Student Spotlight: Abdulrahman Alanazi

Abdulrahman is in his first semester here at the IEI.

At the Intensive English Institute (IEI), we believe that everyone has their own story. Reasons for coming to the United States to study English are significant and inspiring, so we are proud that the IEI is a prominent stepping stone in each of these journeys.

We sat down with one of our current students, Abdulrahman Alanazi, to hear his story about studying English. Abdulrahman, who comes from Saudi Arabia, is in his first semester at the IEI.

Q: What is it like studying away from home?

A: This is my first time in the U.S. It’s totally different [from my home country]: the weather, the culture, the community lifestyle. All different. I don’t feel homesick, though. I’m really enjoying it.

Q: How will studying at the IEI help you achieve your goals?

A: I was a lecturer at a Saudi Arabian university where I taught six different courses. [In the future] I want to be a professor, so I need students to understand me well while I’m teaching. I want to be fluent. Also, it’s helpful to know English for research papers I will have to write, so I want to improve my writing. The University of Illinois is a top university for electrical engineering. [I hope to] pursue my PhD at the University of Illinois once I’m done [learning English] at the IEI.

Q: What do you like about the IEI?

A: Everything! The teaching style is great. The teachers give good techniques to make students understand English better. For example, in grammar, we were taught to draw a picture in our minds before saying something in order to use the word correctly. I feel like I’m improving myself more in writing, reading and grammar classes. I’m learning about and correcting mistakes I’ve had before.

Q: What tips do you have for students who want to learn English?

A: Try to make learning English more fun. Don’t just [learn at school], but make friends and spend time with native speakers to help you improve the language.

Dear Future IEI Student,

Dear Future IEI Students,

We are so glad that you’ve chosen to join the IEI this semester! As a way of welcoming you, some of our former students have written you a few postcards sharing their experience and some advice. We hope you will find their kind words encouraging and insightful.

See you soon!

 

Shall We Dance? International Prom Night

For many Americans, high school prom stirs up fond or quite possibly embarrassing memories. We might think about who we asked or how we got asked, what the after party was like and what group we went with. But for others, prom is just a funny word or tradition.

Prom is an American high school tradition where students hold an end of the year dance before graduation. It’s been portrayed in movies, television shows, and books, but it’s the details of the event that make it so exciting and memorable for young adults. Depending on your school’s culture, it may be uncommon to go with a group of friends rather than a date. But one thing is for sure, everyone can agree that the thrill of prom comes from dressing up, eating and dancing with your friends, planning an after prom party with your closest friends, and enjoying the four years of hard work that got you to this celebratory moment.

April 8, the IEI along with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), hosted their very first International Prom Night at the YMCA from 7 to 10 pm. I interviewed IEI teacher and Social Activities Coordinator Chris Huh, who was also in charge of the event, to understand a little more of what inspired her to make this idea come to life.

“American students get to experience prom so now international students can experience it too. Since domestic and international students are both invited, it’s a good way to wrap up International Week where American and international students will be able to mingle and learn something about other cultures,” explained Chris. “When students first heard about the event, they were confused and had no idea what prom actually was. We had to post pics and show them proper prom attire to explain the concept.”

We may not be high school students, but at the end of the year it is only fair that IEI students be given a well deserved evening of fun and great company. So, after collaborating with the ISSS, it only made sense that the theme reflect International Week’s focus on sustainability and environmental awareness.

As a result, the prom’s theme was Enchanted Forest. I went to the event myself to take a look at how a high school prom was going to be recreated on a college campus. I watched as students sheepishly walked in with a smile, dressed in tuxes or beautiful traditional clothing. Next to the welcome sign laid a banner printed with the words, International Prom Night 2016 where guests could write their name and what country they were from. It was a perfect and beautiful representation of the diverse yet unified community seen that evening.

As guests poured in, the cupid shuffle line dance was being taught and soon right after that, the cha-cha slide took center stage, literally. I was not sure how comfortable the students would be to dance, but I was taken aback at the sight of how willing and carefree everyone was to hop and spin along with the music.

No prom could be complete without food to supply the excitement and energy. I’m not sure whether or not the students were more thrilled when the song, “Gangnam Style” by South Korean singer, PSY, came on or when they realized there was catering from YoriQ, KoFusion, and Y Eatery.

