Institute welcomes exchange students

Alexander Raymond, Khalila Early-Zald, Elizabeth Dolinsky, Jenine Coleman of Cornerstone Education Institute, Ava-Cleava Steed and Kamil Mahmood Kiani will study community fieldwork at Cornerstone Institute.

Cornerstone Education Institute, a non-profit organisation which has recently moved to the city centre, has partnered with Arcadia University in Pennsylvania in a project which will see five students study community fieldwork in Cape Town.

Cornerstone Education Institute, which now calls Roggebaai Square its home, depends on funding, fees, bursaries and donations from the public to offer tertiary education including degrees, certificates, and short courses in a range of disciplines including psychology, sociology, community development, theology, media studies, business studies and education.

Last week, the organisation welcomed five students from Arcadia University.

These students are from different fields of study, and will be learning about social justice and experiencing Cape Town.

Kamil Manhood Kiani, from Earlham College, which is in partnership with Arcadia University, said he chose Cornerstone as it is part of the programme that Arcadia University runs for studying abroad.

“I am just glad to be at this institute and knowing what is expected to do. I would be attending to community needs. I really expect to learn a lot of things about social justice,” he said.

“One of my major expectations from this whole programme is to learn how to make a social impact in my community back home.I have been told that Cornerstone is a non-profit and it is their first year to be involved in the programme.

“I am so excited to learn about diversity within South Africa.”

Alexander Raymond, also from Earlham college, said he chose South Africa specifically because it had a rich history of social justice activists and people who contributed to discourse about post-colonial theory.

“I’m a major in anthropology, specifically cultural anthropology.

“I think I could learn some very valuable ideas about my field of study from people here.”

These students will be spending a semester at the Cornerstone Institute and they are expected to be in class and do some community work.

“I am expecting to further my knowledge of social justice, but within the Cape Town in South African community and learning more about South Africa. I would love to come back here afterwards,” said Khalila Early-Zaid.

The CEO of Cornerstone Institute, Noel Daniels, said:

“We are very excited to have these international students coming and studying with our institution this semester.

“We are a source of hope and inspiration for many students who have chosen to study at Cornerstone.”