By VOA
26 March, 2014
From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.
Last week, we reported about community colleges in the United States. Some educators say these two-year colleges may be a good choice for international students who have finished secondary school and want to study in America.
Today, we tell about program at some American community colleges for students from several nations. It is called the Community College Initiative Program, it lasts one year. It is for students from areas underserved in education and skills training.
Since 2007, about 2,100 students from sixty nations have taken part in the program. The Bureau of Educational Affairs of the United States State Department provides for their needs. Three consortia or organizations of community colleges administer the program with the Bureau of Educational Affairs. Schools across the country take part.
Syedur Rahman is project director of the Community College Consortium led by Northern Virginia Community College. He says United States community colleges offer possibilities for foreign students whose governments can not do so. He says many students in poor, rural areas do not have an equal chance to succeed. They have few resources than students in big cities.
At the start of their stay in America, students deepen their knowledge of English, and learn about their school's surroundings. They have several fields of study to choose from, including Information Technology, Business Administration and Agriculture. Other areas open to them include the Hotel and Visitors Industries, Media and Journalism, Engineering and Health.
Students attend classes and study at school. But they also are active in other school activities. They hold internships at businesses and nonprofit organizations. Program members at Muscatine Community College in Iowa are a good example. They can complete internships at businesses from local farms to large companies.
Students also give presentations about their countries to other students, and to local communities. And they do many hours of community service. At Miami Dade College in Florida this year, Community College Initiative Program students took part in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of National Service.
You can get more information about the program from the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in your country.
That's the Education Report from VOA Learning English. For more stories about education, visit our website, chinavoa.com. I'm Jerilyn Watson.
