AIC campus opens in Cairo
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| Rollin Baldwin, Roland Holstead, Phillip Rogers and Howard Schultz |
SPRINGFIELD--American International College is going back to its roots. Founded in 1885 to educate immigrants in the U.S., the college has come full circle by establishing a campus in Cairo, Egypt. According to Roland Holstead, vice president of educational enterprise at AIC, the plans are part of AIC's effort to bring back and build up a strong international presence.
"We're very excited about it," Holstead said. "We want to expand our regional, national and international reputation as being a college of opportunity."
Howard Schultz, the dean of the Cairo campus, and Professor Toni Spinelli-Nannen, who recently returned from teaching in Cairo, were on the AIC campus Friday, July 20 to discuss the progress of the new program.
Spinelli-Nannen said her trip to Cairo was a great experience, and the students there were very engaging and enthusiastic. "I didn't find any hostility toward Americans. In fact, they were very open when I asked about their culture, their religion and the way things are done in Egypt," she said.
The first Cairo class began July 1 with 24 students in a master's program in international education. students are mostly teachers at private schools in that city. Tuition has been adjusted to reflect the local economy, and instructors are mostly adjunct professors, although three faculty members from Springfield will teach this fall.
Holstead said the college is also aiming to start semester abroad programs in Ireland and Italy for AIC students, and to offer college courses to high school students in Puerto Rico.
AIC is also considering programs in Amsterdam, Russia and Brazil, Holstead said.
Holstead said the international effort also extends to the Springfield campus. "The future is global. The more experiences AIC students have with international students, the better they'll be able to adapt and prosper," he said.
The number of international students at AIC has been rising slowly, expected to hit 63 this fall, up from an all-time low of 47 just after the 9/11 terrorist attack.
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