A one-of-a-kind television show that allows colleges and universities to market their unique qualities to prospective students will be filming on the American International College (AIC) campus in Springfield in March.  During filming, a selected group of AIC students will showcase their college experience for an episode of The College Tour.

Each new episode of The College Tour, a TV show on Amazon Prime, features a single college or university.  The show focuses on a variety of topics, from campus life to academics, athletics, activities, and more. The segments will give prospective students an inside look at what it’s like to attend AIC.

Casting for the AIC episode is underway now. The show’s production crew is looking for ten students to talk on camera about their AIC experience to viewers. Interested students are being invited to submit audition videos, talking about why they would be perfect members of the cast to help tell the AIC story.

The series is hosted by Alex Boylan, a former winner of CBS’s Amazing Race show. Alex and his Emmy-Award-winning production team have also worked on Survivor, The World’s Toughest Race, and The Chef’s Table, among others. According to Alex, The College Tour series is intended to “provide a well-rounded perspective that provides prospective students with a feel for the culture and vibe of a campus that they can’t get just reading about it online.” 

The episode featuring AIC will air this fall on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi. It will also be available on The College Tour website and app and will stream on The College Tour TV channel on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Android TV.  And it will be distributed to more than 60,000 high school and college counselors across the US. 

American International College (AIC) is taking a step toward implementing its diversity and equity objectives by establishing an Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).  

The College also announces the appointment of Bianca Figueroa-Santana as director of this newly created office, effective February 1, 2023. In her former role as AIC’s assistant director of Diversity Education, Figueroa-Santana demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the work and principles of DEIB.  

Figueroa-Santana says she is eager to work with faculty, staff, and students to assess the College’s current DEIB infrastructure, look at perceived barriers, and author a DEIB plan that includes initiatives for strengthening the College’s infrastructure as outlined in its new five-year strategic plan AIC Reimagined. “I am excited to step into the role of Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. This is a pivotal moment for the College in its journey to ensure our diverse community feels a sense of inclusion on campus. This new office not only reaffirms the College’s commitment to DEIB but also empowers us to make positive changes on campus through thoughtful programming and targeted initiatives”.

AIC President Hubert Benitez, DDS, PhD Hubert Benitez congratulates Figueroa-Santana, adding, “We look forward to supporting Bianca as she takes on this new and important responsibility. By continuing to work together, we will transform the AIC climate to create an environment where we all belong and can thrive.”   

The creation of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is made possible, partly, by two recent grants; One for $30,000 awarded to AIC by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts and another for $35,000 from the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation.