Hi, my name is Nikki! This summer was my first time organizing events for international students as the new Activities Coordinator. The summer flew by, but we did a lot of fun activities along the way! We made the most of our beautiful sunny days with a beach event, a trip to one of Washington’s islands, a baseball game, and a tour of a museum in Seattle. Students joined us online from around the world to play games and discuss U.S. culture. If you didn’t get to be part of these fun events this summer, don’t worry! We will repeat several of them this fall. Keep reading to learn what our students said about our summer activities!
Group of students posing on the Bainbridge Island ferry with the Seattle skyline in the background!
The ferry trip to Bainbridge Island was the most popular in−person event this summer. We met in Seattle and walked on to the ferry together. After a short ride to the island, we walked through the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, then enjoyed browsing the downtown shops. The most difficult part of the day was deciding on just one of the many restaurants for lunch! After stopping for ice cream, we called it a day. My favorite part of this trip was seeing new friendships form. On the ferry ride to Bainbridge, only a few students seemed to know each other, but on the trip home, everyone was hanging out together as a group. The students who came to this said they wanted to go again and to have even more time to explore. I can’t wait to repeat this event in the fall quarter!
Students in front of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
I also got to play games with students every week on Zoom and Discord. In our Connect & Play series, we played Codenames, Dinosaur Tea Party, and Go Nuts for Donuts. Here’s what some students said about game nights: “Today’s game was fun and I got to speak English more as well as listening. So helpful!!” “It was so fun. I played plenty of games and got to know new friends.” “It was super fun and I learned new games that I can play with others. Definitely going to sign up for the fall event.”
Connect & Play – learn about American culture and meet other students!
If you want to join us for the Bainbridge Island trip, Connect & Play online game nights, or other fun events this fall, check out our Instagram at @shoreline_international for updates on upcoming events!
One year ago, the College moved to primarily remote learning and operations. Thanks to our wonderful faculty and eLearning technology support, we can conduct engaging courses online with our students safely and globally, including classes with lab like Organic Chemistry! Check out the video below from last spring quarter in Dr. Astrid Perez’s class.
Dr. Astrid Perez was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She transferred to University of Washington, completed a B.S. in Chemistry, and later returned to earn an M.S., and a Ph.D. She has been teaching at the Community College setting now for over 25 yrs., allowing her to interact with her students, encouraging them, and celebrating in their successes.
As she has lived through her share of challenges, such as having English as a second language, having a disability, having to take care of children while in school, and then being a single parent, to name a few, she can relate to many of the difficulties her students face. After having been treated differently for how she looks or sounds, Astrid wants her students to know that they are always welcomed at her office, free of judgement; she’s proud to say her office is a safe place.
End-of-Year Message from Shoreline Community College President to International Students
Dr. Cheryl Roberts, the President of Shoreline Community College, recorded a special video for our international students and parents! As we are embracing a new year full of hope, we want to share with our international students that we are so proud of what you have accomplished in 2020. Remember we are always here for you. Together we are a #PhinFam!
Here is the full transcript of President Roberts’ video above, along with some great photos to share!
Hello! My name is Dr. Cheryl Roberts, and I have the distinct pleasure serving as the President of Shoreline Community College.
I wanted to take a moment to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to our current international students who have been on quite a journey with us this year. Some of you went back to your home country to continue your Shoreline education online, surrounded by those you love. Some of you stayed here in Seattle, living with American homestay families or in our beautiful on-campus housing while adjusting to a new way of learning with us that successfully kept you and your classmates safe. Whichever decision you made, we know it took courage and tenacity to continue your education during a global pandemic. We are so incredibly proud of you! And to the parents and families of our international students, I want to “thank you” as well. Parenting during a global pandemic is no easy task, and we know the love and support you have provided has empowered your student to be the best that they can be during this time. Please know that we care deeply about our students and have taken great care to ensure that they are still getting an excellent education and the services they need to be successful.
After so much that has happened this year, I am thrilled to share with you and offer news of hope for the future. As many of you know, the United States is preparing to welcome a new President in January who is a champion for U.S. Higher Education and is widely expected to be especially welcoming to international students. President-elect Biden said in July, “Across the world, people come to this country with unrelenting optimism and determination toward the future. They study here, innovate here, they make America who we are.” Of course, we could not agree with his sentiment more, and are optimistic about the direction of educational policy.
We are equally excited to note that President-elect Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden is a strong advocate for U.S. Community Colleges. As a current professor at a community college in Virginia, she has often stated that community colleges are “one of America’s best-kept secrets”. As second lady in the Obama Administration, she even hosted a White House Summit on Community Colleges. We are confident that she will continue being a strong supporter of community colleges! I had a great opportunity to meet Dr. Jill Biden when I served on the American Association of Community Colleges as a Board of Directors member. She is indeed a champion of higher education and particularly community colleges. We are so fortunate that she will be our First Lady.
And, of course, we are delighted to note that the incoming Vice President Kamala Harris has strong personal ties to international education. Both of her parents were former international students, with her mother hailing from India and her father from Jamaica. They met as Ph.D. students at the University of California, Berkeley, a campus to which many international students like you transfer to in order to complete a 2+2 degree. Like President Obama, whose father was also an international student in the U.S., her personal story highlights the extraordinary possibilities of America, where a child of international students can ascend to the highest office in the country within one generation.
Lastly, of course, we are bolstered by hope with the announcements about several potentially viable vaccines that hold promise to bring an end to the emergency measures that we have all adjusted to this year. This, coupled with President-elect Biden’s renewed focus on combatting the pandemic, gives us hope that we will be able to welcome students back to our beautiful campus soon.
As President-Elect Joe Biden said in his victory speech, “For American Educators this is a great day for all of us. You’re going to have one of your own in the White House”. This renewed focus on education in the highest office in the U.S. promises great opportunities for international students. And as we say in the Dolphin Nations, we are all Phins Up, and we are All In!
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