The Northwest Community College Initiative (NWCCI) welcomed 19 students at Edmonds Community College earlier this month.

Edmonds Community College was one of 17 campuses across 11 states, to host the 2015-16 Community College Initiative (CCI) Program.

“This is the seventh year that Edmonds CC has been awarded a Community College Initiative award from the U.S. State Department,” said Amanda Fletcher NWCCI Associate Director in International Student Services at Edmonds CC.

“I have been consistently impressed with how these high-caliber young leaders take what they learn in the United States to their home countries and use it to improve their communities.”

The CCI Program is a U.S. State Department program that provides participants with quality educational study at U.S. community colleges, and is designed to build technical skills, enhance leadership capabilities, and strengthen English language proficiency.

Participants pursue educational study focused on one-year certificate programs in workforce development fields. The CCI program also provides opportunities for professional internships, service learning, and community engagement activities.

After completing the program, participants return home with a deeper understanding of U.S. culture and new skills to help them contribute to the economic growth and development of their countries.

CCI participants also contribute to their U.S. host communities by helping U.S. community colleges to internationalize their campuses.

CCI participants will study in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Since 2007, the CCI Program has hosted more than 2,350 participants from 20 countries. This year, CCI participants are from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey and Yemen. The CCI Program recruits participants from underserved and underrepresented communities, particularly women.

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at eca-press@state.gov.