Exploring New Cultures for
Community College Students
Your Institution Name, Your
Name, Title, Department
1
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.
2
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.
3
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.)
4
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.
5
My City
Add pictures and information about city
views, your friends, where you went
to school, places in your community,
etc.
6
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.
7
Attractions
Mention 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.
8
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 differencessuch as different kinds of toilets or different
eating utensils.
9
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 Diego
University of Bristol, 1997-98
Transfer student, Grossmont Community College
UC 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
Where Can You Learn About?
13
Africa
14
Asia
15
Australia
16
Latin America
Europe
Middle East
19
North America
20
Global Competencies
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
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
22
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
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
24
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.
25
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)
26
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?
27
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
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
30
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
31
Coursework
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)
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.
©
33
Funding Your Study Abroad
Financial Aid
At 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.
Reasons For Students From Diverse
Backgrounds to Study Abroad
• 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
• Fight stereotypes by educating others
• Dispel your own stereotypes
• Take control of your future
• See what influenced great leaders
Reasons For Students From Diverse
Backgrounds to Study Abroad
“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 Cole
President of Bennett College
for 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 Vasquez
First Hispanic Director
of 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 Eagle
NASA Physicist and Designer
of the First International Site for Peace
Why I Studied Abroad…
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.
42
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.
43