CCBC launches International Education Week activities
College-wide observance includes diverse menu of events
Baltimore County, Md. – In celebration of the national
observance of International Education Week, developed by the U.S.
Department of Education and U.S. Department of State to draw attention
to the role of international education and creating understanding and
promoting appreciation in 2000, the Community College of Baltimore
County invites students, faculty, staff and the general public to
partake in a diverse menu of events ranging from films to feasts,
November 13-17, 2006. The weeklong celebration will be college-wide,
with activities planned at CCBC Catonsville, Dundalk and Essex.
In spring 2006, CCBC realized a one percent increase in international
student enrollment which now numbers 362. These students often help to
provide others with a unique cultural and intellectual perspective.
Interaction of this nature is paramount to the success of IEW.
Lillian Archer, CCBC Catonsville’s campus dean, says, “International
students challenge us in many ways and spark academic discourse in our
classrooms, courtyards, quads and hallways. IEW provides opportunities
to highlight the contributions of these students to CCBC.”
Gayona Beckford-Barclay, CCBC's assistant director of
International Education and Multicultural Learning explains that
international education is not just for international students but
provides numerous benefits for individuals in the U.S., as well. She
says, “International events, like International Education Week, allow
American students to become more globally aware so that they can
effectively operate in this increasingly interconnected and diverse
world.”
Beckford-Barclay, the Cultural Diversity Committee and Office of Student
Activities have prepared a schedule filled with intercultural dialogue,
international music and numerous multicultural activities. For
additional information about IEW events, please contact her at
410-455-4247 or
gbeckford@ccbcmd.edu. Inquiries may also be directed to the
Office of Multicultural Affairs at 443-840-5338.
