Susan Hess, Scott Community College

Susan Hess, Assistant to the Dean for International Programs and CASS Coordinator at Scott Community College since 1989, will be our speaker on Monday, November 30.  Susan graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point with a degree in Sociology/Anthropology/Latin American Studies.  She continued her education at the Universidad Central del Valle de Cauca, Tulua, Colombia where she studied Retail Management, Job Training/Employment, and Education.  She has been married for  39 years, is the mother of adopted (Guatemala) twin daughters Elizabeth and Marina, 10 years old.  

The CASS (Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships)Program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, is a partnership, Scott Community College, as part of Eastern Iowa Community College District enjoys with Georgetown University.  Since 1988 Scott has welcomed and trained over 200 young people from Central America and the Caribbean for two years at  a time. The goal of CASS is to give these young people the education, training and skills they need to return home to their countries and make a positive difference for their families their communities and their countries.  In addition to education these future leaders are given multiple opportunities to develop leadership skills, learn about U.S. democracy, experience living with a host family, volunteer and share their home culture with the host community.  A capstone to their US experience is to be able to apply their new skills by  completing a non-paid internship prior to graduation and departure in July of 2010.