Born in Niger and raised in France, Faycal Akilou Ahmed moved to Phoenix on December 13, 2023, as an international student. He already has a Master's degree in International Relations and had worked in France for several years, but he realized the field didn't fit his personality. "I don't see myself wearing a suit and tie and sitting behind a desk," he said. He also found the work too political, so he is pursuing a Business degree in the United States. He researched and applied to four colleges: one in Augusta, Georgia, where his brother has a house; two others in Boston, Massachusetts, and Tampa, Florida, where he has family; and Phoenix College (PC) in Phoenix, Arizona, where he didn't know anyone, but had visited many times.
Enrollment Support for International Students
Faycal sent his applications and waited. Paula Chalarca-Chavez, a former international student and now Program Analyst in Phoenix College's International Education Program, was the first to respond. Faycal decided not to wait for the other schools to reply and enrolled at PC. "Paula was amazing," Faycal said. "She was super helpful. My English is better now, but it wasn't great then, and Paula was very patient. She made the whole process super easy. I had to upload documents online, but it was hard for me, so she said, 'Send it to me by email, and I'll handle it.'"
Faycal had his student visa in a week, yet the most challenging part was renting an apartment. He stayed in an Airbnb, rented a car, and went to four different apartment complexes, but they all required a social security card, which he doesn't have as an international student. Eventually, a landlord accepted his international documents, and he now has housing. Faycal finds Phoenix the right place to study. "It's calm," he said. "You can focus when you come to school. There's not too much distraction. It's a good choice."
Drawn to study in the US because an American diploma guarantees him a job in France, Faycal's first goal at PC was to perfect his English. "English is the number one language. You need it if you want to do anything," he said. Phoenix College offers English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for students to better prepare them for their academic programs.
A New Experience
Faycal was also eager for a new experience. He had vacationed in the US before but this is his first time living in America. Having been in Phoenix for almost a year, he said it's better than expected. "In France, we see a lot of things on TV. I'm Black, and I'd see a lot of things going on with the police, a certain way of being treated," he said. Asked if he'd experienced racism in Phoenix, he responded, "Absolutely not—actually the opposite. Everybody's super nice, thank God. My experience has been amazing so far."
Faycal is one of the many international students who choose Phoenix College each year. At no time is this more visual than during the annual Parade of Flags, a highlight of International Education Week, organized by PC’s International Department. This year, students from Professor Jeff Eldot's ESL class proudly carried flags representing their home countries and those of other college students in celebration of the global community at Phoenix College.
Governor Katie Hobbs proclaimed November 18 - 22, 2024, Arizona International Education Week. Additional activities on PC's campus included samples of international candy, an international fashion show, a talk on idioms by Communication Faculty Harry Singh, and two PC students sharing their study abroad experiences with other students.
Study Abroad Opportunities
PC students can study abroad and earn credit toward their degrees in programs organized by the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). Last summer, Joseph Laffoon traveled to Ireland with other MCCCD students and studied Religion in Ireland and Irish Storytelling. Erideily Garcia studied in Italy. During International Education Week, they shared the benefits of cultural exchange including the chance to try new foods and see the world's many natural and human-built wonders.
Erideily and Joseph applied for and received Gilman International Scholarships, which provide up to $5,000 for study abroad program expenses. Joseph enjoyed his trip to Ireland so much he plans to return to Ireland on his own next summer.
PC's International Education Department staff–Paula Chalarca, Alba Penarete, Mariko Ito and Phillip Muredzi–are ready to support international students studying at PC and local students studying abroad. Reach out and expand your horizons.