Warner Robins, Ga. – As a part of U.S. Department of State and its Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program funding, CGTC and its Office of Global Initiatives are gearing up for a new celebration of International Education Week like the College has never seen.
International Education Week (IEW), celebrated November 18-22 this year is an annual opportunity for U.S. Higher Education Institutions to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide.
This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of interagency efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences.
This year’s events are special for the College. In 2023, CGTC became one of 34 U.S. colleges and universities in 28 U.S. states to be awarded a grant. Since then, the College has been working to develop and expand study abroad programs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Brazil, and Africa.
Under the work of the grant, CGTC has developed new international partnerships, trained faculty and staff, internationalized program curriculum, engaged diverse students in study abroad, broadened the destinations where underrepresented students have learned.
“Technical college students are not traditionally represented among U.S. undergraduates studying abroad,” said JoBen Rivera-Thompson, CGTC’s director of Marketing, Public Relations, and International Outreach. “This grant allows us to change that; study abroad opportunities developed under the IDEAS Grant to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Brazil, and eventually countries in Africa demonstrate our commitment to a pathway for all students from many backgrounds to study abroad.”
In addition to study abroad, the College also seeks to recognize the wealth of international culture and experiences CGTC students, faculty, staff and local partners have. Global Initiatives expects the week to serve as a unique showcase for heritage and culture.
Monday and Tuesday, November 18 and 19, will feature West African Drum circles hosted by a local hand drummer on the Macon and Warner Robins campuses outside of the Titans Cafe on both campuses at noon. Also on November 19, the Lofts at Houston Central, CGTC’s partner in premier student housing, will co-host an International Treats and Trivia event in its main building lobby, where students, faculty, and staff from CGTC and its partner Trinity School of Medicine are invited to share treats from their cultures and battle each other in international trivia.
Students, faculty, and staff representing an international culture can sign up to bring treats here: International Treat and Trivia Sign-up
On Wednesday, November 20 from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., the CGTC Adult Education Division and its ESL programs will host an International Fashion Show Event in the Warner Robins Campus Auditorium. Students and faculty from the program will showcase traditional attire from their countries.
On Thursday, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Warner Robins Campus A-Building Auditorium, performing musical artists from Brazil studying at the University of Georgia, Daniel Pina, his wife Maria Kamila, and members of their band Perrengue, will offer an educational and musical performance, sharing the connection of Brazilian music and its impact on culture and business in Brazil. The performance is free to students and staff, outside guests are encouraged to make a $10 donation to the Global Initiatives Scholarship Fund.
The week will culminate with a virtual session on upcoming study abroad opportunities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for Health Sciences, Brazil for International Business and Logistics Management, Honduras for Volunteer Learning, and Ireland for Dual Enrollment Students.
Details about the virtual session can be accessed here: cgtc.io/StudyAbroadInfoSession
Each event at the College will offer attendees a chance to learn about new study abroad programs, and students who submit an interest form at the event will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card to a local restaurant.
About the IDEAS Grant
The IDEAS Program is a program of the U.S Department of State with funding provided by the United States Government and supported in its implementation by World Learning. For a full list of 2023 IDEAS grantees, as well as information on upcoming IDEAS webinars and workshops, please visit www.studyabroadcapacitybuilding.org.
Events during IEW at CGTC will be funded in part by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated [herein] are those of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
About Central Georgia Technical College
As one of the largest two-year colleges in the state, CGTC operates three campuses and five centers throughout central Georgia, serving more than 30,000 individuals annually. CGTC is focused on connecting graduates to careers by offering quality education services, assuring a well -qualified workforce to support a healthy local economy. CGTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. For more information about CGTC, visit www.centralgatech.edu. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/centralgatech), Twitter (@CGTC), and Instagram (@centralgatech).