Partnership activities with institutions of higher education and businesses in Belize have grown extensively in the last five years. Benefits to MCC employees and Belizean counterparts are recognized by all involved. Having the ability to grown and develop together has been a high priority of persons from MCC and Belize. Noted below is a summary of activities with persons in Belize.

Activities in Belize stemmed from a visit by three members of Omaha Downtown Rotary to Belize in November 1992. As a member of their International Committee, President Richard Gilliland traveled with the group, making contact with institutions of higher education and exploring possible linkages with MCC.

In the spring of 1993, Harold Fields, Diesel Mechanics Instructor from the Center for Employment Training in Belize City was sponsored by MCC for a five-week training program to enhance his diesel mechanic training and knowledge of U.s. educational systems and related business applications.

In 1994 MCC Auto body Instructor, Vince Cooper, spent his sabbatical as a Peace Corps volunter working with the Center for Employment Training in Belize City. Weekly telephone conversations with Vince provided him with assignments to develop relationships with the many institutions, Rotary and business partners in Belize. His continued contacts intiated many on-going projects such as donated shipments of educational books, fax machines and supplies to Belizean institutions. Equipment on loan includes computers, diesel engines, electronic items and mannequins for CPR training.

Since 1994, MCC has sent a diverse group of staff to Belize to work on projects and to plan with Belizean personnel for future activities. Areas represented have been Auto Body, Business Management, Nursing, Social Sciences, Human Relations, Distance Learning, Student Services, Grants Management, Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Photography, Instructional Design Services and Foods Arts & Management.

MCC is the only community college represented in the Consortium of Belize Educational Cooperation (COBEC). This U.S./Belizean consortium partners representatives from Belizean institutions with those from U.S. institutions working in Belize. A Belizean institution must recommend the U.S. institution for membership. Belize Teachers' College sponsored MCC to become an official member in February 1996.

Since 1995, MCC has facilitated joint staff development sessions with faculty from five colleges in Belize City. The sessions are two-way audio with a facilitator on each side from the respective institutions. MCC continues to work with its Belizean partners to update the equipment necessary to continue these popular sessions with faculty from both countries. Generally four sessions have been held during the year.
Examples of topics are: Cultural Diversity in the Classroom; Enthusiasm in the Classroom; questioning Techniques; Innovative Measures; Outcomes and Assessment; and Special Topics in Curriculum.

In the fall of 1996, MCC coordinated a major planning session in Belize for educational institutions and businesses. Partnership agreements were signed with Belize School of Nursing, Belize Teachers' College, Belize Technical College, Center for Employment Training, St. John's Sixth Form and University College of Belize.

Three instructors from the Belize School of Nursing (BSN) were hosted by MCC for three weeks during the summer of 1997. MCC coordinated their actvities on campus, at hospitals and in the community.

MCC received Title VIA funding from 1997-1999. As a part of this grant, four faculty traveled to Belize, working with partner instituions to develop curriculum modules in Human Relations, Business Management, and Food Arts & Management.

In February 1998, six students traveled with MCC instructor Lorran Meares and Student Services administrator Arlene Jordan on a photography expedition to begin MCC's study abroad options in Belize. An instructor and four students from Belize Technical college partnered with them in this adventure.

During the month of February 1999, Rene allen, Air-conditioning Instructor at the Center for Employment Training, and Linsford McClaren, Electrical Instructor at Belize Technical College, participated in trining from the MCC Air Conditioning and Electrical Apprenticeship Programs. Rene and Lynsford also toured several related businesses to enhance their air conditioning/electrical training program.

In May and October of 1998, Craig Carlson and Vince Cooper traveled to Belize to research the possibilities of distance learning connections among Belizean institutions, the hospital ad government organizations with the distance learning system at the Center for Employment Training. Following these conversations, the Omaha Downtown Rotary and the Metropolitan Community College Foudnation provided funding to support MCC's facilitation of this project to interconnect Belizean institutions in Belize City. This project provides for a voice and video connections among all institutions.

Ongoing conversations and staff development offerings using this distance learning system continue among faculty and staff at MCC and the partnering Belizean educational institutions. In the future, Belizean students will be able to participate in MCC classes via this distance learning system. In June of 1999, this interconnection will be dedicated and join activities will take place between the two countries. The Downtown Rotary may use this system as a means of supporting the medical programs with physicians in Omaha and Belize discussing patient cases via the system.

There are many exciting, ambitious plans for expanding our educational partnerships with our Belizean colleagues. Metro looks forward to encouarging this growth of the relationships and considers our Belizean projects to be high priority for our College.