Many students have noticed different cultures on the Diablo Valley College campus. This is because DVC is ranked number six in the country for hosting international students.

The Institute of International Education lists community colleges in the country by the number of international students they have attending classes and ranks them in order. As of last year, 1,968 international students attend DVC.

In comparison to DVC, De Anza College in Cupertino is number three with 2,860 and Santa Monica College is number two with 3,480 international students. On the other hand, Los Medanos College and Contra Costa College have much lower numbers.

The Director of International Students Admission and Services, Gloria Zarabozo said “CCC has about 150 and LMC has about 25.”

Students come here because they want to explore the world and try new things. Schools in China, like Peking University or Tsinghua University, aren’t cheap or easy to get into.

The usual price for a masters degree in China is around 29,000 Renminbi (Chinese currency) and another 30,000 for room and board, in dollars that would be around $10,000, making the prospect of going to another country an appealing idea. 

Biology major Jules Korman said, “I think the diversity is great, having so many different areas.”

DVC groups like the International Students Club, the Muslim Student Association and the DVC Persian Club have benefited from having such a diverse student body. These clubs are formed to benefit these students and give them support while they study in a foreign country.

Business major Frank Almeida said, “When I see the many cultures attending DVC, it makes me hope for mankind.”

Other clubs, such as the Korean Culture Club, aim to teach students from other countries about their culture. It is made in hopes that educating other students about their culture can also help international students adjust.

Korean Culture club President David Oh said, “Our club is introducing Korean culture to the campus, some of our members aren’t even Korean.”

Korean Culture club-member Kylie Song said, “We share our culture to help the other students understand us more.”