Northwest Community College Initiative Pre-Departure Orientation Spring 2012 Congratulations! NWCCI is pleased to welcome you to our community college campuses for the 2012-2013 Northwest Community College Initiative program. Our mission is to facilitate your success in all programmatic components: cultural learning and sharing; academics, unpaid internships, and community service. You will be getting a welcome packet shortly. Please review it and keep it for your reference. When you arrive on campus you will attend an orientation which will include tours of the campus and immediate community, as well as information NWCCI will provide calling cards and snacks for on banking, local transportation, school the first day so that you can call your family and registration, and more. have something to eat after your long trip. After your adviser helps you set up a bank account she will take you food shopping where you can also purchase sundries and a cell phone. What is a Community College? The term "community college" is used to describe publicly funded two-year institutions. The name derives from the fact that community colleges primarily attract and accept students from the local community and are often supported by local tax revenue. Community colleges typically issue certificates, associate degrees, and high school diplomas. After graduating from a community college, some students transfer to a four-year college or university for two to three years to complete a bachelors degree. *To find out more about Washington state community and technical colleges, visit the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. What is NWCCI? NWCCI, or the Northwest Community College Initiative program, is a special scholarship program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. It is a consortium of 3 schools in the Northwest region of Washington State: Pierce, Edmonds, and Whatcom Community Colleges are all located with in one hundred and fifty miles of each other. Each campus has a unique campus culture with a diverse student body. As such, students at different campuses are sure to have different experiences. It’s important to remember that no matter where you are placed, all participants are part of a bigger program with the same set of goals and expectations. Certificates The Northwest Community College Initiative provides participants with the opportunity to earn 2 different certificates – an academic certificate and a NWCCI program certificate. Earning an academic certificate is dependent on the attainment of English proficiency as well as completing the academic requirements set by the college in the time allowed - before June 2013. Your being awarded the scholarship does not guarantee your earning an academic certificate. Earning a NWCCI program certificate is dependent on successful completion and participation in all the components of the program, including academics, internships, community and cultural programs. Important NWCCI Facts The following is covered in more detail in the Terms and Conditions document introduced in your pre-departure orientation. Details will be further communicated upon your arrival during each college’s orientation and in the student handbook provided. Regarding funding, please be aware that: Every student in the NWCCI program will receive a $650 monthly allowance, which we call a stipend, to use for living expenses. The administrative teams at your respective colleges will purchase your books and tuition each quarter. You will receive a student bus pass to use for local transportation. You will receive a monthly stipend for phone/internet services. You will be covered under the ASPE Accident and Sickness Health Benefit program. NWCCI Resources Each campus will have its own International Student Services department that will be your go-to source for campus-specific information. The following links are a good way to familiarize yourself with the NWCCI program. They are your roadmap to understanding the “bigger picture” of what we do, why and how we do it. At the end of the presentation there are links to the websites referred to below. (By choosing to “like“ the NWCCI facebook page you can learn more about what we’re doing right away. ) Website Facebook Newsletter NWCCI Cultural Program As part of the program goal to experience the U.S. culture, students at all 3 campuses will have the chance to experience important landmarks and activities in Washington State. Additionally, students will be expected to share information about their own cultures through activities and presentations. In the past, students on the NWCCI program visited Microsoft, Boeing, the state capitol in Olympia, local Native American tribal lands, the Pike Place Market and Space Needle in Seattle, local police and fire stations, and much, much more. Students will be required to participate in a specified amount of planned excursions which will be discussed in more detail during your arrival orientation. NWCCI students at a legislative rally on the steps of the NWCCI students at the Boeing Future state capitol building in Olympia, WA. of Flight Visitor Center NWCCI Internship Program Academically successful students will have the opportunity to seek an unpaid internship for which they will earn credit during their studies. Students have enjoyed their practical experiences with hotels, travel agencies, college IT and marketing departments. They’ve also worked for small local businesses, such as Candela Technologies and VMC Media Management, and international non-profit agencies like the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and the Starlight Foundation. NWCCI Community Service Another component of the NWCCI program is community engagement. With the help of your campus adviser, you will create a personal program to share your culture and serve the community. Examples of past student experiences include presenting about your culture at local elementary schools; giving speeches at community rotary clubs; volunteering at the food bank; community development with the fire department; and participation in International Education Week on campus. Pierce students work with the Fire Department to deliver pumpkins for Whatcom students present on their culture to children to carve for Halloween. young children at a local Elementary school. NWCCI Academics As outlined in the Terms and Conditions, participants will be placed in the field of study for which they applied and cannot change their field of study. Students must be enrolled in at least twelve credits per quarter. To earn an academic certificate students will need to take an average of fifteen credits per quarter. Every student will take an English placement test to determine appropriate class placement. Students may need additional ESL classes before they are ready to take classes for their certificates. Ability to earn an academic certificate is dependent on English proficiency, class attendance, completing assignments and passing all courses. NWCCI English Preparation Program All 2012-2013 NWCCI participants, despite English level test results, will enroll in a month-long pre-academic training program geared toward getting ready for the United States community college classroom. Students will study alongside their cohort at their respective college for most of the day, all week throughout the month of August. The pre-academic training program will be a determining factor in the direction students take fall quarter. Depending on English proficiency achieved, some students will continue on in ESL and perhaps pursue a certificate in learning English as a Second Language, while others will move into college-level coursework to pursue an academic certificate in their field of study. Introducing Washington State Where are the 3 Colleges located? Whatcom Community College is located in Bellingham, about 90 miles north of Seattle. It is part of Whatcom County. Edmonds Community College is located halfway between Everett and Seattle, approximately 20 miles North of Seattle. It is part of Snohomish County. Pierce Community College is located halfway between Tacoma and Olympia, approximately 45 miles south of Seattle. It is part of Pierce County. Western Washington Washington state is known for its natural beauty and comfortable climate. Washington has a mostly marine west coast climate with moderately mild temperatures, wet winters, and dry summers. Known as the “Evergreen state,” Washington is home to dense conifer forests, which are full of trees that keep their leaves year-round. People in the Northwest enjoy local features like the ferry boat system, which carries passengers and vehicles across the Puget Sound region; Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in Washington and the Cascade mountain range; and the city of Seattle, home to sports teams like the Mariners (baseball), Seahawks (American football) and the Sounders (soccer). WA Economy – Industry and Agriculture Washington state is known for its business in aerospace, software development, food processing, lumber and wood products, chemical products, and tourism. A magazine survey recently indicated that Washington has 4 of the top 20 most admired companies in the United States: Starbucks (coffee), Microsoft (computer software), Costco (wholesale retail) and Nordstrom (clothing retail). Washington is a lead agricultural state. The apple industry is of particular importance to Washington because of its favorable climate of dry, warm summers and cold winters. In fact, the state has led