ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Th e mission of the U.S. community colleges has historically focused on access to local populations and their specifi c needs (Cohen & Brawer, 2008). It should, therefore, come as no surprise that rather than target international students, community colleges have more oft en appealed to the underrepresented and non-traditional students dwelling on U.S. soil; more specifi cally in the geographical area of the college itself. However, the nation’s community colleges have built a respected history of providing intercultural and multicultural programs (Raby & Tarrow, 1996) while catering to the needs of a diverse domestic student population due in part to the colleges’ relatively low tuition rates, open-access admission policies, and convenient locations (Boggs, 2001). Many individuals who might not have been successful in four-year institutions have found academic success in community colleges because of the smaller class sizes, increased interactions with faculty members, and an environment that focuses more intently on teaching than research (Cohen & Brawer, 2008; Ewing, 1992).
