Chandler-Gilbert Community College Health-care Welcome Tea

President Maria Hesse was asked by Chandler Regional Hospital (CRH) to have CGCC develop a program in accent modification for nurses recruited from India, the Philippines and Korea.  The program was designed to help these international health-care professionals be successful in their new careers. 

Working with the Asian and Pacific Islander Association (APIA), Dr. Ruth Romano, Director of Continuing Education and Workforce Development and her staff, put on a Welcome Tea to help the nurses become acculturated to Chandler. 

APIA president Huu Hoang-Nguyen and Mickey Nakagome from South Mountain Community College, Dr. Arunee Grow from Mesa Community College, Dr. Christine Iijima Hall from MCCCD Human Resources, Loida Harkness from the District and many other APIA members, Vice Chancellor Debbie Thompson From District, Vice President JoBeth Crawford and Viveca Hill from Chandler Regional Hospital, as well as President Hesse, Provost John Schroeder, and Dean William Crawford from CGCC attended the tea. 

To make the nurses feel welcome, APIA purchased teas and sweets from the nurses’ countries.  A brief program was held emphasizing the respect and good wishes of CGCC, APIA and CRH for these hardworking health care professionals.