Damshike becomes SUSA’s latest placement at Indian Hills Community College, USA

Damshike Piyasena with Scholarships for USA Director Priyanthi Dissanayake at Water’s Edge

Damshike Piyasena, an alumnus of Asian International (AIS) becomes Scholarships for USA’s (SUSA) latest placement at Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) in Ottumwa, Iowa USA.

In his own admission Damshike wasn’t exceptional in academics but excelled in sports, particularly in basketball where he went on to represent the island. The field he has chosen to major in is Economics and plans to head into investment banking.

What drove him towards the “Hills”? The first was the incredible affordability. The next was the regular feedback by his high school senior who just graduated from IHCC and headed to Iowa State to complete a bachelors in engineering. “Sawin said nothing but positives about Indian Hills” Damshike says. The other factors were the high standard of education and the perfect transfer programs to countless four year colleges and universities across the US. It’s a smart way to save money and graduate from any branded school at the end of four years,” he adds.

SUSA during past 15 years has helped over 300 such students from all corners of the island (including Jaffna and Ampara) finding placements with amazing scholarships and numerous other benefits in some of the most affordable US colleges and universities from sunny Hawai’i to cold North Dakota. They have carefully chosen partners, visiting them each summer and negotiating incredible financial aid packages from Tennessee to Main and virtually from every state in US Midwest. Larger majority of their students have reached dizzying heights in both academic fields and as working professionals.

Indian Hills, another quality US college introduced to the island by SUSA, is ranked in the top 10% of all community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute. It’s accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. The Sri Lankan community in Ottumwa has seen a rapid expansion during the recent years ever since SUSA started promoting Indian Hills.

Asked to evaluate the guidance provided by SUSA this is what Damshike had to say: “I know for a fact that there’s no other organisation like this in Sri Lanka and there will never be two people who care as much as Uncle and Aunty did about their students. They were one of the most professional, efficient and caring people I have ever met in my life and they both are simply role models to me. And I shall definitely recommend them to any of my friends.”