Winter Quarter 2016 Newsletter Page 1

Best wishes for the new year from the OIEGI staff!

A Message from the Dean of OIEGI

I have been in the field of international education for 15 years, and I have traveled to over 30 countries. I consider myself very fortunate to work in this field, because it allows me to meet people from all over the world, to learn from their beautiful cultures, and to help students in any way that I can to achieve their academic goals.

At Bellevue College, we recognize the challenge of being far away from home and therefore have a dedicated and diverse group of staff with international experience to help one realize their academic and language goals.

Bellevue College has just added two

new applied bachelor’s degrees:

applied accounting and molecular

biosciences (accepting students for fall

2016). This will be added to our current

list of applied bachelor’s degrees in

data analytics, radiation and imaging

sciences, healthcare technology and

management, information systems and

technology, nursing (RN-BSN), and

interior design. A bachelor of science

in computer science, which is expected

to launch during the 2016-17 academic

year, is currently being developed.

W I N T E R Q U A R T E R 2 0 1 6 N E W S L E T T E R V O L U M E 2 / I S S U E 1

GloBelleView

www.bellevuecollege.edu/oiegi • oie@bellevuecollege.edu • (425) 564-3185 p • (425) 641-0246 f Find us on:

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Message from the Dean .................... 1-2

Report from the Director .................... 3-4

IBP Program Updates .......................... 4

New Staff Members .............................. 5

OIEGI Highlights & Achievements... 6-7

Upcoming Events ................................. 7

Study Abroad @ BC and International Student Recognized ............................. 8

New International Students at the Winter 2016 Orientation

Continued on next page.

Page 2 Bellevue College Office of International Education and Global Initiatives

Message from the Dean

Bellevue College has a strong reputa-

tion for academic excellence that is

consistently upheld by impressive

student achievement and top college

acceptances for those who decide

to transfer. As an example, Bellevue

College provides the largest number of

students who transfer to the University

of Washington to complete their bache-

lor’s degrees.

Whichever program interests you at

Bellevue College, I’m sure that you’ll be

impressed by the preparation and focus

of our dedicated faculty and staff who

will help to ensure that you gain the

knowledge, skills, and experience you

need to succeed in your career.

I look forward to serving you!

Sincerely,

Jean D’Arc Campbell

Dean of International Education

and Global Initiatives

Continued from page 1.

This WINTER quarter 2016, OIEGI is serving:❱1,245* students from 73 countries

& 6 continents

NUMBERS OF ENROLLING STUDENTS COMPARED TO WINTER 2015:

As of the 5th Day of Quarter WINTER 2016 WINTER 2015 Difference %

College Programs 827 742 85 11.46%

University Preparation/ESL 242 237 5 2.11%

Int’l Business Professions 97 108 -11 -10.19%

TOTAL 1,166 1,043 110 7.27%

*Including 83 not enrolled (i.e. taking quarter off )

Picture time with Brutus, the BC Mascot...

Volunteers with Brutus at the College Programs Orientation

Ambassadors and Volunteers at the ELI/UP OrientationO P P O RT U N I T Y AWA I T S O U R B A C H E L O R ’ S D E G R E E G R A D U AT E SGrow professionally, financially and pursue your educational goals in programs designed to accommo-date both individuals new to higher education and working professionals. Whether you want to complete your degree close to home on one campus, or are juggling work and family obligations, our degree programs are designed so you can advance your education and your career.

❱ F ind ou t more a t :www.bellevuecollege.edu/programs/degrees/bachelor/

BACHELOR’S DEGREES AT BC

Winter Quarter 2016 Newsletter Page 3

Progress in the OIEGI

Bellevue College hosted a Study Tour for the Afghanistan University Support and Workforce Development Program (USWDP) on May 4, 2015 (pictured left).

A Report from the Director of International Education

Happy New Year! A little over one year has passed since what was formerly known as Inter-national Student Programs (ISP) transformed to the Office of Interna-tional Education (OIE). The Dean of International Education and Global Initiatives (OIEGI) oversees two depart-ments: 1) OIE, and 2) Global Initiatives (GI), which is expected to launch in mid-Winter 2016. OIE’s main function is to promote, recruit, admit, advise, and support incoming international students at BC. About a year ago, the OIE team identified three priority initia-tives to achieve these goals.

Priority One: Diversification of International Student PopulationProgress Report: Compared to the previous YRQ, enrollment increased 4% in Fall ’14, 10% in Winter ’15, and 12% in Spring ’15. The number of represented countries (i.e., diversification) also saw strong growth of 6% in Fall ’14, 12% in Winter ’15, and 29% in Spring ’15.

To keep this upward trend, OIE tactically converted two vacant exempt positions to three international recruitment manager positions to promote and recruit qualified students from both traditional (Asian) and non-traditional markets. Second, OIE expanded regional outreach efforts by partnering with other reputable intensive ESL schools, high schools, and other educational/government organizations. Third, thanks to an improving economy and cultur-ally rich diverse skilled foreign workers in this region, BC attracts many highly educated family members of H, L, J and B visa holders who aspire to become students. Our trained admission special-ists provide step-by-step assistance on international admission and change of status immigration processes.

Priority Two: Retention}} Initiative 2.1: Expansion and Strategic

Programming of New Student Welcome Week }} Initiative 2.2: First-Year Check-In

Advising }} Initiative 2.3: Probation/PSI }} Initiative 2.4: Second-Year Check-In

Advising}} Initiative 2.5: Achievement Celebration}} Initiative 2.6: Converting Newly

Admitted Students to Enrollment

Progress Report: Retention is a big and hot topic among educators. OIE simply focused on “increased active engage-ment with students” starting from initial recruitment to post program comple-tion. Every OIE member contributes to this effort because a positive perception of OIE/BC often results in actual enroll-ment. For this article, I will focus on initiative 2.1 and 2.4.

Under the leadership of Brad Huggins, Assistant Director of International Student Success and his team, OIE’s mandatory new student orientation is more comprehensive and inter-active than ever! With increased interdepartmental collaboration and active engagement by international student leaders, new students receive “high-touch” services throughout Welcome Week. International Student Ambassadors present tips for success from students’ perspectives. The Office of Sustainability brings new students on an actual metro bus ride tour teaching them how to navigate the transportation

system. Academic Advisors illustrate the different degree plans and pathways. The orientation concludes with testing and a one-on-one registration appoint-ment with an OIE advisor. The biggest challenge remains finding enough intro-ductory courses for the new students to register so close to the quarter starting date. F-1 visa holders must be enrolled in at least 12 credits, and finding appropriate courses for 100+ new students is a daunting task. OIE plans to actively engage with the deans and/or department chairs to ease the initial enrollment practices.

OIE advisors are gradually imple-menting the second-year check-in for students with 45-college credits. Advisors focus on confirming the degree/pre-major, identifying deficient courses, informing about credit transfer from other schools, applying for gradu-ation, solidifying university transfer choice, or introducing practical training opportunities. OIE works closely with UW Seattle, UW Bothell, EWU@BC, and several out-of-state universities not only to improve transfer but also degree attainment rates. OIE advisors and the Career Center provide informa-tive presentations on the importance of internships and practical training options, ultimately helping boost employability of our students.

Kazumi Hada, Director of International Education

Continued on next page.

The biggest challenge remains finding enough introductory

courses for the new students to register so close to the quarter

starting date.

Page 4 Bellevue College Office of International Education and Global Initiatives

IBP Program Updates

The IBP Program is a one-year (four quarters) program of study for adult, non-native English speaking students interested in upgrading their skills in international business and English. The curriculum consists of a combination of English, business, and academic (college level) classes. The final quarter consists of a 220-hour observational, unpaid intern-ship and one on-campus class. Groups come to BC Spring and Fall Quarters.

The International Business Professions (IBP) Program continues to develop students’ academic and professional skills (www.bellevuecollege.edu/oiegi/future-stu-dents/international-business-professions).

Fall Quarter 2015 brought 37 new students (Group 53) to BC from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. After four classes and two Quarter 1 TOEFL tests, about half are now taking college level classes, Track B, and Track A (IBP and ESL) in Winter Quarter!!

Also in Winter is IBP Group 52, consisting of 63 students in their 4th

and final quarter of the program, all on observational internships. Intern-ships range from non-profit to local small and large companies in many industries: marketing, logistics, inter-national trade, refugee assistance, etc. The IBP staff and faculty carefully guide students to appropriate site placements, maximizing student skill development and site mission to showcase BC and company reputations.

