Wallace State Community College administrators exchange ideas with South African campus visitors through the International Visitor Leadership Program

Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Hawsey and the South African delegates spent a couple of hours this week exchanging ideas and information about the goals and challenges associated with their colleges.
 
CONTACT: Russell Moore, Communications and Marketing, Wallace State Community College, 256.352.8443, russell.moore@wallacestate.edu
 
HANCEVILLE – Wallace State Community College had the privilege last week of hosting a visit from a South African delegation sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The group was in Alabama to learn about American community college education and workforce development training.
Eight representatives from South Africa’s Sedibeng College visited Wallace State through the U.S Department of State Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), a professional exchange program that seeks to build mutual understanding between the United States and other nations through short-term visits to the United States. The International Services Council of Alabama, located in Huntsville, manages the IVLP and coordinated this visit.
During a five-day stay in Alabama, the South African contingent visited several community colleges, the Alabama Industrial Development Training as well as Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville.
As fellow college employees, the objectives for the South African group were to dig deeper into the most effective practices utilized at community colleges, to learn more about the programs offered at each college and how partnerships with other colleges and businesses are attained.
During its visit to campus, the group was able to learn, in a meeting with Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Hawsey and other college administrators, about the variety of academic, health and technical programs offered at the college in addition to the online education, adult education and workforce development efforts.
The group split up after meeting with Dr. Hawsey and toured programs on campus that sparked their interest, including the machine tool technology/computer numerical control department, welding, cosmetology, selected health programs and the Advanced Visualization Center. They were also treated to lunch courtesy of Wallace State’s Academy of Culinary Arts.
“I am impressed how this college has a variety of programs on one campus. The training and lecturing students receive here (at Wallace State) would be valuable at our college in the workshop. I could see a partnership where one of your lecturers comes to our college and trains our students for two to three weeks,” said Mr. Abel Ephraim Mashele, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Sedibeng College for Further Education and Training.
Hawsey felt it was very beneficial to for Wallace State to exchange ideas and future goals with the South African delegates.
“Our South African neighbors experience the same challenges as we do here in the United States, that is, producing a skilled workforce that will help to ignite our economy. It was rewarding to have the opportunity to discuss the pacesetting initiatives in which we have to be successful, such as our Advanced Visualization Center, as well as extend the opportunity to partner with an institution of higher learning in another country,” Hawsey said.
Each delegate who visited campus is employed at the Sedibeng College for Further Education and Training. The group consisted of Mr. Abel Ephraim Mashele, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the college; Mr. Andrew Murray Badenhorst, senior lecturer; Ms. Christell Lombaard, lecturer; Mr. Dyke Moru, lecturer; Ms. Matseba Motshedisi Mosesi, Deputy Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Academic Affairs; Mr. Mamochite George Mothapo, Deputy Principal of Corporate Services; Ms. Manini Cecilia Radebe, senior lecturer and Ms. Linda Van Nieuwenhuizen, Academic Manager.
The Sedibeng College for Further Education and Training in South Africa has many program majors similar to Wallace State’s options. The Sedibeng College is spread out among four outlets with courses held in Heidelberg, Sebokeng, Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging.
All participants of the International Visitor’s Leadership Program were identified by our U.S. Embassy and the program for the delegation was prepared by the International Services Council of Alabama (ISC).
For more information about Wallace State, visit wallacestate.edu.
 

Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Hawsey directs the South African visitors through the lobby of the James C. Bailey Center. The delegates were on campus this week as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program.
 

Members of the South African delegate from Sedibeng College make notes during Dr. Vicki Hawsey’s presentation.
 

The South African delegates listen intently as Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Hawsey discusses aspects of Wallace State.
 

Mr. Abel Ephraim Mashele, center, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Sedibeng College for Further Education and Training, asks Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Hawsey a question during an open forum.
 

Wallace State Cosmetology Department Head Tracy Smith gives a tour of her building to the South African delegates on campus this week.
______________________________
Kristen Holmes
Director, Communications & Marketing
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 256-352-8118 direct
256-352-8314 fax 256-339-2519 cell
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu