PARTNERS IN EDUCATION (PIE) NEWSLETTER Spring Quarter 2019 OIEGI MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS Vision The Office of International Education and Global Initiatives (OIEGI) is to become the regional center for international education by providing students, scholars, staff, and faculty with excellent services and holistic learning experiences. OIEGI staff comes from 9 different countries and they speak 12 different languages! Mission The Office of International Education and Global Initiatives (OIEGI) actively promotes global and intercultural understanding and enriches the academic and cultural environment at Bellevue College by creating and maintaining programs that encourage the exchange of cultures and ideas. OIEGI strives to: 1. Recruit and admit students from increasingly diverse locations across the globe and to support them from pre-enrollment through post-graduation. 2. Educate and advise international students and scholars regarding academic programs and immigration policies. 3. Prepare future global leaders by facilitating opportunities to grow holistically by gaining new knowledge, developing character, discovering and respecting global perspectives through study and practical experiences. 4. Identify opportunities for staff, faculty, and administrators to acquire international education experience. 5. Encourage faculty, staff, and student exchange through the development of global partnerships. 6. Collaborate with faculty to infuse a global component within the curriculum. 7. Develop living and learning communities for international students and international visitors. IMPORTANT DATES INSIDE THIS ISSUE: SUMMER QUARTER 2019 FALL QUARTER 2019 OIEGI mission and vision .................. 1 BC’s International student portal and Online application ................... 2 Application deadlines Application deadlines Student housing at BC ....................... 2 n Outside the U.S. – May 20th n Outside the U.S. – August 6th Snow tubing ........................................ 3 n Already in the U.S. – June 17th n Already in the U.S. – August 30th MLK day activities .............................. 3 New student orientation New student orientation Transfer fair ........................................ 3 Featured program .............................. 4 n College credit and IHSC –June 24th n College credit and IHSC – September 5th Meet the staff ...................................4-5 n ESL and Bridge – June 25th n ESL and Bridge – September 9th Meet the alumni ................................. 5 bellevuecollege.edu/oiegi • [email protected] • (425) 564-3185 p • (425) 641-0246 f @BCOIEGI OIEGI Updates BC’s International Student Portal and Online Application The International Student Portal (formerly Student Portal is the way students can only use their BC NetID to access the TerraDotta) has been a success in assisting submit important request forms to International Student Portal. students and agents in applying to Bellevue their international advisor and they As we continue in updating the College. We appreciate all of the patience can monitor the progress on the forms. International Student Portal and the and support we have received while we We hope this system creates a seamless international student application, we have implemented this new application way for students to access and manage appreciate your feedback and patience system, and we are continuing to work request forms. with this process. Please let us know how on ways to make it easier for potential We will familiarize all students with your experience with the International students and agents. the International Student Portal at our Student Portal has been, as we value The International Student Portal is not only orientations, but it is important that your input and can use it to further an online application for new international students create a BC NetID before they help our students! students at Bellevue College, but it will attend orientation so that they have continue to play an important role in a BC complete access to it by the time they students’ college life. The International start college. Students will eventually Student Housing at Bellevue College The new Bellevue College Residence Hall offers Bellevue College students the opportunity to live and engage on-campus. This community is home to up to 400 students in a variety of suites and apartments and includes plenty of community spaces for studying, meeting, and socializing. The community is built with sustainability in mind and has many features that support this value, such as a rain garden, smart water systems, utility monitoring, permeable pavement, and abundant natural lighting. Residence Hall exterior and main entrance Dining area and Pizza Cafe´ Kitchen and Living Room in four-person apartment Page 2 Bellevue College Office of International Education and Global Initiatives OIEGI Events OIEGI organized events for BC international students—Winter Quarter 2019 Snow Tubing Martin Luther King Day: Volunteering at Eastgate Park International Students Transfer Fair Summer Quarter 2019 Newsletter Page 3 Featured Program 2019 Nagoya College Program Feb. 17 to March 16, 2019 By Kazumi Hada, Director of International Education The Office of International Education (OIE) and English Language Institute (ELI) hosted 13 students and a professor from Nagoya College for a four-week customized program from mid-February this year. Nagoya College is a two-year women’s college located in the suburbs of Nagoya in Aichi prefecture in Japan. This was the 9th consecutive year Nagoya College sent their students to BC. Short-term customized programs are often organized by a school in overseas and are for non-matriculated students who visit BC for anywhere between one to four weeks to improve their communicative English skills and experience rich diverse cultures firsthand. Short-term customized programs provide an opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zone, learn to solve everyday problems, and become more self-reliant in an unfamiliar yet supportive environment. OIE and ELI anticipate 4-5 short-term groups this in July and August 2019. Participating in a short-term customized program is a great way for undecided prospective international students (and their families) to test the water before making a major commitment of pursing a degree in the USA! Amazon Headquarters Pike Place Market Discovery Park Meet the Staff Heather Woods, International Student Advisor (ESL, Bridge, IBP) Heather is originally from British Columbia, Canada, and has dual citizenship with the United States. She has been living in the Seattle area since 2000, as she loves living near water and mountains. Heather graduated from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences, and began teaching and assisting children with developmental disabilities after completing her degree. She fell in love with being in the classroom and the rewarding feeling of seeing students learn and develop their skills. After traveling through Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, and Mexico, she decided to pursue a career in international education. Heather began teaching international students in an intensive English program in 2008 while earning her M.Ed. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Seattle University. She has continued working with international students in both the classroom and administration ever since and loves every bit of it! She has worked at ELS Language Centers as well as at Cascadia College before joining Bellevue College in 2018 as an International Student Advisor. In her free time, Heather enjoys playing with her two young children and seeking out different local events (live performances, farmers’ markets, and sports & fitness events). Heather believes everyone is a student and that the global perspective shared by international students is very unique and valuable. She appreciates working in a field where she can continue her passion of helping students achieve success and map out their futures. Page 4 Bellevue College Office of International Education and Global Initiatives Meet the Staff Eva Juarez, International Student Engagement Coordinator Eva is originally from La Habra, California, and has always been passionate about her work in higher education. In 2002, she helped start a small non-profit college counseling center called Advance! On to college to help low-to-moderate income families with no prior experience with college navigate the college process. Eva has a B.A in Communications from California State University, Fullerton, and a M.S. in Educational Counseling from the University of La Verne. In 2000, Eva was appointed by Governor Gray Davis to serve as a commissioner on the California Student Aid Commission, representing all community college students in California. As an academic counselor at Santiago Canyon College, she helped start the first international student program at the college, serving as their first International student counselor. Eva moved to Seattle, WA in 2014, and has worked at Bellevue College since 2015. Eva has worked in higher education since 1999, and truly enjoys helping college students along the way. Eva plans to finish her Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership, which she stared at CSUF. Eva enjoys being a mom, and her hobbies include traveling, volunteering, and being outdoors with her family, and dog Luna. Meet Alumni Name: Nick Biashikila Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Kongo Degree earned at BC: Associate