Upcoming IBP activities:}} Feb. 4: IBP Networking Meeting

between Groups 52 and 53}} Feb. 6: IBP Group 52 Graduation

Ceremony}} March/April: IBP Group 54 arrives for

Spring Quarter

Progress in the OIEGI

Priority Three: Improve OIE Visibility and Communication

}} Initiative 3.1.1: Establish Open and

Routine Communication

}} Initiative 3.1.2: Maximize the Ambas-

sador Program

}} Initiative 3.1.3: Provide More Housing

Services to Students

}} Initiative 3.1.4: International

Delegation Visits For Professional

Development and Seeking MOU

Progress Report: In Winter 2015, OIE

published this quarterly newsletter to

celebrate remarkable achievements

made by our students and staff, share

plans and goals for the future, and

make the campus community aware

of challenges in hopes of remedying

them with your expertise and support.

OIE Recruitment team has significantly

improved our Facebook presence (60

new “Likes” since Fall ’15), our advisors

created a bi-monthly student newsletter,

the ambassadors are shooting video

clips to upload to the OIE website, and

the Student Life Coordinator designed

the first news bulletin for the housing

companies and host families to increase

engagement with the local community.

Lastly, OIE hosted three major foreign

delegations from Afghanistan, Denmark,

and Japan in 2015. In October, Dr. Rule,

Dr. Campbell, and Ms. Park visited five

higher education institutions in Japan

and South Korea to reaffirm existing

relationships and explore new partner-

ships. As a direct result, OIE hosted the

Memorandum of Understanding signing

ceremony with Jeju National University

from South Korea on January 5, 2016.

With the establishment of the Global

Initiative department this winter, OIE

hopes to actualize reciprocal exchanges

to mutually benefit both parties.

Continued from page 3.

IBP networking meeting between groups 52 & 53.

Bellevue College recently welcomed a delegation from JeJu National University, South Korea. During the meeting, Dr. Rule signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with President, Dr. Hyang-Jin Huh from JeJu National University.The MOU launches a partnership between the two institutions that will establish student exchange programs, staff and faculty led professional development programs, and various international education programs.

Winter Quarter 2016 Newsletter Page 5

International Team Members

Julia BoveeInternational Recruitment TeamIn my short 26 years, I have been lucky to call many places home, including Alaska, France, and most recently Washington. I grew up in the tiny island city of Sitka, Alaska (yes, like the movie The Proposal!), where as a teenager I fell in love with travel-ling. As soon as I could, I signed up to study in France my junior year of college. After

making many lifelong friends and devouring as many macarons as possible, I moved back to Alaska and worked as an assistant manager of a large kitchen and home retail store. Sitka draws a unique group of international travelers; my favorite part of my position was building relationships with customers from around the world. Working in sales with non-native English speakers could sometimes feel like high-stakes charades – it involved a lot of pointing, gesticulating, and laughing!

I have always identified with these international travelers; I understand how it feels to be in a new country, speaking a different language, learning the culture and ways of a new place. However, working with students has always been my passion, so I am excited to be here at BC supporting students as they adjust to life in Bellevue. With a bachelor’s degree in French and English and six years of professional experience in sales and marketing, I am excited to build connections with prospective students and help them achieve their educational goals. I look forward to connecting with you all soon, hearing your stories, and learning what makes Bellevue College feel like home to you.

Bernadetta TitusProgram Manager of English Language Institute (ELI) and Administrator Bernadetta was born in Poland. She immigrated to the United States in 1979. She attended an ESL program in Wilmington, Delaware. Bernadetta received a BA degree in international studies with emphasis on Russia and Eastern Europe

from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington in Seattle. She has been working at the English Language Institute at Bellevue College since 2000. She is fluent in Polish and Russian languages. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, traveling, and gardening.

