Leveraging Virtual Exchanges to Prepare Students for the Global Marketplace

Creating global learning opportunities for Oakland Community College (OCC) students represents both provenance and practicality. Oakland County, Michigan, the primary service area for OCC, is one of the state’s most diverse counties and home to more than 1,000 corporations from 39 different countries. OCC’s Virtual Exchanges expand the benefit of traditional study abroad participation from roughly two percent of community college students to every OCC student through an innovative synchronous and asynchronous curriculum. The program exposes students to different value systems and norms, providing an opportunity to experience diversity as a source of strength to inspire cross-cultural communication, global understanding, and social responsibility and to foster career success in the global marketplace. The innovator's vision has shaped course offerings, created important connections with area businesses and community organizations, and developed consequential outreach opportunities for students and community members.

Innovator: Suba Subbarao