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Pat grew up on a tobacco farm outside a small town, Four Oaks NC. The family ran a BBQ restaurant in NC for over 30 years. After graduating from Four Oaks High School, she attended NC State University to study Math Education. After marrying, she moved to Camden, SC where both her daughters, Tammy and […]

What is your cultural background? I was born in Medina de Pomar, a tiny town in northern Spain. At 13, my family and I relocated to Bilbao, a dynamic city in the Basque Country. Basketball has always been my passion; I used it as a stepping stone to achieve my academic goals. Seeking to broaden my

Busy times at CIV. The Committee for International Visitors currently has four scheduled upcoming programs; one in June and one in July. The programs for two of these delegations will be focused on the topic of Domestic Violence and one on Cybersecurity, bringing the total number of groups we have received so far in 2023 to

Courtney is a respected international educator committed profoundly to service and humanitarian development. Courtney’s work spans diverse global communities, and she is driven by a passion for uplifting communities and fostering cultural understanding. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in education, specializing in English language learning. Her academic pursuits reflect her dedication to empowering individuals through

Carol shares information about her international travels and her work at CCFI. Whenever she travels, people comment on Carol’s unique accent from northern Wisconsin – a place influenced by German, Scandinavian, and Eastern European immigrants. Carol was born the third girl in a family of 12 children in a small town called Medford. It was

We asked Gaurav a few questions about his background and his higher education experience. What is your cultural background?  I am from Mumbai, India, a metropolitan city and the home of Indian Cinema, popularly known as Bollywood around the world. It is also the country’s financial capital running its Bombay Stock Exchange!  What parts of

August 1-3, 2021, Columbia Council for Internationals (CCFI) was fortunate to be included in the first International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in-person group in 16 months. This was my first in-person program, and I was very fortunate to work with two experienced, professional liaisons and six lively, engaged, and personable Nigerian visitors on the IVLP

A few weeks ago, We got on a Zoom call with John Sam-Arthur, a journalist from Ghana who visited Columbia in November 2018 through the State Department’s IVLP program (learn more about IVLP here). The theme of his delegation’s visit was “New and Traditional Broadcast Media”. Their main focus was on covering elections, and they

We’re turning the spotlight on a valued member of the Columbia Council for Internationals who exemplifies the mission of CCFI. Don Caughman, a 29-year member of CCFI, shares a few words about his significant involvement with CCFI and what CCFI has meant to him over the years. “As I look back over all the years

  Our very own Jim Byrum has been highlighted in a story in the Economist about his work with the Columbia Council for Internationals, and how people like Jim and CCFI members are America’s “real ambassadors”. The Real Ambassadors: America’s Amateur Diplomats. Meet the corps of volunteers boosting soft power. Jul 5th 2018 | COLUMBIA, SOUTH