Tuan DangAssociate Dean of Basic Studies & English Language Institute

Tuan was born in Laos and came

to the United States as a refugee in

1975. He formerly worked at Lower

Columbia College, where he was

the Program Manager for CEO/High

School Completion since 2011. He

also taught ESL and High School

Completion courses at LCC. Prior to

his work at Lower Columbia, Tuan

used his own savings to start an

affordable school in Thailand, where

the high cost of private education is

out of the reach of many. He has also

served as a Peace Corps volunteer

in Senegal. Tuan graduated from

the University of Washington with

bachelor’s degrees in biology and

zoology. He has two master’s degrees,

one in adult education and one in

bilingual education, and is currently

working on a doctorate at Oregon

State University in community college

leadership. He is fluent in Thai,

Lao, and Pulaar. He has two young

children, one boy and one girl, and

prior to their arrival enjoyed many

diverse hobbies but now his hobbies

primarily consist of playing with

robots, dinosaurs, care bears, and

plastic tea sets.

Introducing...

OIEGI would like to introduce you to a new member of our international recruite-

ment team and two members of the English Language Institute (ELI) staff.

Page 6 Bellevue College Office of International Education and Global Initiatives

Presenting at NAFSA: Association of International Educators

The Office of International Education

and Global Initiatives (OIEGI) is actively

involved in promoting and training

international education professionals.

Recently, Brad Huggins, Assistant

Director Student Success, and Deron

Dahlke, Assistant Director IBP Program,

presented at the NAFSA Regional Confer-

ence in Boise, Idaho in October. NAFSA,

the Association of International Educa-

tion, is an international organization

focused on comprehensive support of

international education and exchange.

“NAFSA advances public policies that

promote international education and

is committed to supporting a broad

public dialogue about the value and

importance of international education.

Through professional development

programs, publications, and networks

of professionals, NAFSA provides

opportunities for knowledge creation,

knowledge sharing, and skill-building.

NAFSA also plays a leadership role in

increasing awareness of and support

for the internationalization of higher

education among education leaders,

public policy makers, and the broader

community.” – from NAFSA website

As part of NAFSA’s Core Education

Program Workshop offerings, Deron and

other colleagues from Alaska and Idaho,

OIE Staff’s Highlights

OIEGI Highlights & Achievements

Carla Honkanen

Deron DahlkeBrad Huggins

Attending NAFSA: Association of International Educators

The NAFSA Regional 1 Conference

took place in Boise, ID during the end

of October 2015. The conference was a

place to meet and reconnect with other

international educational professionals.

I brought back the following items from

the conference. 1) All international

students need to have updated I-20s

(with new format) by July 1, 2016. 2)

The StrengthsQuest assessment is a

tool that can be used for teambuilding.

Members of the international student

advising team took the StrengthsQuest

assessment before our advising team

retreat. At the retreat, we discussed our

individual strengths and the strengths of

our team. Other highlights of the confer-

ence were visiting the Basque Museum

and biking on Boise’s river trail.

Region I Conference: www.nafsa.org/Connect_and_Network/Engage_with_a_Community/NAFSA_Regions/Region_I/Confer-ence/Region_I_Conference/.

Trainer Corps information: www.nafsa.org/Get_Involved/Decide_to_Volunteer/Trainer_Corps/Trainer_Corps/

presented strategies for international

student and scholar advising to new

and returning international education

advisors and staff. Brad co-presented

in sessions related to travel issues on

an F-1 visa, facilitated an international

student advising round-table and

co-presented about NAFSA’s Interna-

tional Education Core Competencies

with colleague Chanda Chen from the

University of Washington.

Deron, Brad, and other NAFSA

presenters are a part of NAFSA’s Trainer

Corps program that provides pre-con-

ference workshops and training.

Winter Quarter 2016 Newsletter Page 7

OIEGI Highlights & Achievements

FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT BELLEVUE COLLEGE

When What Time Where

Tuesday, January 26 CPT & Finding Internships for International Students 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm TBA

Saturday, January 30 Snow-Tubing 11:30 am – 4:30 pm The Summit

Wednesday, February 3 International Transfer Fair 10:00 am – 12:00 pm Cafeteria

Tuesday, February 9 OPT & Finding Jobs for International Students 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm TBA

February 8 – February 12 Lunar New Year Varies Cafeteria

Monday, February 15 Outlet Mall Shopping Trip TBA TBA

OIE’s Achievements in 2015:

1) Per the Institute of International

Education (IIE) Open Doors report1,

BC maintained 18th place out of the

top 40 associate’s colleges hosting

international students in the USA in

2014-15.

