The CCI 2017-18 cohort departed only a few months ago in May 2018 but that hasn’t stopped these eager alumni from continuing to thrive and challenge themselves. Here are just a few examples of what the CCI Program’s newest alumni have already accomplished.

Lorenzo Gomez (Colombia, Northampton Community College)

After studying early childhood education at Northampton Community College, Lorenzo returned to Colombia to pursue a career in education. Lorenzo secured a new job teaching for the College Horizons Outreach Program (CHOP), a program of the U.S. Embassy in Colombia. This social impact project’s focus is to prepare CHOP students for college and offer them a better understanding of the United States. Lorenzo’s academic, English, and cultural experience in the United States has served as an asset to the students and the program.

Puja Mahato (India, Scottsdale Community College)

CCI alumna Puja is using the English language skills she gained during her exchange year to give back to an organization that she participated in as a young girl. The second day after returning to India from the United States, Puja visited Girl2B, a nonprofit in Kolkata that provides safe places for girls to learn and grow. During her visit, she shared her experience with the CCI Program and the culture of the United States. Soon after, she began teaching free, monthly after-school English classes to high school girls in the program. “Coming back from the States has made me realize the importance of English,” said Puja, who is studying for a bachelor’s degree in English communications. Puja’s Girl2B classes are the first step in the Action Plan she created while in the United States. In the future, she plans to start a college and career mentoring program at Girl2B.

Salman Sayyed (India, Houston Community College)

Less than two weeks after returning to India, Salman started a new internship at Kalypso Adventures, a tour company in Kochi, India. Using the organizational skills he learned from his classes and program coordinator at Houston Community College, Salman started his job search while still in the United States. He researched various tour companies and networked with mentors in India before contacting Kalypso Adventures. When the company responded with an internship offer, Salman asked to start as soon as possible. He said that he did not want the “flow of learning” he experienced while studying tourism and hospitality management in the United States to subside. Salman is currently creating newsletters and videos for Kalypso Adventures while learning about tour planning, operations, and finances. He will also lead presentations for youth expeditions, coordinate community projects, and maintain the company’s social media pages.

Arham Muhammad (Indonesia, Northern Virginia Community College – Annandale)

Since returning to Indonesia, alumnus Arham has been discussing his exchange experience on a variety of platforms. As a guest on Metro Night, a radio program in Makssar, South Sulawesi, Arham shared his motivations for studying abroad, the skills he gained during the CCI Program, the challenges he faced, and the differences between the culture and education systems of the United States and Indonesia. During the interview, Arham said, “It is important to study abroad because we can learn lots of new (things) there, and so we are able to think about more ways to solve different new problems in our society.” Arham also promoted the value of studying in the United States to university students in Makassar, Sulawesi during an EducationUSA event in July. In front of a group of local university students, Arham shared his “life-changing” stories about his academic courses, volunteer and cultural exchange activities, and internship during the CCI Program. Arham’s speaking engagements join a strong tradition of CCI alumni sharing their exchange experiences as way of promoting mutual understanding.

Reni Boediarti (Indonesia, Scottsdale Community College) 

Within a few days of being back in her home country of Indonesia, Reni secured a new job. While Reni was finishing her CCI exchange year, she was searching for jobs in Indonesia that were interested in her newfound skills and experiences in her field of study, media. Now she’s a producer of a prime time program called “Wake Up Call” at Merdeka FM Radio Surabaya. Prior to her CCI year, Reni was employed at a different radio station, but in a lower paying and ranking position. Reni’s initiative demonstrates that with increased technical and vocational skills, exchange programs and community college education can enhance participants’ employability.

Kouame Joel Kouassi (Cote d’Ivoire, Northern Virginia Community College – Annandale) and Emmanuel Youan Bi (Cote d’Ivoire, Northampton Community College)

In early August, Joel and Emmanuel began a program to engage youth in Cote d’Ivoire by sharing their exchange experiences. Together they held a two-day program, “When I Was There,” for 80 college students in Daloa, western Cote d’Ivoire. Presentations and workshops covered topics including leadership, volunteering, English learning, and women’s empowerment. The participating youths were especially excited to hear the CCI alumni’s stories from their program year and to learn how they, too, could engage with State Department programs. “We made them dream,” Joel said. “At the end they made a strong resolution to improve their English.” Joel and Emmanuel conducted their youth program in Korhogo, northern Cote d’Ivoire, on August 18-19.