In this issue of the newsletter, one focus was on international student athletes at K-State. Over the years we have had athletes from around the world come here to represent KSU in various sports and finish an undergraduate degree at the same time. As an interviewer, what impressed me the most was their deep involvement in K-State life and activities, as well as determination and promising futures ahead of them.
Here is what they had to say…
Our instructors in the English Language Program have expressed how much they have appreciated having the Go Teachers students from Ecuador in their classes. These students, who are teachers in their home country, have brought enthusiasm and diversity to the our intensive English classes. The program started in 2012 and currently have Cohort 6 here. Please see the interview with Dr. Marcelo Sabates, Associate Provost for International Program, James Callahan, International Program Manager for Global Campus, and Taylor Jennings, Advisor/Instructor for the English Language Program.
This spring, the English Language Program (ELP) has added a semester long basic orientation class for its high beginning through low intermediate international students studying English. The ELP has always had an orientation class (Orientation to Higher Education) for its intermediate through higher level students. However, this new course has been developed to meet the orientation needs of international students with very limited English language skills. The course was developed and taught by Laura Phillips-Zee, an instructor and advisor in the Program. The class had several guest speakers who were also ELP instructors. In addition to basic information such as ELP grading process and scheduling information, speakers April Darnell spoke about plagiarism, Tim Peverill spoke on motivation, and Andrea Law presented on organizational skills. “The two student workers who helped me with the class, Ronnie Sullivan and Nick Schneweis, were amazing. They did everything from taking attendance and crowd-control, to creating and presenting a vocabulary lesson on sports in the United States.”
Other work/activities included learning about resources in the ELP’s International Technology Commons, a tour of Hale Library, and a semester long binder project in which students made a portfolio of their work and demonstrated their organization skills. “I’ve learned a lot about what works well and what doesn’t, and I’m really looking forward to the fall class,” says Laura.
Kansas State University is hosting BSMP students majoring in the STEM fields in the Colleges of Agriculture, Engineering, Technology, and Arts & Sciences. The program consists of two academic semesters and a summer “academic training” or internship / research position. If a student needs additional language instruction, they may have an initial semester studying English Language. The following interview is with BSMP student, Gilnei Pellegrin, who was successful in his English classes and won the Outstanding Student Award, excelled in his academic classes, and was able to get an internship with the Computer Science department here at KSU.
The Social hangout started in Fall of 2013,and over the Summer of 2014 it blossomed into a weekly event that our students look forward to. At the beginning of the summer, we only had three students and seven ELP faculty and staff. We now have an average of 15-17 students that show up at every event. During this time the students can make new friends, get to know their teachers and advisors and practice using English.
Every spring and fall semester the English Language Program organizes a Pre-Enrollment Orientation event for its exit level students. At this event representatives from different colleges help transitioning ELP students pre-enroll in academic classes for the next semester. This event is also a great platform for outstanding students to be recognized for their hard work and dedication in the form of a certificate and some token gifts.
Below are pictures from the Spring of 2014 event.
The 24 South Korean Summer Institute students, sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Science and Technology completed their unique five week Embedded Systems, Cyber Security and English technical writing courses and presented their work in a Poster Session in the Leadership Studies Building. This was their capstone project that brings together technical writing and presentation skills, manipulation of visual elements and oral communication proficiencies.
Continue reading “South Korean Summer Institute Students Poster Session”