Lt. John Weinstein, a police lieutenant at one of the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program’s host campuses, has taken on the role of social host for two 2017-2018 CCI participants from Colombia: Camila Colorado and Natalia Martinez. In an article published in the November 2017 edition of NOVA’s Public Safety Newsletters, Lt. Weinstein […]
read moreParticipants Contribute Volunteer Hours to Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma Relief
In response to three devastating hurricanes that severely damaged U.S. communities in Houston, Texas; the southwestern coast of Florida; and the island of Puerto Rico, Community College Initiative (CCI) Program international exchange students studying at Houston Community College in Houston, TX and Valencia College in Orlando, FL have dedicated an […]
read moreIntroducing the 2017-2018 CCI Program Participants
Throughout July and August, the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program welcomed 154 participants from 11 countries to the United States. This year, participants come from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, and Turkey. As international exchange students, CCI participants complete academic coursework at […]
read moreSlums to Schools—CCI Alumnus Creates Opportunities for Youth in India
Ramesh Kumar studied information technology at Highline College during the CCI Program’s 2011-2012 program year. In Des Moines, Washington, Ramesh embraced his exchange experience and went above and beyond to make the most of his experience. Not only did Ramesh contribute 1,000 hours of volunteer service to his host community, […]
read moreAEIF 2017 Winner: CCI Alumnus Waleed Empowers Girls in Egypt
In 2017, the U.S. Department of State hosted its seventh annual Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) project competition. AEIF supports international exchange alumni initiatives that promote shared values and innovative solutions to global challenges. This year CCI alumnus Waleed Rashwan and his team were selected as one of 68 AEIF […]
read moreWhere Are They Now?
The CCI 2016-2017 cohort departed only three months ago in May 2017, but that hasn’t stopped these eager alumni from continuing to thrive and challenge themselves. Here are just a few examples of what the CCI Program’s newest alumni have already accomplished. Moises Gomez (Colombia, Northern Virginia Community College) Moises […]
read moreCelebrating American English in the CCI Program
For millions of people, learning to speak English is a gateway into the global economy. As emerging change-makers, English language proficiency offers CCI participants access to information, education, job skills, and the shared communication that is shaping the 21st century—this is why the CCI Program places a strong emphasis on […]
read moreInternational Exchange Participants Make Impact on U.S. Community Colleges
For the 2017-2018 academic year, international exchange participants will study at ten community college campuses across eight states as part of the Community College Initiative (CCI) Program. The U.S. Department of State’s CCI Program is administered by Northern Virginia Community College on behalf of the Community College Consortium. The program […]
read moreCCI Celebrates J-Day
On August 7, 2017, J-1 visa participants around the country gave back to their host communities by celebrating J-Day, and Community College Initiative (CCI) Program participants and alumni around the world joined the celebration. J-Day is a nationwide and worldwide celebration of the power of international exchanges and is meant […]
read moreCCI Alumna Awarded Two Microgrants for Community Workshops
As a CCI participant during the 2015-2016 program year at Santa Rosa Junior College, Khadija Rubaiyat Tasmia studied early childhood education. Although her studies focused on educational methods, she also learned about how aspects outside of a child’s classroom, including everything from parenting methods to social media, can have an […]
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