English Language Program graduates cohort of proficient English speakers
Contact: Nicol Tinsley
VCU Global Education Office
(804) 828-6463
nctinsley@vcu.edu
Richmond, VA (May 12, 2023) — This spring, the Global Education Office will graduate 28 international students from its English Language Program as they complete the requirements of the three-level program. Students from 16 different countries have participated in varying levels of courses from beginner to advanced, completing the coursework depending upon their proficiency levels. Of the graduating students,16 will enroll in degree-seeking programs at VCU in the fall; two at other universities.
Moe Greene, Ph.D., director of the English Language Program, speaks of how integral the program is for international students studying English at the university and touts the support of ELP faculty and GEO staff as reasons for their success.
“I am proud of our English Language Program graduating students who have made significant progress in their language proficiency. They have developed language skills that will no doubt serve them well in their academic and professional pursuits,” said Greene.
“Our students demonstrate a commitment to learning, which is inspiring. Their achievement is a testament to the expertise of the faculty as well as to the innovative teaching practices taking place in our classrooms and beyond. GEO staff and ELP faculty provide students with excellent support throughout their learning journey,” he said.
Fully accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA), the English Language Program supports international students by teaching the skills necessary to help them succeed at the university level. The program assists students with improving reading, writing, speaking, and listening as well as strengthening academic skills. The program also offers community courses that include pronunciation, English grammar, test preparation and a course for refugees that helps them become acclimated to Richmond in addition to increasing English proficiency.
Read below about the journeys of some of the ELP graduates, and the plans they have for the future.
Youstena Gaied: First-year college student excited for the future
By: Frances Burson
Email: bursonfa@vcu.edu
Youstena Gaied first arrived in the United States in 2018 after living most of her life in Kuwait. She and her family are Egyptian, as well as Coptic-Orthodox Christians, signifying a lack of opportunities for jobs and education for her in Egypt. She explained that her parents chose to move to the United States because they wanted to give her and her siblings a chance to go to school and to have careers.
Gaied, whose native language is Arabic, just completed a year of classes in the English Language Program. She said the program really helped her improve her English.
"At first I was afraid because this was my first year of college, but the teachers were amazing. They helped me a lot with writing and speaking, and they will help you if you are worried about your assignment," said Gaied.
Gaied is enrolled as a pre-medical laboratory sciences student in the College of Health Professionals and will start taking classes full-time next fall. After graduation, she hopes to get a job as a lab technician at MCV. When asked why she is interested in laboratory sciences, she said that most of her family have careers in dentistry, engineering, or pharmacy and she wanted to do something unique.
In her time outside of school, Gaied works part-time and enjoys attending bible study with her group, 24/7 Youth, and working out every day. She's looking forward to camp this summer before diving into a full load of classes next fall and says she is most excited about astronomy and African American history.
Samira Itriago Torres left Venezuela amid political turmoil in 2018 and briefly lived in Chile for nearly two years before arriving in Miami in 2020. After a couple of months, she moved to Richmond at the advice of a close friend and has been making a life for herself and her two daughters since then.
She said that she used to go to the store with her daughter so that she could help translate conversations with other people, but now, with the help of the English Language Program, she feels confident to go by herself to talk to everyone she meets.
"When I got here my level of English was very bad," she said. "I needed to improve more. I think that VCU is the best place to learn English in Richmond. It improved my vocabulary. I need to practice more but I feel comfortable."
Originally a gynecologist, Itriago Torres is currently making her living by working multiple jobs: she delivers packages for Amazon, cleans rooms at a hotel, and is an independent skin care consultant with Rodan + Fields. While she misses her profession every day, she said the barriers to getting her license in the United States are numerous and costly. Instead, she hopes to complete a nursing program in the future to return to caring for people through the medical field, possibly as a midwife. She said that ensuring a good life for her daughters here in the U.S. is more important to her than her career path.
"I am here for them. When I see how my daughters are safe, I feel good."
Itriago Torres said she will take a break from classes next year to rest but would like to come back to VCU to take classes the following year.
Seyoung Lee: Gaining confidence to forge ahead to earn a master’s degree
By: Susan Culbreth
Email: culbrethsg@vcu.edu
In fall 2022, Seyoung Lee moved all the way from Seoul, South Korea to Richmond, Virginia, to begin graduate studies in the VCU School of the Arts interior design program. After spending four undergraduate years at the University of Seoul in South Korea, she knew enrolling in the English Language Program while taking courses at VCU to earn an MFA in design would be crucial to her academic success. This program eased the nerve-wracking transition to life in the U.S. and allowed the basic understanding of English she possessed to blossom.
Lee speaks very highly of her experience saying, “After less than a year in this program I have gained a sense of confidence to speak and interact with other people!”
Lee emphasized how helpful GEO programs and events such as Global Buddies and ELP Tea Time were with helping her feel more comfortable within the program. Both allowed her to make more connections and became a great way to get involved around campus. Another big highlight during her time here were all of the incredible teachers within ELP, as they made the learning experience fun but effective at the same time. Lee specifically spoke highly of her professors Carol Farneda and Maria Small. “I am so grateful as they had a great deal of patience for students to learn and improve their English skills,” she said.
After one year in ELP, Lee now feels well-equipped to enter the competitive two-year master’s program. In the fall, she will begin studying interior environments and hopes to grow in her design abilities. The ELP was the boost Lee needed in order to succeed in VCUArts this year and grow in her understanding of English.
Saba Fallah: From ELP to an undergrad in Biology
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Saba Fallah is from Iran and joined the English Language Program last fall after deciding to begin her biology studies at VCU. While she entered the program hesitant as to how it would help her academic abilities, she is now very grateful for the opportunities ELP gave her. Fallah was able to take a few academic courses with her English studies and emphasized how integral her technical speaking skills were in order to succeed in those courses.
Fallah expressed that the ELP helped to ease the transition to Richmond and allowed her to make friends who were in the same position. She loved learning English with students who spoke different languages as she was able to learn about other cultures as well. She highlights the teaching staff in the program saying, “They made class a fun, engaging environment and pushed me in my academic abilities.”
With one year of ELP under her belt, Fallah now feels equipped to continue pursuing a degree in biology at VCU. Once she completes her degree, she plans to apply to VCU’s School of Dentistry and continue with that program for an additional two years. This would not have been possible without her teachers, classmates, family and the GEO staff who all pushed her to make the most of her time here.
