In The News Minute article “Giving wings to dreams: How the US consulate in Hyderabad is helping disadvantaged students,” three Indian CCI alumni who studied in Arizona, Wisconsin, and Texas during the 2016-17 program year shared about their experience studying abroad during their CCI Program year. They commented on all aspects of the program including academics, service, and cultural exchange. Srividya Jindam (Houston Community College, Business, 2016-17) discussed the technical skills she learned in her college classes and her experience with volunteering and engaging in American traditions, while Chandrakanth Begari (Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Media, 2016-17) spoke about building mutual understanding with new international friends and what it was like meeting a local mayor. In summarizing her year, Sushma Darshanala who studied IT at Scottsdale Community College said, “It was like we absorbed knowledge and information worth a hundred years, in one year.”
The article also included interviews with four young women who are preparing to enter the 2017-2018 CCI Program Year. One incoming participant, Begum Anjum said, “I could never have imagined that I would leave the country for a cultural exchange program, as my family can’t afford it. However, I’m excited and I’m sure that it will be a great experience for me.”
In a different article in Telengana Today, “Four underprivileged Telugu girls make it to US college programme” expanded on the personal stories of Shwethana Leela, Kaveri Aavula, Anjum Begum, and Haseena Shaik, who were interviewed in the previous article. These young women will be studying in fields like agriculture, information technology, and early childhood education and talked about what they plan to do with the knowledge they gain from their exchange year in the United States, including opening a preschool for children with special needs and using geospatial technology to identify lands and grow crops in India.
You can read the full articles via The News Minute and Telengana Today.
Gabriel Hons-Olivier, Chief, Public Affairs, US Consulate General, Hyderabad interacting with students selected for Community College Initiative Program. Photo: Hrudayanand