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Internationalization Collaborative
Community Colleges
Midlands Technical College
The present-day Midlands Technical College, a public Carnegie
category 40 institution, is the product of a rich and unique history. On
March 21, 1973, Columbia TEC, Midlands TEC, and Palmer College merged to
form a single, multi-campus college that operated as three separate
entities governed by one local commission. On July 1, 1974, the three
separate institutions merged to form Midlands Technical College (MTC),
under the guidance of the Richland-Lexington Counties Commission. Early
course offerings included engineering technology, business, and allied
health. Since then, the college transfer program has grown to include
almost half the student body. Enrollment at the two main campuses grew
to approximately 9,702 students in fall 2001. The third campus houses a
large Continuing Education Program, and a fourth campus, with a strong
technology focus, will open in 2002-03. The Harbison Continuing
Education Center of Midlands Technical College provides continuing
education opportunities to more than 30,000 individuals annually and is
one of the largest providers of noncredit professional upgrade training
of any two-year college in the state. Off-campus sites offer college
education classes to many area residents.
Midlands Technical College is accredited by the Commission on
Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Midlands
offers approximately 90 associate degree, diploma, and certificate
programs of study. A strong college transfer program allows students to
take the first two years of a baccalaureate degree at Midlands and
transfer to one of the state’s four-year institutions. Midlands
Technical College is currently the largest feeder college to Columbia
College and the University of South Carolina.
College Mission Statement: Midlands Technical College is a
comprehensive, urban, public, two-year college serving the primary
region of Richland, Lexington, and Fairfield counties of South Carolina.
College programs and services provide accessible, affordable,
high-quality postsecondary education that prepares traditional and
nontraditional students to enter the job market, allows them to transfer
to senior colleges and universities, and assists them in achieving their
professional and personal goals. Through its programs and services, the
college equitably provides higher education opportunities and supports
the economic growth of the community.
College Values Statement: Midlands Technical College respects
the diversity of its student body and recognizes the worth and potential
of each student.
The average age of Midlands Technical College students is 26 years
old. The student population is 59 percent female. Approximately 550
people are employed at the college on a full-time basis. The majority of
the faculty have attained at least a master’s degree.
Approximately 76 percent of Midlands Technical College’s 1998-99
graduates who did not continue their education after graduation were
employed in jobs related to their field of study. State-of-the-art
equipment, a well-qualified faculty and staff, and hands-on experiences
give Midlands Technical College students the education and training they
need to compete successfully in the marketplace
The Midlands area historically has been populated primarily by
natives of the region, but in recent years, the presence of Fort
Jackson, the University of South Carolina, and state government has
fostered the growth of a strong and varied international community. A
dramatic increase in immigration from Hispanic countries, along with
programs to resettle East Europeans and Asians, has made the need for
more global awareness especially evident to prospective students and
employers, as shown by a recent study conducted by the college’s
International Committee. Faculty and administration alike support the
efforts to internationalize Midlands Technical College.
Overview of Internationalization Efforts
I. Vision and Goals for
Internationalization
The vision for internationalization of the curriculum at Midlands
Technical College is constantly evolving. A motivation for participating
in the collaborative is to refine and develop our goals, as well as to
find ways to realize them. At present, our vision is to provide an
international experience for all students at the college; we hope that
all students will have experiences both in and out of class that will
enable them to understand other cultures as well as their interactions
with one another and with their own cultures.
We have goals in the following areas:
- College mission: We are working to have internalization
stated as one of the college’s goals and values, and possibly even
to be included, at least inferentially, in the mission statement. We see
that this is essential to ongoing support from the administration.
- Curriculum:
Core curriculum: We hope to have internationalization stated as
one component of the core curriculum, which is now in the planning
stages. Regardless, we hope to have specific internationalization
components in programs, departments, and courses.
Certificate in International Studies: We want to create a
certificate program in international studies. An initial study shows a
need for such a program.
(For a summary of the report, see A Report on International Education at Midlands
Technical College, PDF).
Foreign language and ESL: We need to expand our foreign
language and ESL offerings to meet the language needs of the local
Hispanic and other immigrant populations. To support these courses, we
also need language lab hardware and software and a provision for
continued leadership in this area—perhaps, eventually, release
time for a coordinator.
Service learning: We hope to investigate the possibilities of
service learning as a means of involving students with international
groups in the area while enabling them to simultaneously achieve their
academic goals.
- Leadership: We hope eventually to offer release time for a
Director of Internationalization. We also plan to work to ensure that
supervisors credit faculty members for their work in
internationalization projects—particularly in their annual
evaluations.
- Faculty development: We hope to continue and to increase a
variety of opportunities for faculty development. In addition to our
International Committee and lectures, participation in a statewide
consortium, and support for faculty participation in regional and
national seminars, workshops, and study tours, we hope eventually to
offer faculty exchanges, additional release time for taking and
developing courses, and to bring Fulbright or other scholars to campus
(perhaps even on a joint-college basis).
