The International Education Office at Mesa Community College is committed to promoting global awareness for the college and the community. The office provides services, opportunities, and resources to help international students succeed academically, thrive in an intercultural environment, and form meaningful relationships. MCC is certified by the Student Exchange Visitor Program for F-1 students.

In Spring 2023, MCC hosted 181 students holding  F-1 visa status, the largest number among the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). These students came to MCC from 50 countries, an increase over Spring 2022. The number of F-1 students enrolled at MCC is on a steady, post-pandemic rise, and MCC ranks among the top 40 community colleges in the nation for the highest number of F-1 visa students.

During spring semester 2023, MCC had the most J-1 visa exchange students across the 10 colleges with 19 enrollments from the Dominican Republic, Egypt, and South Africa. Over the summer, MCCCD announced its official sponsorship of the U.S. Department of State J-1 non-immigrant Visa Exchange Visitor Program enabling international students, scholars, and professors to attend college in the U.S. to obtain valuable experience in their field of study.

Further, the program promotes cultural exchange between participating countries and the U.S., fostering mutual understanding by allowing students, scholars, professors, and other exchange visitors to experience American culture while sharing their unique perspectives with local communities. With the J-1 sponsor designation, MCCCD is closer to realizing its mission to develop a Global Center through study abroad programs, student services, event programming, and more to encourage global citizenship and student success.

Since 2013, (excluding the 2020-2021 academic year), MCC and the CCI Program hosted more than 120 international students who collectively contributed more than 10,000 community service hours.  

Administered by the U.S. Department of State, the CCI Program allocates scholarships to underserved and underrepresented groups for one year of study in a non-degree program at a U.S. community college.

Not only do CCI Program participants learn a new trade or skill to help their careers, families, and countries - they can gain an understanding of American values and systems while engaging in community service. For MCC, the benefits of this international exchange include cooperation, expanded understanding of other cultures, and global awareness.

During the 2022-2023 school year, 16 scholarship recipients from Bangladesh, Brazil, Columbia, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and     Dominican Republic were enrolled in business, early childhood education, computer and    information technology, healthcare, emergency medical technology, and sustainable agriculture certificate programs.

After successful program completion, many CCI graduates remain in contact with the International Education Office and their instructors and routinely participate in MCC engagement activities, serving as volunteer student ambassadors in their home countries.

This U.S. Department of State program provides American citizens and U.S. nationals who are undergraduate students demonstrating financial need an opportunity to study or intern abroad with scholarships of up to $5,000. Those studying critical need languages are eligible for scholarships up to $8,000.

Seven Mesa Community College students received $34,000 in Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships supporting participation in the MCC Study Abroad program in Summer 2023, providing faculty-led, short-term summer classes. In the past academic year, MCC Study Abroad programs provided opportunities to 110 students from many MCCCD colleges to participate in education programs in five countries.

Three students studied humanities and field biology in France – Amanda Christianson ($4,000), Shirley Beltran ($5,000) and Anastaysia Andreyeva ($5,000). Two students studied Irish religion and storytelling in Ireland – Maria Abadia ($5,000) and Elizabeth Tejeda Payan ($5,000). And two students learned about mythology and popular culture in England and Scotland – Charis Hayward and Georgina Mendez Fischer ($5,000 each).

Other countries in the Study Abroad catalog include Czech Republic, Italy and Mexico. In addition, students will have the opportunity to study in Fukuoka, Japan in 2024 for the first time.

In addition to an experiential academic pursuit, other benefits of study abroad include personal growth and maturity, increased self-confidence, facing and solving challenging problems, developing a personally informed view of the world and gaining a better understanding of one's own cultural values and respect for diversity.

According to a report by the Institute of International Education (IIE), studying abroad has a beneficial impact on employability after graduation. IIE data shows that 11 out of 15 21st century workplace skills were gained through an experience overseas.

MCC Study Abroad destinations for 2024 will be announced in the fall.

Sponsored by the MCC Inter-Tribal Student Organization and Associated Students of MCC, the MCC Pow Wow is a celebration of the ancestral ways of the 22 indigenous federally recognized tribal nations in Arizona served by the college. It features Native American dances, song, art, and food and is held on MCC’s Southern and Dobson campus.

The 2023 event offered dance performances from the warrior societies of the Southern and Northern Plains, hoop dancing, traditional O’odham dances, and traditional bird dances.

More than 900 indigenous students are currently enrolled at MCC and, with Maricopa Community Colleges, is committed to supporting and empowering indigenous students and communities by promoting opportunities for cultural and academic support, engagement, and advocacy.