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| View over the West Campus at Santa Barbara City College |
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Welcome to Santa Barbara City College, one of the premier community colleges in the U.S.! We look forward to meeting you and to welcoming you to our beautiful campus!
I first came to SBCC as an international student from Germany and completed my general education requirements prior to transferring to UC Santa Barbara where I completed my Bachelors and Masters degrees. Upon completion of my graduate studies, I returned to SBCC first as a faculty and later as an administrator. Today, I feel fortunate to be able to provide oversight for SBCC’s international programs and to be in a position to help incoming international students to have a great learning experience at SBCC and to realize their academic goals!
When I first came to SBCC, I was unfamiliar with the American education system and with the community college system so I had a lot of questions about why I should first attend a community college, how to select my classes, and how to navigate the U.S. education system. The SBCC academic counselors were really helpful in helping me to figure out which courses to take to complete my transfer requirements and in preparing me for my studies at UCSB.
While at SBCC, I took classes in many different disciplines to complete my general education requirements. I loved being able to explore different academic majors and to take advantage of the many great programs and services offered at SBCC. In my second year, I decided to participate in one of SBCC’s many Study Abroad programs and to spend one semester studying in Cambridge, England, which turned out to be another amazing learning adventure.
With the help of my instructors and the student support services available on campus, I was able to succeed academically and to transfer to the university of my choice. The academic courses I took at SBCC prepared me well for my studies at UCSB, and I was able to get a full scholarship for my graduate studies at UCSB.
For me, attending SBCC as an international student turned out to be one of the best choices I’ve made and to be a life-changing experience. Studying and living in different countries has given me an appreciation and curiosity for different cultures and a better understanding of the world. As a result, I decided to pursue a career in international education, which has been incredibly rewarding and gratifying. Over the years, I have seen thousands of international students come and go who contributed to the campus community by bringing their own unique perspective to our classrooms and who became involved on campus and in the local community and who made lasting friendships with other students. Most of them arrived a little nervous and unsure about what to expect. Some of them encountered personal and academic challenges. All of them grew personally and academically as a result of their international study experience!
I commend you on taking this important step to study abroad and to learn about another country and culture. The SBCC faculty and staff welcome you and are here to support you on your way to becoming a global citizen!
