The College Tour, an Amazon Prime television show that profiles colleges around the country, came to Springfield in the spring of 2023 to film an episode about AIC. Throughout ten segments, our students tell their stories with award-winning talent, and share what AIC means to them.

In advance of the show’s ninth season coming to Amazon Prime this October, we’re thrilled to present the finished product to you at an exclusive red carpet event. Meet the cast, learn how this project came to our campus, and join us for the inaugural screening of our episode, on Friday, September 22. Walk the red carpet into the Griswold Theatre starting at 6:30 p.m. Inside the theater lobby, enjoy concessions, a cash bar, and photos. The show begins at 7:30. 

In the program, AIC learners, ranging from first-year undergrads to graduate students, come together to share their personal stories as members of the AIC community, encompassing academics, athletics, campus life, student organizations, and the sense of belonging that AIC cultivates.

The idea to bring The College Tour to AIC came from the College’s Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications Michael Eriquezzo. He explained his goal was to offer a comprehensive and authentic portrayal of what makes AIC unique. “With the release of our episode, we are excited to give prospective students across the world a first-hand look at the AIC experience from the comfort of their own homes,” said Eriquezzo.

The production will begin to stream on Amazon Prime on October 9, 2023.

AIC and The BASE are proud to announce a new partnership designed to create opportunities for urban student-athletes to access higher education. This collaboration between AIC and The BASE is rooted in a shared mission to provide programs for underserved populations, with a specific focus on career and higher education opportunities.

Kerry Cole, AIC Vice President for Admissions, and Steph Lewis, President & CEO of The BASE, announced the scholarship agreement at The BASE College, Career, and Health Fair on August 4, 2023. This event was a part of The BASE's annual National Urban Sports Classic and attracted hundreds of young participants from cities nationwide.

As part of this alliance, participants in The BASE College Access Program will be granted scholarships to cover housing costs at AIC. Recipients of The BASE Residential Scholarship will receive the equivalent of the cost of a traditional-style residence hall and an unlimited meal plan. Additionally, AIC will extend merit and need-based financial assistance to eligible BASE alumni.

Lewis expressed pride in partnering with AIC, stating, "Through this agreement, AIC has reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring that urban young people continue to have fair and equal access to a college education and the transformative experience of living on campus. We are deeply grateful to AIC for welcoming young people from The BASE into their community, and we look forward to a continued partnership in the years ahead."

This collaboration with The BASE exemplifies AIC’s mission of advancing a diverse community of learners toward both personal and professional achievement. The College is committed to delivering outstanding student support through its Center for Navigating Educational Success Together (NEST). With this assistance, graduates of The BASE can build upon the academic readiness fostered by the organization’s programs.   

With a demographic that includes 32% first-generation learners and 50% student-athletes, AIC naturally aligns with The BASE graduates. Nick Callini, the College’s Athletic and At-Risk Student Success Coordinator and Head Baseball Coach expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. Callini said, “It is truly wonderful to offer the students of The BASE, our future leaders, the opportunity to continue their education and help achieve their goals.  This partnership will not only strengthen the College but also AIC’s baseball team. We already have a few members of the team who were part of The BASE program, and we look forward to seeing that number grow.”

American International College (AIC) has made a significant advance toward meeting the evolving demands of the workforce with the introduction of a new Division of Arts, Media, and Design within the School of Business, Arts, and Sciences. This division encompasses redesigned undergraduate programming in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science curricula, launching with the upcoming fall 2023 semester.

Frank Borrelli, assistant dean of Student Support and Experiential Learning, and chair of the division, expressed that this initiative was inspired by AIC’s 2022 strategic plan AIC Reimagined, which includes a goal to enhance the College’s academic landscape.

Borrelli emphasized, "The academic offerings within the Division of Arts, Media, and Design are designed to provide students with hands-on learning experiences, facilitating the cultivation of skill sets aligned with the requisites of the job market. Our newly introduced majors encompass not only professional internships but also classroom settings that foster effective communication, innovative creation, and productive collaboration."

