Being an international student at a United States college isn’t as simple as getting off a plane, moving into the dorms, starting classes, and earning a satisfactory GPA.
From paperwork to getting used to new surroundings, the process is challenging.
“The movies make it look easy and like anyone could get into an Ivy League school and party their heads off and have a great life in the U.S.,” says Kerri Brown, director of Global Learning at JCC. “We know the reality is there is more work and planning involved. It takes a village to support the international program, and solid commitment from the entire campus community to be successful. The students also need to be committed and sometimes they don't realize how hard that really is until they get here and experience it for themselves.”
The Global Learning program at SUNY JCC brings international students to campus and helps them settle into college life in a foreign country. Nearly 70 students from 21 countries comprised the international community at SUNY Jamestown Community during the fall semester, bringing with them a wealth of cultural learning opportunities for students, faculty and staff, and the surrounding area.
Details such as obtaining a study visa, making sure verified high school transcripts are submitted, and paying for tuition (which secures housing on campus) must be completed before an international student leaves home.
Upon arrival, tasks like getting to and navigating a grocery store for food, getting situated in their new housing, and possibly needing to overcome language barriers while navigating their classes becomes the focus.
JCC’s commitment to fostering international exchanges dates back to the 1950s and 60s. Over time, the program’s responsibilities expanded to include managing the legalities of having international students in residence, and ensuring their basic needs are met from the moment they set foot on campus.
Success in the classroom is more achievable when all of these pieces are in place.
Brown is in her first year with the program and has identified many ways the program’s foundation can be strengthened. A wall-sized whiteboard, covered in Brown’s goals and objectives, stands in her office. At times she feels overwhelmed by all of the possibilities she sees for the program, but her team and the students she serves drive her forward.
“We are building new strategies and will be piloting new ways to engage international students. One way we can make the transition to JCC easier is to start building relationships with international students while they are still in high school,” Brown explained. “Much like our College Connections program, we’re working on dual enrollment agreements with international high schools. We are also working with a cohort of South African students who graduated this month to start online this spring while waiting for their visa applications to be approved. They will be ahead of the game when they arrive on campus in the fall, and could graduate sooner.”
Mark Sasse, arts programming administrator for the college and project manager for Global Learning, recently returned from a three-week trip overseas to recruit partner schools in the Republic of Georgia and Malaysia for the pilot. Sasse taught English in Malaysia for 17 years and spent last summer creating promotional literature and draft agreements to present to schools for this trip.
“Most of the schools had never heard of this style of partnership before,” Sasse said. “They’ve experienced dual-enrollment courses, but they aren’t taught by their own teachers so they were very intrigued by this possibility.”
Sasse returned to the United States confident his time and travel will net the college new relationships and avenues for travel to and from JCC.
“They loved the idea of being able to send a cohort for a summer to see things and experience America, and we might be able to send students there also,” Sasse said. “We have brand recognition and personal contacts. Being part of the SUNY system is very helpful as it has achieved international recognition and a good reputation overseas.”
While the college works to ensure new cohorts of students are well prepared to come to JCC, Brown says those already attending have been met with assistance from faculty, staff, and other students. She says the connections and assistance offered benefit everyone involved, and makes her proud of her community.
“Help has come from many different places this year,” Brown said. “The JCC Foundation sponsored meals and a dinner when students first arrived. The Global Learning team delivered bags of groceries assembled by the college’s food pantry to students' rooms. Others raised money to help with unmet needs, hosted international students in their homes for the holidays or provided transportation to stores for supply runs. Our students step up and help fill in gaps too.”
Anyone wishing to explore the Global Learning Program or how they can get involved can find out more at sunyjcc.edu/studyabroad.