Global CC Transfers
Grounded in lived experiences and robust networks in foreign affairs, competitive scholarship, internship, and global education opportunities, we are dedicated to empowering the 10 million diverse, underrepresented, and underserved future leaders studying at community colleges across the United States.
OUR MISSION
We build community, share resources, and develop programs that inspire and empower community college students, addressing structural inequalities in higher education.
OUR STRATEGIES FOR EMPOWERING CC STUDENTS:
BUILDING COMMUNITY
We expand our community through the CC students we support while also tracking and tracing community college alumni, including over 300+ remarkable professionals who have volunteered as mentors. We build lasting connections between current students and alumni across the United States, ensuring that diverse knowledge, insight, and inspiration shape our community.
MENTORING & COACHING
We harness the power of shared experiences by connecting aspiring future leaders with mentors who have successfully navigated the community college journey, as well as experienced professionals in public service, global affairs, and other fields. We provide evidence-driven coaching to students as well as host public events and fireside chats with opportunity providers, demystifying educational and professional pathways.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
We forge alliances with organizations such as Community Colleges for International Development, amplifying our reach and impact. We advise and lobby other opportunity providers (ex. internships, competitive scholarships, international affairs organizations) to improve their processes and outreach to community college and transfer students, ensuring that a broader range of opportunities and resources become accessible to our community.
RESOURCE SHARING & DEVELOPMENT
We bridge knowledge gaps by centralizing and increasing access to educational and professional resources, while also spearheading resource development tailored to the unique needs of the community college journey.
PROFESSIONAL RESILIENCE TRAINING
We equip students with real-world skills essential for their personal and professional progress through training specifically tailored to the unique experiences, challenges, and strengths of community college students, such as strategies for dealing with imposter syndrome and talking about community college in interviews.
COLLABORATIVE & CIVIC-MINDED LEARNING
We promote collaborative learning environments where students and alumni from diverse backgrounds can share honestly about their experiences and support each other’s growth. We actively learn from our students, giving them leadership roles in the shaping of future programs and supporting their leadership in their local communities.
Hear from our students
I love CCGAF, it was a game-changer in my personal and academic process. There are so many things that you can know and do when you are far away from the discussions. That probably is the main problem of wanting to participate in the global discussion when you are in your little cities where the main topics are the local challenges. CCGAF fixes that problem, it brings us closer to the discussion, and stakeholders of the real global conversations. It just creates a bridge between the students, and the individuals in the conversation, in order to empower students into joining the discussion and having more opportunities to jump into global affairs. I personally took this opportunity in my heart. The amount of meaningful connections that I created is extraordinary, and I am happy to say that I am still in contact with some of those connections after CCGAF. The fellowship poked my curiosity to see what I can do right now to start my journey in this field, but it also gave me the tools that I need. Everyone in the program helped me, giving me the confidence to speak with more properly, and to go to interviews with the full determination of what I want to do. I think that everyone in the program left with a boost of confidence to follow their dreams. In my case, I am more than comfortable saying “I am Juan Penagos, and I come from a diverse background, but my voice matters, and I can bring a lot to this conversation. I will be part of the change, and I thankfully know that the GCCT family will be there to help me achieve my dreams.”
Juan Sebastian Penagos-Marquez (GCCT '23)
My GCCT experience has been nothing short of life-changing. Beyond making me a more adept professional, I have gained something I lacked before: an adequate support system. Students like me, who bear the financial burden of their education, often come to feel isolated and limited by their circumstances. The GCCT team has endlessly supported me in my pursuits of finding ways to fund my education. Moreover, they have made me feel not alone and have shown me that I can reach heights I once deemed unreachable.
Miracle Gatling (GCCT '23)
My experience with the Global Community College Affairs Fellowship has been remarkable. So many doors for careers within the global affairs sphere were opened that I didn’t know excited. During this experience, I have had the privilege to network with SUSI Fellows, meet my congressional representative, Don Beyers, visit the Department of State, and so much more. I am forever grateful for the fellowship for exposing me to the careers and pathways that one can take and giving an insiders perspective on each.
In addition, my time in D.C. allowed me to connect with incredible individuals in my cohort that made me feel less alone in my journey through community college. Despite our regional and cultural differences, I learned so much from each and every one of them. I hope that one day that there will be more opportunities for non-traditional and minority students to flourish and reach their full potential without obstacles holding them back. I wouldn’t trade this opportunity for the world!
Zaynab Mirza (GCCT '23)
Raising CC/Transfer Voices
From Networking to Family: Uzair Pasta (El Camino College) Reflects on Building Community in the 2023 Community College Global Affairs Fellowship
“Community: A nine-letter word that encapsulates so much. The Community College Global
Affairs Fellowship was a place where dreams met opportunity. It was where our hopes and potential collided, and where our futures seemed to become clearer.”
Community College Global Affairs Fellows highlighted as Champions by Chancellor of the California Community Colleges
Dr. Sonya Christian, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, highlights CCGAF on her blog as Community College champions, noting that American River, Berkeley City, Compton, East Los Angeles, El Camino, Foothill, Ohlone, Pasadena City, Riverside City and Santa Monica community colleges are all represented this year.
Creating an international careers pipeline for community college students | GCCT highlighted by the Stanford Global Educators Network
“Convincing community college students, and their families, that there are viable career options for global studies majors is crucial to creating (and sustaining) viable programs to internationalize our community college curriculum at all levels.” Dr. Scott Lankford, Stanford Global Educators Network Board of Directors Member, highlights GCCT as an innovative national platform for encouraging CC-to-international career pipelines.