Overseas Students Add to Their Education at US Community

From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.

Community colleges in the United States have a lot to offer. Educators say these two-year colleges may be a good choice for international students who have finished secondary school and want to study in the US. Today we tell about a program for such students. It is called the Community College Initiative Program. It is designed for students from areas underserved in education and skills training. It lasts one school year.

Since 2007, about 2,100 students from 16 nations have taken part in the program. The Bureau of Educational Affairs of the State Department provides for their needs. Three consortia, or organizations, of community colleges work with the Bureau of Educational Affairs to administer the program. Schools across the United States take part.

Syedur Rahman is project director of the Community College Consortium led by Northern Virginia Community College. He says many students in poor, rural areas do not have an equal chance to succeed. At the start of their stay in America, students deepen their knowledge of English and learn about their schools’ surroundings. They can choose from among several fields of study, such as information technology, business administration and agriculture. Other areas open to them include media and journalism, engineering and health. Students attend classes and study at participating community colleges. They can also join in internship programs with businesses or nonprofit organizations. You can get more details of the Community College Initiative Program from the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy in your country.