International students contribute much to community college campuses and their surrounding communities, both economically and culturally. In the 2018-19 academic year, community colleges enrolled more than 86,000 international students, according to data from the Institute of International Education's Open Doors report. However, at a time when employers are increasingly interested in globally competent graduates, it's become more challenging to recruit international students to matriculate to the U.S., partly due to the current political situation, according to leaders at two-year schools. This has prompted colleges to find new and innovative ways of recruiting from abroad.