Harper College - Office of International Education

05/04/2026

Trang Vu and Jerome Kisting made up CGEE's final two Humphrey Fellows last week. Visiting from Vietnam and Namibia respectively, Trang and Jerome lead panels, gave discussions, and met with students and faculty alike all week. By speaking about their expertise in business, investment, and banking, our students gained valuable insight into a dynamic global industry. The CGEE team learned a ton as well!

That wraps up the Humphrey Fellowship for us this year, but we can't wait to welcome more in 2027!

04/27/2026

CGEE welcomed Dr. Eman Elsokary last week as our second Humphrey Fellow. We had a blast taking her to speak with faculty, students, and professionals in the fields of medicine and higher education. She was a wealth of knowledge and experience that enriched our students educational experience. We're so lucky to have had her!
We also got to take her on a little field trip to see the lovely city of Chicago.

04/17/2026

The 17th International Education Summit was a resounding success!

CGEE had the honor of hosting attendees representing nineteen institutions, four states and three countries. The Summit serves as an opportunity for regional leaders to discuss the themes, challenges, and innovative solutions in International Education while enjoying networking from across the world. Our Humphrey Fellows even had a panel!

Huge thanks to our colleagues at the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs for coming out! We hope to see you all next year!

04/14/2026

Last week, CGEE hosted Farayi Machamire, a Humphrey Fellow from Zimbabwe. It was a fast week of class visits, speaking on Harper's Global Ed Unpacked Podcast, and visiting our contemporaries at College of Lake County. Farayi spoke to students about his rise in journalism, including his method in creating Kukurigo Information Services, a social enterprise sharing news and information to over 400,000 people daily through WhatsApp.

Thank you to Farayi for coming to Palatine and enriching our students' academic experience!

04/03/2026

Harper's Fashion Studies department recently got the chance to host Dr. Leilane Rigatto for a series of talks and workshops on campus.

Dr. Rigatto brings over 20 years of international experience in fashion design, research, and higher education. With an extensive background as both a scholar and a practicing fashion designer across Brazil, Mexico, and Italy, her expertise was a major learning experience for our students.

Her visit included a session exploring the evolution of Italian fashion, the significance of the “Made in Italy” label, and the designers and brands—such as Armani, Versace, Prada, and Gucci—that have shaped global luxury fashion. She also hosted a hands-on workshop focusing on how garment details—such as ruffles, collars, and sleeves—contribute to overall design. Students learned practical techniques in pattern application and finishing to create cohesive and innovative fashion pieces .

Many thanks to Dr. Rigatto and to Nupur Sharma for organizing such an incredible visit and for her countless efforts to increase internationalization on campus.

03/30/2026

Harper College meets Ireland!

Students in English 102 and History 142 had the opportunity to visit several sites along the Irish coast and interior this spring break. Through city, countryside, sea, sheep, and LOTS of wind each and every student got the enriching educational experience study abroad promises.

Thank you so much to for being so accommodating and for the amazing experience. They helped show us the real spirit of the Emerald Isle!

03/28/2026

03/13/2026

Happy Fun Fact Friday!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day next week and our upcoming spring break trip to Ireland led by CGEE's Director Dr. Richard Johnson, this week's fact is about the Republic of Ireland.

Irish, or "Gaeilge" as it's known on the Emerald Isle, is one of Ireland's two official languages. Spoken by nearly two million people (approximately 40% of the population), it is among the oldest written languages in the world. A powerful source of national pride, the language is a compulsory subject in schools in Ireland. While Gaeilge is spoken across the country, it is most predominant on Ireland's scenic west coast.

Want to hear it for yourself? Contact the Center for Global Education and Engagement for more information on study abroad opportunities in Ireland.

Míle buíochas!

03/06/2026

This week, CGEE had the pleasure of hosting Tony Wanyoike, Director of NIBS Technical College in Nairobi, Kenya!

Over two days on campus, Tony met with faculty, staff, and students from across disciplines; including Hospitality Management, Graphic Arts Technology, Mass Communications, Fashion Studies, and our Business program. He also toured our facilities like the Harper radio station and fashion studio. What a pleasure to discover how much our programs have in common with our colleagues across the globe!
Harper College Harper College - Office of International Education

01/25/2026

Join us this Thursday, January 29th, to ring in the new semester with good food, friends, and fun!

12/18/2025

Huge congratulations to the new, elected unanimously with 154 votes during the ###III AMPEI International Conference, Connecting Borders, Transforming Futures, hosted at La Salle Bajío University, November 19–21, 2025. Harper College is a proud member.

This incredible team represents public and private institutions across Mexico and the U.S., and we’re excited to see their leadership strengthen international education collaboration.
Meet the new board:

President: José Betancourt, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero (UAGro)
Vice President: Valeria Padilla, Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG)
Secretary General: Scott Venezia, Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (CETYS)
Treasurer: José Luis Sosa, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH)
Member At-Large 1: Cecilia García, Universidad de Colima (UCOL)
Member At-Large 2: Antonio Esqueda, City University of Seattle (CityU)
Congratulations to all elected members! We look forward to the important work ahead and the continued strengthening of international education across our region.

AMPEI impulsa la internacionalización de la educación superior en México. Conecta instituciones, crea alianzas y lidera iniciativas globales desde 1992.