KLAMATH FALLS — Encouraging students to explore the world and understanding the economic impact exchange students can bring locally were the themes of the evening at the Global Engagement Forum held on the Klamath Community College campus Wednesday night, with a high-ranking trade official from Taiwan delivering a lively and engaging keynote address.
For the second year in a row, International Programs at Klamath Community College and Oregon Institute of Technology partnered to host the forum, aimed at introducing foreign students studying at both institutions to the community and demonstrating how foreign exchange programs benefit the local economy.
The first forum was held on the OIT campus in November 2024. This year, KCC hosted the event on March 4 at its campus.
The event also recognized international students and employees from both OIT and KCC who contribute their unique ideas and experiences to the community.
“We feel it is important for the community to see how the colleges are connected to the wider, global marketplace,” KCC President Dr. Roberto Gutierrez said. “There are several such international businesses right here in the Klamath Basin and they have an impact on its overall economy.
“International students also cultivate something increasingly vital in today’s world: cultural intelligence,” Dr. Gutierrez told the audience. “Many of our KCC and OIT graduates will work in multinational teams, collaborate across time zones and navigate complex global networks. That diverse KCC and OIT classroom becomes a rehearsal space for the future: Learning to listen across accents; Learning to interpret different communication styles; and learning to navigate cultural nuance with humility and respect.”
OIT’s Provost and Senior Vice President Dr. Hesham El-Rewini, who came to the U.S. from Egypt, echoed those thoughts. He also provided some humorous examples on how different cultures can misinterpret one another.
“I once made a hand gesture to a driver that their signal light was still on. That’s what it means in Egypt. But in the U.S., it means one is talking too much,” he said.
“Learning the culture of another country is like filling a glass with water,” Dr. El-Rewini said. “Make sure your glass is turned right-side up to accept the culture you are participating in.”
Keynote speaker May Mei-Chen Lin cajoled the audience to do more to promote international exchanges, especially STEM programs. She is the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural office in Seattle. She has held significant position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including: Deputy Director-General of Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The heart of innovation is cooperation among nations, such as the U.S. and Taiwan,” she said. “Taiwan, OIT and KCC are all a bit ‘nerdy’ but in a good way. They are matched perfectly to boost innovation.”
She also noted that there’s opportunity for American teachers to teach English to Taiwanese or Chinese-speaking students. English has recently become Taiwan’s official language.
Taiwan is a democratic nation off the coast of China, about one-sixth the size of Oregon, yet supports a population of 23 million. It produces more than 60% of the world’s semiconductors and 92% of the world’s most advanced chips.
“And, it is the birthplace of bubble tea,” she said, a popular iced drink made from tea, milk and tapioca pearls.
“Taiwan is a global hub for AI, cyber security, green energy and biotech. It is where innovation meets manufacturing, the beating heart of the global tech ecosystem. Semi-conductors are the oil of this new era,” she said.
After the speeches, guests mingled with exchange students from France, Brazil, and Australia. Several tables hosted information about study abroad programs at OIT and KCC, student athletics and recruiting, KCC’s new Global Language and Learning department, and students from the CESI engineering school in France.
The forum was organized by KCC Director of International Programs Dr. Fred Griffiths and OIT Associated Provost Dr. Linus Yu.
For more information about KCC and its programs, visit www.klamathcc.edu.