August 2011 Page 8

In a time of budget cuts to international programs at the U. S. Department of Education, it is important to share examples of sustainable programs initiated through federal grants. Community College of Philadel-phia is celebrating the fifth year of a Turkey study-abroad program, originally the product of a federal Title VI A grant, but with student scholarships supported each year by the College, Turkish-American organizations, and private contributors. In May 2011 six students led by two professors, Cynthia Giddle, currently English Department Chair, and John Joyce, Associate Professor in English, engaged in an inten-sive exploration of the diversity within Istanbul through a twelve-day study-abroad program.

Study within Istanbul extends students’ knowledge gained through new courses developed through a U. S. Department of Education Title VI A grant, “The Middle East and Cross-Regional Connections” 2003-2006. For example, students take Introduction to Middle East Cultures and Civilizations or Religions of the Middle East and then apply for the study abroad program. Selected students must enroll in an additional one-credit course with readings and assignments focused solely on Turkey. Fundraising coordinated by the College’s Center for International Understanding has raised scholarships of approximately $1200 per student, so selection is based on inter-est and merit rather than ability to pay the total cost of $2000.

Study of Turkey and Turkish at Community College of Philadelphia has been supported by the Middle East National Resource Cen-ter at the University of Pennsylvania since 2003. The program in Istanbul was piloted

in 2006 by a group of 22 Community College of Philadelphia faculty who were U. S. Department of Educa-tion Title VI A participants. The 2011 study abroad program to Turkey was supported by the Turkish Co-alition of America, the Turkish-American Friendship Society-US (TAFSUS), the Turkish Cultural Foundation (which hosted students at their offices in Istanbul), and the Ambrose Monell Foundation, as well as Com-munity College of Philadelphia funding. Please contact Fay Beauchamp, beaufay@voicenet.com.

2011 PaCIE Conference 2011 PaCIE Conference 2011 PaCIE Conference Harrisburg, Pennsylvania September 22Harrisburg, Pennsylvania September 22Harrisburg, Pennsylvania September 22---24, 201124, 201124, 2011

Our Students, Our Communities, Our Future:

Global Education in Pennsylvania Special features include a Forum-run preconference workshop on assessing and improving short-term education abroad programs and a plenary workshop ad-dressing effective safety and liability management in study abroad programs. Visit PaCIE’s website, www.pacie.org, for conference and registration information.

Note that hotel rooms are held for the conference only until August 23.

Community College of Philadelphia Celebrates

Five Years of a Student-Faculty Fellowship Program in Istanbul

All six of this year’s participants at the Ebristan atelier in the old suburban neighborhood of Uskudar along the Bosphorus. From Left to Right those holding certificates from the Ebristan atelier in the neighborhood of Uskudar:: Noel Aragon, Ryan Hall, Samiyrah Fisher; Alexandria Gibson (in front), Tarisse Iriarte, Ayyana Burvick.