Indonesian students in attendance at Shoreline’s international student orientation for spring quarter got a surprise Mon., March 23 when U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Blake made an appearance at the college.

Ambassador Blake stopped by Shoreline as part of an outreach tour and spent over an hour meeting with Indonesian students and their families, as well as with Shoreline President Cheryl Roberts and members of the Board of Trustees.

Ambassador Blake praised Shoreline’s reputation within Indonesia and revealed that his visit to the campus came recommended by his staffers, who noted Shoreline’s significant population of students from the island nation.

The Ambassador also revealed that community colleges hold a special place in his heart. His wife came to the United States from Bulgaria at the age of 18 and attended community college in New York before transferring to Brown University.

“I firmly believe her experience in community college gave her the confident start she needed to get her where she is today,” Ambassador Blake said. “The role community colleges play in student success and learning simply cannot be overstated.”

“It’s little known,” he continued, “but students stand a better chance of getting into their dream college if they transfer in from a community college with a great reputation such as Shoreline, than if they apply straight out.”

President Roberts noted the historical ties Shoreline has with recruiting students from Indonesia, and said “We couldn’t be more honored that Ambassador Blake chose to visit with us today. It’s a reflection on our commitment to fostering rich relationships with our Indonesian students and their families.”

After opening remarks by Diana Sampson, Executive Director of International Education, and brief addresses by President Roberts and Ambassador Blake, current Shoreline students from Indonesia sang the Indonesian national anthem, “Indonesia Raya.”

Around 8,000 students from Indonesia attend college in the U.S., and of those about 2,500 attend community colleges. Shoreline currently enrolls about 130 students from Indonesia.

Article from http://news.shoreline.edu/2015/03/23/us-ambassador-indonesia-robert-blake-visits-shoreline/ by PIO@SHORELINE.EDU

The International Peer Mentors will invite everyone to participate Global Showcase event this Friday March 6^th from 11:30am to 3:30pm at Main Dining Room.

This is an exhibition of Shoreline Community College’s cultural diversity. There will be several interactive booths showcasing different cultures from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Tanzania, China, Russian Federation, and more. There will also be opportunities for students to win prizes. You will be impressed by exploring the great diversity of Shoreline Community College!

For updates about this event, please see the Global Showcase Facebook Event Page.

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We have so many talented international students at Shoreline Community College! On February 26^th, Hong Kong Student Association (HKAS) partnered with Chinese Cultural Club (CCC) and presented Shoreline Community College 2015 Singing Contest in Quiet Dining Room.

The room was really crowed with almost 20 student candidates and over 60 audience. One student named Fongyu Yeh (Ruby) from Taiwan was playing guitar while singing with her beautiful voice. In the end, she won the first place with $50 Amazon gift card.

New students, are you good at singing? We are looking forward to having you on stage soon!

On February 24^th, 2015 International Education department partnered with the Confucius Institute of Washington State and offer a traditional Lunar New Year Celebration in Quiet Dining Room at Shoreline Community College.

There were lots of delicious food including, Chinese dumplings, spring rolls, tofu salad and spice beef tender. At the same time, participants enjoyed various cultural actives. Some people learnt their name in Chinese and wrote in traditional calligraphy; others made fortune knot and cut red papers for the Year of Goat. Over 300 Shoreline students, faculties and community members attended the Lunar New Year Celebration.

This event was made possible by a grant the College received from the Confucius Institute of Washington to promote Chinese language and culture on campus and in the community. A lot of international students also contribute their talents through three student clubs and organizations, such Lunar Chinese Culture Club, Hong Kong Student Association and Photography Club.

Taiwanese Student Association (TSA) rang in the Lunar New Year with a Night Market celebration on Friday February 20^th in the PUB Main Dining Room at Shoreline Community College.

Many students stopped by to join by eating delicious homemade dumplings and other Taiwanese dishes, sip on bubble tea and play games. TSA is among the many clubs students get involved in on campus. All the student organizations and clubs at Shoreline Community College are listed on the Echo exchange site.

Lunar New Year refers to the first day of a secular, sacred or other year whose months are coordinated the cycles of the moon.

Many people in Asia celebrate the Lunar New Year. 2015 is the Year of Goat. People born in a year of the Goat are generally believed to be gentle, mild-mannered, sympathetic, amicable and brimming with a strong sense of kindheartedness and justice.

We cordially invite you to join us in celebrating the Lunar New Year on Tuesday, February 24, from 11:30am to 1:30pm at RM. 9208. We provide yummy dumplings, Chinese calligraphy, tradition paper cutting and festival music. Join us and have fun!

Pictures from 2014 Lunar New Year Celebration:

The International Peer Mentors (IPMs) hosted the Bubble Tea Party last Friday Febuary 6^th in the PUB (Pagoda Union Building). Over 75 Shoreline Community College students attended this event! The IPMs provided free Bubble Tea from a local restaurant, Looking for Chai. There were also many activities. Board Game Club brought board games for students to play while they enjoyed drinking their delicious bubble teas and Film Club showed their student made film, “6 Seconds.” Also, there was a bingo game with an opportunity to win movie ticket prizes. Students socialized, played and learned games, and created new memories.

The IPMs and International Education has some more exciting events coming soon so check out our Facebook pages.

Cassie Kwon-Student Engagement Manager, International Education

International students, along with their family and friends, came to Shoreline Community College on Dec. 29, 2014 to get ready for the start of winter quarter classes.

The International Student Orientation Program (ISOP) is an important opportunity for international students to get to know Shoreline and more about the academic and life experience in the U.S., according to International Education Executive Director Diana Sampson.

To make sure they have the best chance for success, all international student are required to attend ISOP. Many students arrive in the U.S. several days ahead of time to get acclimated and some rest before embarking on their U.S. academic experience.

At Shoreline, the ISOP experience is spread out over multiple days and includes:

• Math and English placement tests

• A campus tour given by American students

• Academic advising and registration for classes

• Meetings with International Education staff

• Seminars about life and study in the USA

• A tour of Seattle

While most international students start in fall quarter, Shoreline staff members conduct ISOP before every quarter to make sure each new student is as prepared as possible.

Shoreline offers educational opportunities to students from around the world, with nearly 40 nationalities represented on campus. The international experience available on campus is also a benefit to domestic students and fulfills one of the college’s goals to prepare all students to be successful in an increasingly globalized world.

#isopscc #shorelinecc

Report from Shoreline Community College Day at a Glance- http://www.daat.shoreline.edu