Scholarships for USA visits Ottumwa

Wednesday, 31 August 2016 11:51 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The representative, from Scholarships for the USA, a Sri Lankan based program that sends top Sri Lankan students to coll e ges across the USA, Padmasena Dissanayake visited Ottumwa, Iowa on 12 July. Dissanayake met with Mayor Tom Lazio to learn more about the program and the community of Ottumwa.

They talked about the outstanding education at Indian Hills Community College and the warm and friendly people of Ottumwa. D i s s a n a y a k e w a s impressed with the acceptance and safety of the students in Ottumwa. They also talked about the exposure to rural life in the USA. “It was wonderful to meet Dissanayake in person since he sends students to our community. He wanted to assure parents that their children were well cared for and warmly received by the entire community,” commented the Mayor. “Travel and cul tural exchanges broaden the outlook of people and build better understanding between countries.

The visit was enjoyable and helped to build better relations between the college, the community and the Sri Lankan people,” said Mayor Lazio. Mayor Lazio invited Dissanayake to visit again and offered to make an exchange to Sri Lanka.