Didn’t make it this year? Not to worry. During my interview with Chris, I asked her whether or not there would be a second international prom night. “If the first one is a success, and there’s a really great turn out, then we would definitely bring it back next spring,” answered Chris. Around 100 guests attended the event and between eating, dancing, and talking with friends, they were all smiles!

 

It might just be a dance to us or a fun time to play dress up, but for IEI students, this Prom Night was a chance for them to meet domestic students and do something they had never experienced.

It became more than following an American tradition; instead, Prom Night became something so harmoniously diverse that it truly did stand alone as its own event. More than just dancing to a soundtrack or eating food with a couple of friends, it was a time to belong and be a part of something beautiful. International Week brings a variety of cultures and backgrounds together to celebrate the commonalities rather than the differences that make us uniquely human.

Written by IEI Communications and Marketing Intern, Erin Lin

No Foolin’! ChitChat Is Awesome!

 

Written by IEI Communications and Marketing Intern, Hyein Lee

“April Fools? What is it?”

“The first day of April, is also called, April Fools’ Day. It is a happy day filled with laughter and jokes. Practical jokes are more acceptable, and little cute lies are considered funny. The jokes and victims are called April fools.”

“WOW! That is interesting, because we also have a similar day in our culture!”

The day before April Fools’ Day the third IEI ChitChat of the Spring 2016 semester was held in the basement of the Illini Union at 5pm. Groups of students and some ConvoPartners volunteers gathered and sat at their assigned tables. Even at first glance, it was obvious that the meeting was welcoming and friendly for anyone who would like to join.

IEI intern, Won Hee, who coordinates ChitChat, greeted each student with a smile while distributing name tags.  He introduced ChitChat as a special meeting, where IEI students can have open discussion about current events and practice English outside classrooms. Almost every month, he organizes the meeting by sending reminder emails to IEI students as well as choosing discussion topics. According to Won Hee, the topics are usually chosen based on current events of the month, so students can learn and share what is happening outside the IEI. He also mentioned that students’ participation in ChitChat has been exceptionally outstanding this semester because more students have been attending as the semester goes on. On average, 15 to 20 students normally attend the meeting, but the number has kept growing each month. At the recent meeting, about 30 students enjoyed talking about April Fools’ and their Spring Break activities.

Each table, comprised of a variety of backgrounds, became a new venue of intercultural communication. The topics and prompts initiated the conversation, and individual’s different perspectives and experiences led the group into the deeper conversation. Chatting about April Fools was not only an opportunity for students to learn about American culture, but also to share their own cultures.

IEI student, Yuki Matsushima from Japan, said that he loves attending ChitChat because he can learn so much about diverse cultures beyond practicing English. Also, he compared the meeting to fair trade; as much as he learns about other cultures, he can teach and share his own culture. At this meeting, while hearing about April Fools’ Day, he also had a chance to educate other students about the Japanese version April Fools.

Spring Break was another hot topic during ChitChat. Each student seemed excited to talk about their spring break, whether they stayed at home or traveled. The conversation was not only about what they physically did, but it included how they emotionally thought and felt during the period of time. It also continued to pleasant hypothetical imaginings of what they would have wanted to do if they could have second spring break. While discussing a single topic in various dimension of depth, students were able to learn and practice expressing their opinions, thoughts, and feelings logically. IEI student, Gustavo Guzman who is studying Academic English Level 500, described that he has found the IEI ChitChat beneficial and helpful, because he can be exposed to daily conversational English more frequently. Furthermore, he appreciated the opportunity to practice speaking English outside the classroom.

For some students, ChitChat can be “killing two birds with one stone.” Since some IEI teachers offer extra credit for attending the meeting, students have a chance to boost their grade while practicing English. Additionally, the extra credit offer has encouraged students who do not feel comfortable speaking English to talk naturally, which helps them have more confidence.

From beginners to advanced level students, IEI ChitChat has offered an entertaining and beneficial learning environment. Every meeting, students bring their unique cultural perspectives to the table. While they share their thoughts and learn others’ experiences, students build strong relationships among themselves as well as improve their language proficiency. One can recognize through watching students’ smiling faces and passionate enthusiasm that ChitChat is a brilliant way to enhance their understanding of both English and diverse culture. IEI invites you to ChitChat!

Academic vs. Everyday

written by IEI Communications and Marketing Intern, Hyein Lee

In order to support students’ future academic plans and career paths, the IEI offers different class options to help meet students’ needs. All students are placed into the most appropriate level for them, ranging from Level 100 (beginner) to Level 600 (advanced). Students that place into levels 500 and 600 can then choose one of two tracks, Academic or Everyday, for their core Listening-Speaking and Reading-Writing courses which each meet for a total of six hours per week. Along with the electives offered, upper-level students have many choices to make.

For students, it might not be easy to decide between the Everyday and Academic English track as they advance into higher levels instruction. And there is no right or wrong choice, but one may be a better option than the other depending on students’ needs and interests. Academic or Everyday, that is the question!

So, let’s take a closer look at the first choice upper-level students will need to make – Academic or Everyday?

Academic English

In general, the Academic Reading-Writing (ARW) and Academic Listening-Speaking (ALS) courses are designed for those who plan to enroll in an American university. Being in an American classroom can be exciting, but it also can be overwhelming without proper preparation. For those who are planning to continue their college level education in the US, the upper-level Academic track might be the best choice.

IEI teacher, LuAnn Sorenson, describes ARW as a bridge between ESL programs and college level courses. Once an English language learner reaches a higher proficiency level, they might feel that it’s more difficult to progress and see improvement. However, ARW challenges students to enhance their academic writing skills through three major papers and reading assignments designed to help students improve with constructing arguments. Notably, the textbooks used in the course are extremely similar to those used in American college classrooms. Therefore, in this track, students will be presented with opportunities to practice the same writing strategies that domestics students do. The class might be out of students’ comfort zone if they don’t generally enjoy writing, but it can be a positive way to start improving, with an enthusiastic and encouraging class environment.

LuAnn said the most helpful benefit from ARW are the one-on-one conferences. During the conference, each student has a chance to discuss the issues and questions about their writing skills with the instructor, which helps improve their writing objectives.

Similarly in Academic Listening-Speaking, students are able to practice taking notes on lecturers and participating as they are expected to do in an American college classroom which is not something all students are familiar with. Students also learn how to interact with other students and participate in class discussions. They practice how to work as a team, give feedback and criticism appropriately, and present materials to their peers. In some countries, educational culture does not necessarily require students to express their thoughts and opinions interactively. However, active participation is an important value in the American classroom.

IEI student, Mario, started in Level 600 Academic English track this semester and he’s in love with his classes. He said the IEI programs are well organized, and if students follow the curriculum they can improve their English in a very efficient manner. Also, one of the reasons why he loves the Academic track is that the class challenges him in a positive way. He firmly believes that what he is practicing right now will be beneficial for pursuing his master’s degree in the future. Mario is a great example of how the IEI can empower students through their English language skills that will lead to a successful future.

Everyday English

The Everyday English track is a great way to learn both the English language and American culture. Jim Sosnowski, an Everyday Reading and Writing (ERW) teacher, explains this course as an excellent opportunity for students to learn about American culture by digging into the text of an English language novel and other reading material. Along with readings, students are also expected to write a short reflection every week which encourages them to reflect on their experiences and culture and how that relates to the novel they are reading. Another great aspect of the class is that students can practice writing emails for different contexts and audiences.

Valerie Abbot, an Everyday Listening and Speaking (ELS) teacher, said she truly enjoys teaching her class because of the unique features of the Everyday English classes. Since the class focuses on daily conversation based on culture, students are very engaged. Students watch video clips from recently released TV shows and movies, and discuss new expressions as well as cultural aspects of media. The class discussions sometimes develop into a cultural melting pot as students from different cultures bring their own perspectives into the class discussion. This produces wonderful intercultural communication. The communication strategies that students learn and practice is like “coffeeshop talk.” The conversation starts with small talk, finding common ground, sharing opinions, and then transitions to deeper topics.

Everyday track student, Ahmed, has been enjoying learning English in the Level 600 Everyday English track almost a year. He loves his classes because he can focus on improving specific areas of communication such as small talk and storytelling. He especially believes that the Everyday Listening and Speaking class provides an entertaining learning experience through the use of movie clips and discussing American culture. His goal it to attend the University of Illinois to become a translator. His IEI coursework has been an excellent resource for him regarding interpersonal and intercultural communication, which he will definitely find useful in his future career.

