Valentina Purtell, the ESL special programs manager at the School of Continuing Education in Anaheim, notices the commotion near the bus stop and hurries over. Purtell escorts Salwa and her son to the counseling office, where she and a handful of staff tend to her wound.
Salwa remains troubled because she lacks the resources to seek medical attention, so Purtell refers Salwa to Access California Services, a nonprofit social organization dedicated to empowering the under-served Arab American and Muslim American communities.
The team of faculty at SCE has been recognized for its diversity, helpfulness and approachability over the years, especially in the Muslim and Arab communities.
"Our staff is largely made up of first-generation immigrants, which allows us to identify with and understand with many of our students," Purtell said.
SCE, which is a member of the North Orange County Community College District, works in conjunction with Access California Services to bring English, Arabic and citizenship courses to immigrants who hope to gain a better understanding of America without paying the international or out-of-state tuition.
The 1,100 courses offered at SCE campuses, which range from English to technical arts, are free of charge. Students only pay for books and parking.
"You have to be a California resident for one year before you are exempt from paying out-of-state tuition, which is very expensive," Purtell. said "For this reason, many young students, as well as immigrants, who are serious about learning come to SCE to take advantage of our free courses."
Located just around the corner from Little Gaza, SCE often reaches out to the Muslim and Arab community using government grants and federal dollars.
The relationship between the immigrant community and SCE has recently flowered, leading to English and citizenship classes being taught at multiple mosques in Anaheim.
They even rented a local Montessori School at night for an ESL class offered through Access California Services, but they later realized that many of their students were parents who could not afford daycare for their children.
Using state-provided funding, SCE now offers babysitting services to its Access California classes as a means of attracting more students.
"Because we’re a nonprofit organization, sometimes we have to cancel classes because we don’t have enough students enrolled," said Khan Ninh, a vocational counselor at SCE. "That’s why we reach out to immigrant communities and invite them to our classes."
Ninh often finds Muslim students in her office asking her for career advice.
Amr Gheznawy, 25, an Egyptian student who arrived just last month to study biological sciences at UC Irvine, said he was impressed with SCE’s faculty and course list.
"I felt welcome and happy to be there," Gheznawy said. "I like that there is a system to help immigrants. To be able to host so many cultures is also a very beautiful and beneficial thing, especially because it is free."
SCE also offers vocational certificates in addition to its language and immigrant-specific courses.
"A lot of students have a college degree from their country, but they can’t use it in the United States," Ninh said. "Instead of sitting around, they could take our classes for free.".
SCE also serves as a stepping stone to community colleges and universities for working immigrant adults who are not ready to make a full-time educational commitment or lack the economic resources to do so.
"Our mission is to promote student success by providing quality lifelong learning opportunities and services that anticipate and serves the diverse needs of individuals, businesses and the community," Ninh said.
