Record number of community college students admitted to French Embassy’s affordable study abroad program
New York, Tuesday May 16 2023 – The Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S. today announced the selection for its 2023 Community College in France (CCF) summer bootcamp program. A record 60 students from 31 American community colleges, as well as eight school administrators, will travel to France for two-week exchange programs featuring interactive classes, industry visits, and cultural excursions, all led by French experts.
Launched in 2017, Community College in France is a unique initiative of the French Embassy and FACE Foundation that aims to address the limited cultural exchange opportunities available to the 13 million students currently attending American community college. Cost and time constraints are particular barriers for many students; CCF helps overcome them with high-quality, affordable, socially engaged, and responsively timed programs. For participating administrators, the exchange program serves an opportunity to connect with their French counterparts, improve teaching methods, and explore future collaborations.
CCF prioritizes accessibility and inclusion in its programming and selection process. The 2023 cohort represents 16 different U.S. states, an increase from 11 in 2022. Sixty-seven percent of the selected students are the first in their family to attend college, and 37% will be leaving the country for the first time.
Students will benefit from a small interactive class environment through one of four bootcamps at select higher education institutions in France:
- Sustainable City Campuses (Nancy & Metz) – June 11-25 with Université de Lorraine
- Nature: Tamed & Wild (Lyon) – June 12-25 with Université Lyon 3
- Sustainable Business (Rennes) – June 18 – July 1 with Rennes School of Business
- Sustainable Management of Marine Ecosystems (La Ciotat) – June 25 – July 8 with Aix-Marseille Université
CCF is pleased to invite the following students to its 2023 class:
- Marvin Alvarez, Dallas College
- David Andrade Pereira, Lone Star College
- Maria Y Ayala, Piedmont Virginia Community College
- Cassedy Bastilla, Lone Star College
- Aliyah Bing, Sinclair Community College
- Brittany Blevins, Columbus State Community College
- Layah Brown, Sinclair Community College
- Nikola Buis, Parkland College
- Amanda Campbell, Dallas College
- Yenifer Carreto, Lower Columbia College
- Nekaycha Cavil, Tacoma Community College
- Jordana Cepeda, Northern Essex Community College
- Kassandra Chavez, Tarrant County College
- Teproza Chhan, Tacoma Community College
- Andrea Chhorr, College of the Canyons
- Monisha Clifton, Dallas College
- Camila Cobos, Lone Star College
- Lucinda Cole, Cabrillo College
- Emma Cook, Piedmont Virginia Community College
- Brianna Cooke, Durham Technical Community College
- Angelica Cruz Villamil, Dallas College
- Kara Davy, Bergen Community College
- Gallage Bryan De Silva, Bergen Community College
- Shannon Dickey, Northwestern Connecticut Community College
- Julia Duran, College of the Canyons
- Valeria Franqui, Tunxis Community College
- Jazzmine Garreans, Polk State College
- Kaylee Gibson, Central Community College
- Ayana Guptill, Green River College
- Jaden Hamilton, Lone Star College
- Quintessa Hammond, Columbus State Community College
- Lance Harlow, Sinclair Community College
- Miranda Hoodenpyl, Chemeketa Community College
- Edwin Ikhinmwin, Piedmont Virginia Community College
- Kseniia Kovtun, Cascadia College
- Gage Kronk, Clark State College
- Ryan Laudermilk, College of Southern Nevada
- Cherokee Lester, Lane Community College
- Johnson Li, Piedmont Virginia Community College
- Alejandra Lopez Guadarrama, Santa Monica College
- Anaisabelle Maestre, Santa Monica College
- Brendan Marx, Dallas College
- Morgan McShea, Cascadia College
- Alyssa Mertz, Sauk Valley Community College
- Esmeralda Nuno Mora, Norco Community
- Ananya Pant, College of San Mateo
- Kathleen Perkins, Lower Columbia College
- Caitlin Perry, Spokane Community College
- Kayla Scott, Piedmont Virginia Community College
- Richard St Gerard, Fullerton College
- Hannah Taylor, Lane Community College
- Maranahi Uribe Preciado, Cabrillo College
- Deanne Valentino, Brookdale Community College
- Abbygail Villegas, Lane Community College
- Paloma Vizcaino, Bergen Community College
- Anastasia Walker, Lone Star College
- Jasmine West, College of the Canyons
- Jeremiah West, Lane Community College
- Libby Wright, Dallas College
- Shiwa Yangzom, Bergen Community College
The eight selected administrators are:
- Karin Almquist, Lane Community College
- Erin Kimberley Arnold, Jefferson State Community College
- Margaret Hiebert, State Center Community College District
- Li Liu, Bellevue College
- Kathleen Moran, Polk State College
- Bennett O’Connor, Dallas College
- Alexander Peterson, Snow College
- Ava Veselis, Lone Star College
A future Sustainable Management of Marine Ecosystems participant notes, “Being from Nebraska, there are little to no opportunities to study marine ecosystems. I am not the most familiar with this topic since it has never been offered to me, but being a part of this Bootcamp will allow me to further my knowledge, but also allow me to find new interests and passions. I have always loved marine wildlife and have been interested in learning how to protect them… Expanding my knowledge about how other areas of the world are sustainable would help bring new ideas to my community.”
“The personal, academic, and professional benefits of international study are well documented. We’re proud to help expand access to these experiences, and to do so with such high-quality programs,” said Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in the United States. “Every year we’re impressed and energized by the applicants to CCF, and there is no doubt in my mind that we will soon see many of the selected students at the forefront of the global fight for climate justice.”
At $2400 including room, board, and local transportation, CCF is one of the most affordable study abroad programs on the market. However most students have also been granted a scholarship from the French Embassy and its partners, reducing the total cost before airfare to $1,000.
The French Embassy in the U.S. is grateful for the generous support provided by the L’Oréal Fund for Women and the Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation. The L’Oréal Fund for Women, which aims to increase accessibility to education for girls and women in vulnerable situations, has funded scholarships for 32 of CCF’s women participants. The Borchard Foundation will provide seven grants for Southern California Community College students.