2) According to the NAFSA’s Economic

Impact report2, BC’s international

students generated 26.5 million

dollars and supported 160 jobs in

Congressional District 9 in 2014-15.

To put this in context, EWU generated

17.2 million dollars and supported

108 jobs in Congressional District 5.

3) In addition to serving 1,231 matricu-

lated international students from 74

countries, OIE successfully hosted a

total of 149 short-term customized

student and teacher program and

generated an additional revenue of

$181,500.

4) In Spring 2015, 63% of international

students enrolled in the college-level

program (excludes ELI) earned a GPA

over 3.00 while 17%

earned below 2.00.

5) In Fall 2015, thanks

to Dean Campbell,

student enroll-

ment from the

Democratic

Republic of the

Congo increased

by 2,200%.

6) In addition to the

mandatory quarterly

new student orienta-

tion, 341 F-1 visa holders

entering an American college

for the first time completed the

International First-Year Experience

(I-FYIE) HD 103 course in 2015.

1. Institute of International Education Open Doors 2015 Data. International Students: Leading

Institutions by Institutional Type: www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/

International-Students/Leading-Institutions-By-Institutional-Type

2. NAFSA International Student Economic Value Tool, 2014-15 Academic Year: www.nafsa.org/

Explore_International_Education/Impact/Data_And_Statistics/NAFSA_International_Student_

Economic_Value_Tool//?impid=hp:value_tool:box_2:mb_2015_11_16#distData

The newly developed NAFSA IE Core Competencies

Page 8 Bellevue College Office of International Education and Global Initiatives

Study Abroad and Student Achievement

The Office of International Education & Global Initiativeswww.bellevuecollege.edu/oiegi oie@bellevuecollege.edu(425) 564-3185 phone(425) 641-0246 fax

Find us on:

© 2016 Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington

International Student Recognized for Academic ExcellenceBenedicte Diakubama was only in her third quarter at Bellevue College when she was nominated to the All-USA Community College Academic Team. This prestigious award recognizes two students per institution who are in high academic standing with signif-icant experience in leadership skills and community service. Originally from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Benedicte is studying chemical engineering but hopes to work in petroleum when she returns home.

She has been an active member of the Bellevue College community, saying of BC: “It’s easier to be involved, there are more opportunities”. On campus, she uses her free time to volunteer with local students participating in BC’s Science Saturday program. She said the most interesting volunteer project was helping students build and operate floating robots at UW. One of her favorite parts of studying at BC is the relationships built with professors: “They always help you reach your

goals. I like the process – the intel-ligence coming out of their mouth.” And when she solves a tough physics problem? “I’m dancing every time!”

Study Abroad @ BC

Study abroad in China to see how

culture and health care intersect with

each other! This summer program

takes you to three Chinese cities and

you can earn up to 10 academic credits

from BC through two courses: HLTH

295, Global Health Perspective: China /

US as well as CMST&280, Intercultural

Communication.

Travel with BC faculty on-site to explore

200-year-old traditional Chinese

medicine stores, observe acupunctural

sessions and follow naturalist narra-

tors through a hiking trip in search for

wild plant-based traditional Chinese

medicine. This program also takes you

to famous sites like the Great Wall, the

Forbidden City, the Tibetan Temple,

the Heavenly Temple in Beijing and the

Panda Sanctuary in Chengdu, perhaps

the only one of its kind in the world

where you can see baby pandas in their

infancy.

Applications are now being accepted,

and program deposit ($500) is due on

April 15, 2016. Contact Study Abroad

Coordinator, Li Liu at li.liu@bellevuecol-

lege.edu or in person in R230P for more

information! (Office hours: Monday/

Wednesday 12:30-2:30 pm)

Fund for Education Abroad offers

a scholarship opportunity that fits

into the China program schedule.

Check the scholarship website here

(http://fundforeducationabroad.org/

applicants/) to start your scholarship

application today!

Visit: www.bellevuecollege.edu/study-abroad/home/china-summer-2016/

Apply at: www.bellevuecollege.edu/studyabroad/how-to-apply/

Heavenly Temple in Beijing, China