MCC International Students Visit Google Chicago for Professional Development Experience

International students from Midwestern Career College recently had the opportunity to visit Google’s Chicago headquarters for a professional development experience focused on career growth, personal branding, and learning beyond the classroom.

Students from MCC’s AAS in Business Administration, AAS in Accounting, AAS in Marketing, AAS in Information Technology, and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs participated in the visit. The group included students from Mongolia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Turkey, and Georgia, reflecting the international community represented across MCC’s classrooms.

Learning Beyond the Classroom at Google Chicago

During the visit, MCC students toured Google’s Chicago offices, experienced the company’s innovative workplace environment, and participated in a workshop focused on Building Your Personal Brand.

The experience gave students an opportunity to think about how they present their skills, experiences, goals, and professional identities as they prepare for future career opportunities.

For international students in particular, professional development can involve more than building technical or academic knowledge. It can also mean developing confidence communicating in English, understanding professional environments in the United States, building networks, and learning how to communicate the value of experiences gained across different countries and cultures.

One student shared after the visit:

“I have spent the last couple of days reflecting on the experience, and it truly left a strong impression on me. The visit to Google was genuinely inspiring. It left me feeling motivated and energized about the road ahead.”

Connecting MCC’s Global Community With Professional Opportunities

MCC welcomes students from more than 45 countries, creating a learning environment shaped by a wide range of cultures, languages, professional experiences, and perspectives.

The students participating in the Google Chicago visit represented eight countries and several different areas of study, bringing together students preparing for careers in business, accounting, marketing, information technology, and other professional fields, as well as students developing their English-language skills through MCC’s ESL programs.

Experiences like this give students an opportunity to see how the knowledge and skills they develop in the classroom connect with professional environments outside of college.

They can also help students envision what may come next.

Visiting a global organization, meeting professionals, participating in career-focused workshops, and experiencing a major workplace firsthand can make future professional opportunities feel more tangible and accessible.

Creating Opportunities for International Student Engagement

The Google Chicago visit was organized as a Student Services initiative designed to give international students opportunities to explore, connect, learn, and experience professional environments beyond the classroom.

Student engagement activities like these complement academic learning by helping students build confidence, develop professional identities, connect with new ideas, and create experiences they can carry into their future careers.

For students studying far from home, these opportunities can also become an important part of their broader experience living, studying, and building a professional future in Chicago.

MCC thanks the Google team for welcoming our students, sharing their time and knowledge, and helping create a memorable professional development experience.

For the students who participated, the visit offered more than a look inside one of the world’s best-known technology companies. It offered an opportunity to imagine where their own education, experiences, and ambitions might take them next.