'Global Bridge Shows Us We're Not Alone,' Program At McDaniel College Helping Immigrant Students Transition To Life In The U.S.
WESTMINSTER, Md. (WJZ) -- At McDaniel College, a program is helping immigrant students transition to life in the United States.
The program, Global Bridge, was founded by McDaniel College professor Amy McNichols.
"I didn't like the fact that they had to separate themselves," McNichols said. "I wanted them to bring all of who they are to the academic experience. So hopefully this makes them feel more integrated now."
A documentary shown at the Sundance Film Festival is part of the Global Bridge program at McDaniel College.
The documentary followed four of the 372 Syrian refugees who relocated to Baltimore as they learned about American culture.
"A film like that showing experiences a lot of us go through is really important to people who don't really understand," Yelli Coulibaly, a student at McDaniel College, said.
Coulibaly immigrated from the Ivory Coast while Mario Fernandez, another McDaniel College student, immigrated from Venezuela.
"A lot of immigrants, especially immigrant students, feel like we're alone," Fernandez said. "Tackling a new society all on our own and in a way we are tackling it on our own and in our cultures, but Global Bridge shows us that we're actually not alone."
McNichols said that of the 120 eligible students to participate in Global Bridge, one-third of them are taking advantage of the opportunity.
"Most of the students are in the process of becoming American, or they are American," she said.
The documentary will be shown at McDaniel College on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend.
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