- Student activities: We plan to develop activities for
students that increase their understanding of other cultures both in
class and outside of class. We are working to understand the interests
and limitations of our students so we can identify international
experiences that many can share. In addition to campus organizations
that create working relationships between local and international
students and the events they sponsor (described below), we want to
investigate short-term travel abroad, possibly linked to courses;
short-term student exchanges; distance learning involving both local
students and those in other countries; and online interchanges. We need
to find additional ways to involve students whose limited time and money
prohibit travel and extracurricular involvement.
- Resources: We need to identify and garner resources for the
purchase, rental, or sharing of media, including books, films, CD-ROMs,
art, music CDs, and artifacts to support curricular and extracurricular
internationalization projects, as well as for release time for faculty
development, course development, travel, and other activities. We also
have significant need of hardware and software for language
learning.
II. Progress
- College mission: We have discussed the need for this with our
CEO and will continue to work on it as the planning process moves
forward.
- Curriculum:
Core curriculum: We have conducted a study of the need for
internationalization as seen by local businesses and students. (See A Report on International Education at Midlands
Technical College, PDF). We have worked closely with faculty
and staff in the Twenty-First Century Learning Outcomes Project.
Internationalization is one of the outcomes envisioned by the
project.
Certificate in International Studies: The study cited above is
being used as evidence of the need for this. We are studying similar
programs at nearby colleges.
Foreign language and ESL: We began the ESL program two years ago
and now enroll approximately 35 students. We offer a certificate in ESL
and have made many changes in the college’s systems so as to limit
students’ costs and testing. We have at least doubled the number
of sections of Spanish offered, and French is now taught at both
campuses. The college is also involved with a project called "Connecting
People to Jobs," which is aimed at locating and training under-employed
Hispanic workers to prepare them to find living-wage career paths. ESL
will be a significant part of this training.
Service learning: Some Spanish classes already engage in projects
with the local community.
- Leadership: We have worked to involve a new generation of
leadership in the internationalization groups and have begun to discuss
the need for recognition and support of the time required by the
projects.
- Faculty development: The lecture series of the International
Committee brings speakers to campus four or more times a year. The
college and many faculty participate in the South
Carolina International Education Consortium. Several faculty have
participated in Fulbright summer study travel opportunities and in local
and regional workshops (presented by the Research Triangle South Asia
Consortium, the Asian Studies Development program, and other groups).
The college has funded travel to conferences on ESL and Foreign Language
Teaching. The college has supported faculty who taught in other
countries for a semester. Faculty and administration have traveled to
other countries to study their businesses and programs. And the college
has supported faculty who took courses to prepare to teach courses in
international areas. Faculty also serve as connections and friends for
international students.
- Student activities: The International Relations Club has been the most
active student group on campus for the past three years. The club draws
its membership from both local and international students, and its
projects are usually run by teams from both groups. Projects include
monthly dinners, conversation partners, two presentations each semester,
field trips, and a major event each semester. The Student Committee of
the faculty’s International Committee sponsors an international
film series and a series on music from various cultures; both are well
attended.
- Resources: Departmental and grant funds have been used for
several years to begin a collection of materials. Participation in SCIEC
allows us access to a much larger collection which is housed at another
college. The College Library has been extremely supportive in obtaining
many materials we have requested.
III. Successful Strategies
International Committee (IC): This organization brings
together faculty and staff from across the institution to plan projects
that increase students’ involvement in international concerns. The
IC is funded through the office of the CEO and the Vice President for
Arts and Sciences. The strategy of having an umbrella organization
serves many purposes: leadership and continuity in international
projects; communication within the faculty; quick response to
opportunities for faculty and curriculum development; and recruitment of
new faculty in accordance with the goals and activities of the
committee. The IC Committee also has several effective subcommittees,
including a faculty subcommittee and a student subcommittee. The Faculty
Subcommittee works to promote faculty development in several ways: Twice
each semester, speakers present on such diverse topics as "Health
Problems and Care in the Hispanic Community," "The True Face of Islam,"
and "Chinese Shadow Puppets." This subcommittee also promotes other
opportunities for faculty development, such as travel, attendance at
seminars, and participation in SCIEC. The student subcommittee handles
programs for students (film and music) and works to identify instructors
who have an interest in international students and guide those students
to them.
Survey of Business, Industry, and Students: In the early
1990s, MTC began internationalizing courses in its business, English,
humanities, and social sciences departments. In 2000, the
college’s International Committee conducted a study of the
continued need for and the effectiveness of these efforts. The
assessment of international education began with a survey of 222
students enrolled in 20 randomly selected courses and sections across
the curriculum during fall semester 2000 and a survey of 175 alumni who
earned associate degrees three years ago.
