Arapahoe Community College (ACC), in conjunction with WorldDenver, hosted an 18-person panel of ambassadors from the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program on Friday, Oct. 9, 2015. This endeavor was sponsored by the ACC Foundation.

The ambassadors were on campus to examine the community college business model, and, in particular, ACC’s role in facilitating business and industry partnerships through the College's Business Department (initiative to provide website/social media assistance to Denver-based Mi Casa clients) and Automotive Service Technology Program (on-the-job training).

Ambassadors enjoyed a red-carpet tour of ACC with faculty and administrators while discussing how the college is preparing its students to be business leaders and entrepreneurs. The Auto Tech Program’s integration throughout the local industry was also examined. 

The ambassadors, selected by the embassies in their home countries, are identified as emerging leaders in their fields:

• Albania: Saimir Kristo, Vice-Dean, Faculty of Architecture, Engineering and Design, Polis University
• Azerbaijan: Ulvi Aslanov, Head of Research and Development/Supporting Startups, High-Tech Park
• Belarus: Katsiaryna Lakhanskaya, Marketing and Project Manager, Gomel Regional Agency for Economic Development
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Zeljko Paukovic, Program Manager, Mozaik Community Development Foundation
• Croatia: Jana Blazevic Marcelja, President and Deputy Director, STEP RI-Science and Technology Park, University of Rijeka
• Estonia: Martin Repinski, Member of Parliament
• Greece: Antonios Papadopoulos, Co-Founder, Mataroa
• Italy: Antonio Perdichizzi, Founder and CEO, Tree SRL
• Latvia: Salvis Roga, Board Member, Ventspils High Technology Park
• Moldova: Andrei Capastru, President, Board of European Students of Technology
• Portugal: Ana Santiago, Head of Communication and Community Engagement, Startup Lisboa
• Serbia: Katarina Aksentijevic, Head, Department for Financial Support and Monitoring, Sector for Development of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, National Agency for Regional Development
• Serbia: Nikola Bozic, Head, Department for International Cooperation and Project Management, Petnica Science Center
• Spain: Francisco Camara, CEO and Co-Founder, Freeland Studio, and Gema Diaz Real, President, Women Business Association of Cantabria
• Turkey: Idil Serifoglu, Project Associate, International Entrepreneurship Initiative of UNDP, and Canan Doslu, Founder, E-Commerce Startup
• Ukraine: Oksana Borysenko, Country Director, Acrobator Consulting Ventures

Contact: Matthew McKeever, ACC Dean of Community and Workforce Partnerships

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