4 The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
aced@clgckamas.edu
o
Artj^ultur
Students explore overseas educatio
By Mandie Gavitt
Associate Arts & Culture
Editor
Study abroad students are exposed to museums, new class
room experiences and stunning 12th century architecture in
Florence, Italy.
Have you ever imagined being
able to take your regular Clackamas
Community College courses in anoth
er country? What many CCC students
don’t know is that this is, in fact, an
option for them. That’s right: you don’t
need to go to a university to study
abroad; the opportunity is available for
community college students as welL
According to Irma Bjerre, a CCC
Spanish instructor who helps coordi
nate the program, Clackamas partners
with eight other community colleges,
including Central Oregon Community
College, in the area to offer a study
abroad program. Students involved in
the program may take classes simi
lar to those they would take here in
Oregon, just in another country. Bjerre
says there is nothing better than study
ing your regular courses abroad.
“You learn so much more than
being in a classroom because every
thing is new to you,” said Bjerre. “You
are studying hard but at the same time
you have opportunity to look at other
things and experience the culture. I
think it gives you a different feeling.”
The students earn credit for the
program and the classes are what you
would expect the college to offer. “It is
like taking the courses here, but being
there,” said Bjerre.
There are a variety of programs
in different countries, including Italy,
Mexico, London, Germany and Costa
Rica.
Students may use their financial
aid to pay for classes and may apply
for scholarships through the Benjamin
A. Gilman International Scholarship
program.
According to the scholarship web
site, the program “offers grants for U.S.
citizen undergraduate students of lim
ited financial means to pursue academ
ic studies abroad. Such international
study is intended to better prepare U.S.
students to assume significant roles in
an increasingly global economy and
interdependent world.”
The program awards over 2,300
scholarshipsofup to $5,000for students
to study abroad. Students who receive
the Benjamin A. Gilman International
Scholarship are then eligible to receive
an additional Critical Need Language
Supplement of $3,000, allowing for a
total possible award of $8,000.
Foreign language department chair,
David M iller, helps coordinate the pro
gram for students who want to travel
to Germany. He said that while in
Germany, students receive flee room
and board. Students also go to muse
ums and participate in various recre
ational activities.
“The trip happens every year there
are enough students and an instruc-
tor able to go. We go at lead
other year,” said Miller. The I
Stadthagen, the capital of the
of Schaumburg, in Lower 3
Germany takes place in J im
finals week.
Students also travel from
countries to attendClackainas.il
lege hosts German students evej
as part of the program in Ga
While the German students ar
they attend classes at the collq
also stay room and board free. I
According to Arm Bockmai
also helps coordinate the Intern
Students Program, intemationi
dents must pay out-of-state j
which helps bring in revenue
college. International students d
receive department-paid tuition
ers, which help make the d
more competitive.
• Coming to the United Si
sometimes more difficult than td
elsewhere. International studenj
apply for a special visa and1
special paperwork to come herd
“Some countries are mq
ficult than others. The gova
tries to keep things standandil
that doesn’t always happen]
Bockman.
International students mays
attend university or sometins
longer to receive job training, H
cally do eventually return ho™
Students define cultured life
On April 21, Kayley Guay discusses her time abroad traveling
to multiple countries and meeting different people.
By Mandie Gavitt
Associate Arts & Culture
Editor
Culture can mean differ
ent things for different peo
ple. Portland is known for its
unique culture and diversity
but it seems culture in and of
itself lacks definition.
Erin Stutz, a student at
Clackamas Community col
lege, says she feels she is
cultured because she has lived
in a variety of states.
“I feel like I’ve lived a
rich life in so many differ
ent areas,” said Stutz. “I feel
like I take something from
each Of those and my per
spective is different than a
lot of people’s are here. I’ve
experienced more life outside
of Oregon than most of my
friends. I feel like that can be
a form of culture ... knowing
other people’s form of living.
I think it’s more a defini
tion of who you are and your
beliefs.”
Many
students
at
Clackamas echo Stutz’s belief
that culture is an individual
experience and a definition
of themselves as a person.
Jessica Russau said that she
thinks people too often try to
fit in rather than expressing
their own culture..
“People follow the norm;
they don’t have a self worth. I
feel like everybody just goes
with the flow and haven’t
truly discovered who they
are,” she said.
Kayley Guay agreed with
Russau, saying that-in other
cultures people are much
more friendly and personable.
Both Guay and Russau said
they had traveled to other
countries and found that peo
ple there^Vvere more friendly
and likely to strike up a con
versation instead of just being
plugged into their iPods.
“Third Woxldlcountries are
much more relational,” said
Guay.
“In Third World countries
they are much more grateful
for what they have; they don’t
take advantage of their loved
ones,” said Russau.
Although both Guay and
Russau claimed that American
culture could be better with
relationships, Russau thought
that America is better at
allowing expression and indi
viduality.
“I’m really grateful for the
freedom to be able to express
yourself in America because
in other cultures they are not
quite as open,” she said.
Katie Bauer said she felt
that finding culture was
important for everyone. “I
think everyone should have
some aspect of culture in their
life, whether it be just getting
out on the street ... and tak
ing in what you see around
you or reading a book about
something,” she said.
Simona Dsouza emigrat
ed from India to the United
States in order to get a bet
ter education, leaving behind
her family. “In India you
don’t have the opportunity
to choose what you’d like to
study. Here you have a lot of
options,” she said.
Dsouza said that when she
arrived in America she experi
enced a big culture shock but
that people here are accept
ing and interested in learning
about her culture and home
country.
“In this country you really
need to be cultured because
it is a really diverse country
to live in. A lot of people
from different lifestyles qome
here,” she said.
Still, Dsouza said that
overall Americans could do
better about being cultured.
“Americans might be cultured
in their own lifestyle but they
can be ignorant about other
people’s cultures and life
styles.”
While all the students here
at CCC seem to have different
opinions about what culture
is and what being cultured
means, everyone • seemed to
agree that being a cultured
person is important.
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