that impact has been deep in recent years. Community colleges represent a growth area in international education, and there is a huge potential for growth in the future. The role which community colleges will play in shaping international education and trends in U.S. higher education will be an exciting one.

From The Impact of Community Colleges on International Education, Institute for International Education (IIE) Open Doors Report 2003

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Preparing For Your Future

“In the 21st Century, there will be only two kinds of people: Those who think globally and those who are looking for

work.”

-Peter F. Drucker, Writer, Management Consultant and Professor

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Community College Study Abroad Opportunities

They exist in the form of short-term summer, winter/spring break, and semester-length courses that concentrate on foreign language instruction, as well as instruction in the humanities, arts, social sciences, natural history, and occupational fields. Most study abroad courses are acceptable for graduation and transfer credit.

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Study Abroad After Transfer Students coming from community colleges are able to

study abroad through the 4-year institution they transfer to

Recent research on community college transfer performance shows that transfer students typically are academically well focused and high achievers while on programs abroad (University of California EAP program, www.eap.ucop.edu)

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Transfer Students say…. “Two of the biggest misconceptions made by transfer

students are that they don't have the time or the money to study abroad. As far as financing issues are concerned, my own study was funded entirely by scholarships and grants that were only available for students wishing to study abroad.”

“The time factor is another issue that regularly pops up as a reason for not studying abroad…I can only say that the year I spent abroad was the best year of my life. Why give up the best year of your life so that you can graduate a little earlier?

Tools for Finding a Program

Home Campus Study Abroad Office/Resource Center: The best place to look for a study abroad program is your U.S. home campus study abroad office (where available). The staff can help you through the process of finding a program, applying, participating, and returning home.

Reference Books: The following are comprehensive reference books which are updated each year: Peterson’s Study Abroad, Peterson’s

Tools for Finding a Program

Summer Study Abroad, IIE Academic Year Abroad, and IIE Short-Term Study Abroad. They include detailed explanations and descriptions of many study abroad programs.

Websites: There are a number of websites with information about available study abroad programs. Some websites we recommend are: Studyabroad.com, Goabroad.com, IIEPassport, and Peterson’s

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Leading Community Colleges by Number of Students Abroad

1. Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, CA with 255 students abroad

2. Chaffey College Rancho in Cucamonga, CA with 218 students abroad

3. College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL with 200 students abroad

4. Citrus College in Glendora, CA with 185 students abroad

5. Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA with 182 students abroad

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Leading Community Colleges by Number of Students Abroad (Cont.)

6. Glendale Community College in Glendale, CA with 166 students abroad

7. City College of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA with 163 students abroad

8. Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA with 157 students abroad

9. Pasadena City College in Pasadena, CA with 155 students abroad

10. Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, CA with 123 students abroad

That’s over 1800 students abroad

As you are selecting a program, check with your academic advisor on:

1. How to transfer back your study abroad courses

2. What requirements there are for the courses to count

3. What the courses will count for (GEs, major, minor, electives)

Coursework

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Room and Board

© Living arrangements vary from one location to another. Possibilities include university residence halls, staying with a host family in a private home, sharing an apartment, and boarding houses.

© In some cases you will have a meal plan similar to those at your home institution. In other cases, you or your host family will be responsible for providing meals.

Funding Your Study Abroad

Financial AidAt many institutions, financial aid transfers to Study Abroad Programs

Scholarships Advance Planning and Budgeting

Funding Your Study Abroad

The cost of living in some countries is less than in the US Not all programs cost the same—shop around.Depending on the duration of your program, the flight there can be a significant portion of the expenses. Flights to countries closer to home or frequently visited, and student tickets purchased well in advance, tend to be cheaper.

• See the world and broaden your experience• Gain a new perspective on your own country • Explore your heritage • Gain new insights and outlooks through new relationships

Reasons For Students From Diverse Backgrounds to Study Abroad

Reasons For Students From Diverse Backgrounds to Study Abroad

• Fight stereotypes by educating others • Dispel your own stereotypes• Take control of your future• See what influenced great leaders

“Studying abroad is a great way to gain perspective and experience that will shape the rest of your life–personally and professionally.”

Jenny Ming President Old Navy

Reasons For Students From Diverse Backgrounds to Study Abroad

“You cannot fully understand your own life without knowing and thinking beyond your life, your own neighborhood, and even your own nation.”

Dr. Johnetta ColePresident of Bennett Collegefor Women in Greensboro

Reasons For Students From Diverse Backgrounds to Study Abroad

“As a nation we must do more to reach out to the world and bridge cultural and social understanding.”

Gaddi VasquezFirst Hispanic Directorof the Peace Corps

Reasons For Students From Diverse Backgrounds to Study Abroad

“As native peoples, we are very much aware of the interconnection of all things... Truly, may the rest of the world take note that even a million miles cannot separate sincere hearts.”

Jerry Elliot High EagleNASA Physicist and Designerof the First International Site for Peace

Reasons For Students From Diverse Backgrounds to Study Abroad

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Now that students have heard various reasons to study abroad, you can help to inspire them and personalize your presentation by telling them what motivated you to study in the U.S. You may offer a unique perspective, or what ultimately made you study abroad might be what a student needs to hear to decide to study abroad themselves.

Why I Studied Abroad…

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Questions?

Offer here to answer any questions they may have about your home country, study abroad, life back home, or how life is for you being a foreigner living and studying in the U.S. You will want to come prepared to answer questions so consider these issues in advance and how you may want to respond to these concerns.