On September 30, 2017, the U.S. Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan and EducationUSA hosted the fourth Let’s Go America! showcase which featured the first U.S. Community College Fair, held in the Mutiara Ballroom of the Radisson Hotel.
This year’s Let’s Go America! showcase included representatives from seven U.S. community colleges which offer accessible and affordable educational programs that provide two-year associates degrees, as well as pathway programs that lead towards a four-year undergraduate degree.
Participating community colleges included Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Foothill-De Anza Colleges, San Mateo College of Silicon Valley, Everett Community College, Orange Coast College, and Georgia State Perimeter College, and Madison Area Technical College.
The event was launched by U.S. Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Craig Allen, with Guest of Honor Dr. Haji Azman bin Ahmad, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education), Ministry of Education.
Addressing the crowd at the event, Ambassador Allen said, “Community colleges are an excellent choice for anyone looking to further their education. Community colleges are a sound investment, and allow students to obtain a U.S. degree at a much lower cost. Two-year colleges provide a practical and affordable choice to help students update their skills and prepare for new careers. Community colleges provide valuable post-secondary educational opportunities for those who want to pursue career and technical training, academic transfer to a four-year university, or to gain skills to achieve a better position in the workforce.”
The U.S. Community College Fair also included representatives from the Ministry of Education’s Accreditation Unit, Scholarship Division, and Higher Education division, alumni of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), the Brunei-U.S. Association, and the American Alumni Association.
The U.S. Embassy hosted this event in cooperation with EducationUSA, a U.S. Department of State-supported network of hundreds of advising centers around the world. Each year, EducationUSA advisers provide millions of international students with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about how to apply to U.S. colleges and universities. EducationUSA staff also work with U.S. higher education professionals to promote international student recruitment.
