“The CASE program showed me that I don’t have to wait until my third or fourth year of college to have an amazing learning abroad experience.”
For Clover, that realization began at Lone Star College in Texas, where they applied to the Community and Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) program, an eight day immersive experience in Tunisia run by Amideast and funded through the Amideast Community College Scholars Fund. The program’s focus on community college and two-year students shaped the experience in ways they hadn’t anticipated. Because all participants were at similar stages of their academic journeys, a strong sense of community developed quickly, one that made asking questions and challenging assumptions feel natural.
One conversation during the program particularly stood out. A guest speaker on the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia challenged Clover to reconsider assumptions they had brought with them about how social change unfolds during periods of political upheaval, particularly when it comes to women’s roles in revolution. Hearing firsthand how communities in Tunisia organized and pushed for progress during the revolution offered a perspective they hadn’t encountered before.
“My CASE experiences have enabled me to engage on a deeper level with my coursework by allowing me to view the material through an international lens,” Clover says. They discovered a passion for research and travel at Lone Star, and have since graduated with an Honors Associate of Arts and transferred to the University of Houston, where they are majoring in psychology.
When evaluating four-year universities, Clover made a point of prioritizing schools that placed real emphasis on intercultural travel opportunities. Having been part of a program built around community college students also motivated them to seek out transfer student resources once they arrived at their new institution.
For future CASE participants, Clover offers one practical tip: to learn some basic numbers and phrases in Tunisian Arabic or French before you go. The program includes a lot of self-guided exploration, and language learning adds depth to the experience because of the close connection between language and culture.
More than a year later, the experience continues to shape Clover’s academic work. In discussion-based courses, Clover finds themselves drawing on their time in Tunisia to add depth to their analysis of topics ranging from historical sites to social movements.
“I feel that I am able to contribute more to my discipline because the CASE program’s emphasis on social entrepreneurship allowed me to brainstorm creative solutions to sociopolitical challenges that we face in the U.S.,” Clover says.
“Even though my CASE program was over a year ago, my program experiences continuously benefit my ability to engage with my field of study.”
Learn more about the Amideast Community College Scholars Fund here. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to find out when the next round of scholarship applications open.