- Almost 70 percent perceive international education as an appropriate
part of the college’s mission.
- Slightly more than 81 percent believe international education has a
positive effect on attitudes toward individuals from other
cultures.
- Almost 82 percent feel that international education helps prepare
students for life in the modern world.
- Almost 80 percent see international education as preparing students
for the global workplace.
- All demographic groups (gender, age, national origin, academic
classification) value international education.
This study also shows that MTC students recognize the nature of the
global workplace, either in terms of intercultural or international
diversity. Almost 73 percent reported that they have had work-related
contact with individuals from other cultures, and substantially more
anticipate that they will have work-related contact with individuals
from other cultures in the future. However, only 53.1 percent perceive
that MTC has prepared them for this contact. More than 71 percent of the
students surveyed approved integrating international education in as
many courses as possible to prepare students for life experience as well
as future employment. The results of the alumni survey were strikingly
similar to those of the survey of currently enrolled students.
The second component of the assessment was a survey to determine
business owners’ views on international education and its
importance in preparing students for the workplace. Eighteen of the 26
companies surveyed participate to a significant degree in the global
economy at present and expect that involvement to be sustained or
increased over the next five- to ten-year period. Increased involvement
in the global economy likely will be the result of the growing number of
foreign-born workers in the local area. Hospitals in particular
anticipate greater cultural diversity in terms of patient and employee
populations.
Managers and workers need to be prepared to handle both intercultural
and international contacts and to deal with myriad intercultural and
international issues on a fairly regular basis. Company officials stated
that it is important to prepare managers and workers to meet these
responsibilities and challenges. They also agreed that education plays a
significant role in preparing students for the global economy.
The International Committee is now working to achieve 11
recommendations resulting from the 76-page report (the recommendations include the ESL
certificate which is already in place).
International Relations Club: The IRC was created to bring
together local students and those from other countries. International
students are our greatest resource for helping our students understand
the rest of the world, yet in the past, there was little contact between
them and the local students. The IRC recruits its membership from both
groups and is guided by faculty who are enthusiastic, energetic, and
popular with students. The faculty assist the students in working
together on a variety of projects, so that running the projects is
itself a means for local and international students to become
acquainted. Projects include conversation partners, monthly dutch-treat
dinners out, a Halloween party, at least two presentations each semester
(panels discussing a variety of customs, a talent show, etc.), a web
page, field trips, bake sales, and an end-of-the-year awards
banquet. Each project is managed by a team of international and local
students, with faculty guidance as needed. This has become the most
active student group on campus.
IV. Future Plans
Midlands Technical College plans several specific means of reaching
some of its internationalization goals. These include:
Working in the College Planning Process: This summer, MTC will
review and recreate its mission, goals, and values. Team members will be
actively involved in having internationalization included in the new
plans.
Attracting More International Students: To offset the possible
loss of international students as a result of recent changes in the visa
process, the college hopes to find new students among recent immigrants
who may not be aware of the college’s ESL and career programs. We
plan to host an open house in June called "The World Comes to MTC,"
involving representatives from various departments at the college. We
plan to publicize this through churches, community groups, the local
military installation, and other places in the community.
Expanded Film and Music Series: We have applied for a grant to
expand our international music series, adding a lecturer/consultant,
more background information, food, and visual arts. Each presentation
features music from a different culture. The music is played in the
student commons to attract students who are between classes. The first
presentation, based on West African music, was well attended. The film
series has had several presentations this year; next year, one faculty
member will select and publicize the films, as well as identify experts
to write or present introductions to the films.
Expand Foreign Language Offerings: We will make every effort
to offer additional Spanish classes, perhaps even hiring an additional
full-time instructor. We have begun to plan Spanish classes designed
especially for law enforcement and human services students and are
working with faculty in those areas to determine course content. We are
trying to determine the best way to offer language lab support to our
students and are sponsoring meetings of the full-time and adjunct
faculty to select the best text and materials.
Faculty Participation in Fulbright-sponsored Travel to Korea:
This year, at least two faculty members will travel to Korea for several
weeks and will take classes here and in Korea as part of the
Fulbright-sponsored tour. On their return, they will make presentations
and share materials on Korean culture with other faculty members.
Student Travel to Europe and Mexico: In the past, an art
instructor has taken groups of students to Italy and Greece to tour
museums. Next year we plan to award course credit for this travel
experience. Also, we plan to expand our publicity efforts and perhaps
make other changes to solicit student participation in a three-week
intensive Spanish course in Cuernevaca, Mexico.
*Please contact the institution directly if you have
questions about their institutional programs.
Please direct questions about this page to:
beth_burris@ace.nche.edu |
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This page last updated on:
6/16/2006
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