COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS STUDY ABROAD IN FRANCE

Originally published August 29th 2024

Vice President of International Relations, Dr. Francois Pierrot, with 12 international students, including Lissie Flores Egusquiza from CT State Tunxis. The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, funded by the National Science Foundation, and the French Embassy have a long history of sponsoring French study abroad opportunities for community college students. This program is vital to producing well-rounded students who have a greater understanding of their work's impact on a global scale and providing equitable opportunities that aren’t often the norm in community college education.

Maha Jeffri from CT State Tunxis and Rebecca Giarnese from CT State Northwestern with their peers touring the scenic sights. Connecticut State Community College (CT State) students embarked on a unique journey with the Cultural Services study abroad boot camps this summer. These programs, offered by the Cultural Services division of the French Embassy in the United States, provide many opportunities for students and professionals interested in studying in France. This year, our students had the chance to attend various boot camps, each offering a distinct experience: Some Like it Sustainable, located at Université de Montpellier in Montepellier; Sustainable Engineering at Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées (ESTIA) in Bidart; and From Conservation of Natural Heritage to Future Society: Science for Sustainable Development at Université de Lille in Lille.

Attendance from CT State was as follows: Amelia Marie Kearney (CT State Community College Tunxis) and Sophie Capps-Hawkins (CT State Community College Tunxis) participated in the Sustainable Engineering program in Bidart. Maha Jeffri (CT State Community College Tunxis) and Rebecca Giarnese (CT State Community College Northwestern) attended Natural Heritage to Future Society: Science for Sustainable Development in Lille. Lissie Flores Egusquiza (CT State Community College Tunxis) attended Some Like it Sustainable in Montpellier.

Robots that students at ESTIA designed and built.  Sustainable Engineering in Bidart, France, offered skill building for STEAM students to brainstorm and solve the challenges of social-ecological transition and apply them to their careers. Students were also taught to identify the different limits of the planet (including climate change) that must not be exceeded and their current state using different environmental impact indicators (Climate Fresk). Opportunities for cultural visits included sightseeing in the cities of Biarritz or Bayonne, visiting museums, hiking, surfing, and participating in other activities in local areas. Students were exposed to Basque music, dances, and other demonstrations for further cultural immersion.

Amelia Kearney (right), participated in the recycling workshop to make a small plastic keychain. She shredded recycled plastic into the machine, then melted it and pushed it into a mold. The jars on the table have shredded recycled plastic sorted into colors. 

Sophie Capps-Hawkins from CT State Tunxis, Amelia Kearney from CT State Tunxis, and others presented the final Carbon Assessment project total emissions calculated during the bootcamp, looking at the different areas with emissions and demonstrating ways that future bootcamps could be more sustainable.  Natural Heritage to Future Society: Science for Sustainable Development in Lille, France, offered a unique blend of campus tours, activities, and visits to heritage sites. Students delved into sustainable development research and explored underground quarries. The bootcamp also covered the exploration of geo and bioheritage, geothermal energy, urban geoheritage, and ecosystem management. The program also included visits to the Opal Coast Geopark, Fortress of Mimoyeques, explorations of marine ecosystems, and studies of climate change's impact on plant life.

Rebecca Giarnese of CT State Northwestern wearing protective gear to enter the quarries.

Elevator ride to the recreated mine shafts during the museum tour. Some Like It Sustainable in Montpellier, France, gave students the skillsets to apply corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their workforces. Students gained knowledge to manage a company while being conscientious of CSR issues, learned how innovation contributes to CSR strategies, used sustainable development concepts to design tomorrow’s businesses, identified the positive impact of emerging technologies on sustainable marketing, and gained confidence to start a business or to change and improve practices in their fields. Activities and cultural visits included touring vineyards, visiting the UNESCO Centre for Water, kayaking, and beach trips.

Lissie Flores Egusquiza from CT State Tunxis and fellow students pose as a group on their final day.

Maha Jeffri from CT State Tunxis and Rebecca Giarnese from CT State Northwestern with fellow students on the coast.