Wine Country Times

With the added burden placed on international students by COVID-19-related travel restrictions, the School of Extended and International Education (SEIE) at Sonoma State University (SSU) has, in partnership with other institutions around the world, been able to ease some of that burden through virtual programing.

One example of new approaches being explored during the pandemic is the partnership with Miyazaki International College (MIC) in Japan, according to a post on the SSU website.

The 10-week cultural and language program allows international students to learn about northern California from home, covering history, geography, culture, industry and higher education, according to the release. Students also learn about societal issues such as hunger and civil rights.

“Working with the School of Extended and International Education has been amazing for my students in Japan who were not able to come to the USA because of the pandemic,” Felix Jimenez, an MIC faculty member, said in the post. “They were able to learn and discuss American culture and California life, but also politics, human rights issues, and the rich diversity of the American population. In their journals and assignments, I have seen the profound impact that SSU instructors have had on my students as they work to become global citizens in an increasingly fraught world.”