This new division will introduce four undergraduate majors, each crafted to provide students with a comprehensive foundation. The offerings include:

1. Public Relations & Social Media Administration
2. Digital Media Production
3. Arts and Entertainment Management
4. Graphic Arts and Design

Moreover, AIC is excited to unveil six new undergraduate minors that complement these majors. The minors include:

1. Public Relations and Social Media Administration
2. Digital Media Production
3. Arts & Entertainment Management
4. Graphic Arts and Design
5. Fashion Design and Merchandising
6. Music Technology & Production

The School of Business, Arts & Sciences at American International College offers more than forty interdisciplinary programs grounded in the liberal arts tradition. The establishment of this new Division of Arts, Media, and Design serves to reinforce the College’s standing as a forward-focused institution committed to nurturing future leaders prepared to excel in an ever-changing professional landscape.

American International College (AIC) President Benitez, DDS, PhD, was warmly received during his recent visit to St. Paul University in the Philippines (SPUP), one of AIC’s international university partners.

Dr. Benitez served as a Plenary speaker at SPUP’s sixth International Interdisciplinary Research Conference, co-hosted by AIC. In his speech titled “Fostering University Relevance Through Research,” Dr. Benitez highlighted the essential function of higher education institutions in advancing knowledge that drives institutional, national, and global development and sustainability.

With participation from more than 300 educators, researchers, practitioners, graduate students, and research enthusiasts, the event offered an array of scholarly dialogues spanning different countries and disciplines. During the conference, Dr. Benitez engaged with representatives from institutions of higher education in the Philippines, Japan, China, Indonesia, and Singapore. In addition to AIC, other institutions from the United States included delegates from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and the World Council for Curriculum. 

In addition to his speech, the visit by President Benitez carried out another significant purpose – to begin implementing the recently signed international partnership between AIC and SPUP. The two presidents embarked on the collaborative journey of crafting a proposal to the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) to introduce joint degree programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. These programs will focus on business fields encompassing leadership, entrepreneurship, marketing innovations, healthcare administration, and communications.

In a more immediate timeframe, AIC will initiate the creation of certifications and micro-credential offerings in the same core areas, including specialized education for those with learning disabilities. This venture will also explore the potential for joint faculty exchanges. These programs, designed to cater to students from Asia and the Middle East, will be presented in a fully online format.

The School of Business, Arts, and Sciences of American International College (AIC) has received specialized accreditation through July 31, 2030, for the following business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE):

Business Programs Receiving Specialized Accreditation

• Master of Business Administration

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Majors in • Accounting • Economics and Finance • General Business • Healthcare Management • International Business • Management • Marketing • Sports and Recreation Management

The IACBE has affirmed the College’s compliance of its business programs with the IACBE Accreditation Principles through a rigorous self-evaluation and independent peer review process. Additionally, the School of Business, Arts, and Sciences has demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in business education, and the advancement of academic quality within its business programs and operations.

The AIC School of Business, Arts, and Sciences will be publicly recognized for achieving accreditation at the IACBE Annual Conference and Assembly Meeting to be held in Memphis, Tennessee, in April 2024.  

The AIC community takes pride in all those who contributed to this process and gained recognition for their ongoing commitment to program excellence.

School of Business, Arts, & Sciences

The School of Business, Arts & Sciences at American International College offers more than 40 interdisciplinary programs grounded in the liberal arts. Each program is designed to give students the critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills necessary for successful academic and professional careers.

Mission Statement of AIC’s Business Programs

The mission of the AIC Business Program is to foster academic excellence and student achievement at both the undergraduate and graduate levels within a supportive community of teachers and learners.

International Accreditation Council for Business Education

The IACBE is located at 11960 Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas, USA. The IACBE grants accreditation for business and accounting programs only. Locations and delivery modes for program offerings are at the sole discretion of the Member.