Originally published on 30 July 2015 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

College freshmen heading to school next month may be feeling somewhat nervous about this different environment they are about to enter. Most of them are leaving the security of their home in the town or city where they grew up. To the approximately 500 students joining the freshman class at Pasadena City College, this novel experience is more nerve-racking than usual. They are arriving for the first time in a new school, city and country. For these arriving international students, PCC’s First Pathways Program is a lifeline. 

Pasadena City College’s First Pathways Program was created in 2011to help incoming students  transition smoothly to college and achieve success in school. And while there are only 1,200 international students attending PCC at any given year (compared to its total enrollment of 22,671) administrators have felt it crucial to dedicate one Pathway program to this group to address their vastly different need.

The IS (International Student) First Pathways program has three major components. The first of these is the International Student Center whose staff help arriving students with visa, housing,  health, and safety issues. It also includes a study center for homework, workshops and meetings with classmates. The second component is the Success Team made up of counselors, coaches and tutors who guide them in choosing their classes and making sure they are registered for the full load of 12 units. The third component is Priority Registration for the classes they need to be able to transfer quickly to a four-year college or university. This is particularly important for foreign students who are on an F1visa as they cannot overstay in the U.S.

International students on the First Pathways Program begin their college life at PCC with an iJam orientation, a one-week event where they prepare their classes, learn about life in Pasadena and Los Angeles, and have the opportunity to make friends with other students. They meet others like them from 85 countries and regions, including China, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Canada, Germany, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. 

The most popular majors for these international students are: Business/Accounting/Economics (45%); Science/Math/Engineering (15%); Art/Architecture/Design (11%); Health Professions (8%); others (22%).

Through the years, PCC has proven itself as a leader among California’s 112 community colleges in 72 districts. It offers foreign students a diverse learning environment with numerous Honors programs, over 70 student clubs and many opportunities for student involvement, a safe location in a “walking friendly” community and convenient access to public transportation. The city offers students a vibrant restaurant scene and shopping areas. And they aren’t too far away from local beaches and recreational destinations. Pasadena is home to cultural attractions including The Huntington (Botanical Garden, Library and Art Museum), Norton Simon, Pacific Asia Museum.    

Another essential feature of a PCC education is its small class size and accessibility to instructors and support staff. More important of all, it affords students ease and support in transferring to a four-year university.   

According to Dr. Russell Frank, Interim Associate Dean for International Education, in 2012-2013, 2327 students transferred from PCC to public and private four-year universities like the University of California – in Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine, Berkeley, Davis, and Riverside, California State University – Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Northridge and Los Angeles), Art Center College of Design, and the University of Southern California.

Frank is deeply invested in the success of every student in his charge. He set targets for himself to make the IS First Year Pathways program remains vital and relevant. Together with the team of counselors and coaches, he helps them identify their specific transfer objective and personal goals. He wants students to be engaged in the college community so PCC has created campus-wide events like the lunar new year celebration and the international education week. He wants to increase global and international awareness for the school and the IS program for health courses like Nursing, which is a popular field of study. He envisions a rise in student enrollment to 1,500 by putting in place more classes where he sees growth like nursing, environmental engineering, design and art.

In anticipation of the increase in their international student population, Frank would like to add more peer mentors who speak the same language as the students they advise and put in place additional services to cater to their specific needs. Frank is optimistic that his goals are doable in the immediate future; he says the infrastructure is there to support his plans.   

All of Frank’s plans for the International Student Program are aimed at enriching their students’ learning experience so they are better prepared to get into their choice of four-year university.  The Learning Center, of which the IS First Pathways Program is a part, has a slogan “Get In, Get Out, Get Going”. What an apt aphorism it is!