BELLEVUE, WASH. – Bellevue Community College (BCC) has been chosen by NAFSA: Association of International Educators as one of only five colleges and universities in the nation to receive the Sen. Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. The award recognizes the strength and breadth of BCC’s international programs.
“Recognizing that we live in a global society, it is important to ensure that our students gain a broad perspective on world issues,” said BCC President Jean Floten. “Our emphasis on global awareness is intended to help students be more effective citizens both on the world stage and in our own community, which has grown rapidly in recent years into a cosmopolitan, international community.”
BCC was recognized for its:
- international scholar-in-residence program
- international student programs
- new Ethnic and Cultural Studies academic program
- core of international studies courses
- Language program, with a total of 18 languages taught through the college’s credit and continuing education programs.
- comprehensive translation and interpretation training program
- learn-abroad program.
- large number of on-campus, multi-cultural events.
- radio station, KBCS 91.3 FM, whose format is built largely around ethnic music of the world.
NAFSA will publish profiles of the selected colleges in “Internationalizing the Campus 2004: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities,” which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and Education Testing Service.
The five schools selected were: Bellevue Community College, Binghamton University in New York, Duke University in North Carolina, St. Norbert College in Wisconsin and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
NAFSA is a worldwide association of individuals advancing international education and exchange. Its members number more than 8,000 individuals in 3,500 institutions from all 50 states and 80 countries.
Serving more than 39,000 students per year, Bellevue Community College is the third largest institution of higher learning in Washington state. BCC offers associate degrees, certificates and continuing education programs in the traditional arts, humanities and sciences, as well as information technology, telecommunications, business, health sciences, social sciences, educational development and numerous other professional and technical fields.