How to Decide?

Whether students choose Academic or Everyday, the ultimate goal of both is singular: learning English! Academic and Everyday tracks are just two different options to reach this ultimate goal, and at IEI, students can freely choose depending on their future plans.

General English Language Learning Tips

Here are top five English language learning tips from both Academic and Everyday track teachers:

1. Everything is a learning opportunity; keep an open mind!
2. Challenge yourself. Don’t be afraid of getting out of your comfort zone.
3. Make goals for yourself. Small and specific goals will motivate you and bring you closer to larger accomplishments.
4. Take advantage of the many opportunities that the IEI offers.
5. Maintain strong self-discipline, and also practice good time management.

 

No matter what a student’s needs and interests are, the IEI is here to help!

Girl Talk Across Cultures (aka. My Experience as a ConvoPartners Volunteer)

written by IEI Communications and Marketing intern, Erin Lin

Over a cup of coffee and a warm lunch at Panda Express, two girls sit at a booth taking selfies together on their phones.
“Silly face!”

*click*

Jiyeon (left) and I.

“Okay, now normal!”

*click*

“No, no you have to filter it.”

A couple seconds pass while one of them works out the kinks and cleans up the image.

“I love it! Send it to me.”

The other one laughs, “We only have one normal picture together. Oh well, this is what girl time is all about.”

I started working at the IEI as a Communication and Marketing Intern not long after spring semester began and decided to take the opportunity to sign up as a ConvoPartners volunteer. Even though my main role consists of helping with the social media side of the IEI, I wanted to take advantage of any opportunity I could to meet the dedicated students that make this institution so unique. The ConvoPartners program pairs volunteer university students, faculty, staff, and community members one-on-one with IEI students for weekly casual English conversation and mutual cultural exchange. It’s also a great way for an IEI student to learn more about the campus and create new lasting relationships.

I was nervous about being paired with a random student and also concerned as to whether or not we would get along. I was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and decided to major in English and Communication once I started studying at the University of Illinois in the fall of 2013. My parents are from Taiwan, but besides interacting with some relatives over the years when I go back to visit, I’ve never made connections with international students close to my age.  However, when I met Jiyeon Park for the first time, I knew we would have more than enough to bond over. Despite the fact that Jiyeon grew up in the suburbs of Seoul, went to an all-girls school for most of her life, is majoring in MCB (Molecular Cellular Biology) and listens to K-pop (Korean pop), talking with her has never been difficult.

Jiyeon told me that being proficient in English will help her better understand MCB, since there are a lot of terms in English within her major. Before coming to Urbana-Champaign, she was in New York studying English, but decided to apply to the IEI after a friend recommended she apply. Even though there is so much going on in New York City life there can be very overwhelming; living in Urbana-Champaign feels more like home since she’s used to a more calm suburban-like atmosphere.

Some days when we meet up we’ll feel like getting a cup of coffee at Caffe Paradiso, eat a sandwich at Potbelly’s, or attempt to go ice skating without breaking any bones. I remember seeing Jiyeon pull lipstick out of her bag and we chatted about makeup and Korean beauty products for the next thirty minutes. I told her what the most famous trends were in the United States and she showed me Korean fashionistas and the biggest beauty buzz in Asia. And of course, girl time for us would not be complete if we didn’t talk about boys. Like two pre-teens, we sometimes talk about past boyfriends, best dates, and cute guys while giggling in between stories.

In the little time that I’ve known Jiyeon, I’ve learned a lot. I asked her once, “What’s your favorite thing about American culture?”

She paused for a moment and said with a smile, “I like how people are much more open here and say hello when you walk down the street. You do not see that in Korea.”

There’s always something new to discover when we meet up. In addition to our conversations helping Jiyeon with her English vocabulary development, I’ve also helped her with her handwriting. The first time she saw my handwriting she was amazed that I always wrote in cursive. Jiyeon asked if I could teach her and so I wrote out each letter of the alphabet from upper case to lower case so she could put her name together. In turn, she showed me the Korean alphabet and when I asked if she could teach me how to write my name in Korean, she patiently guided me through the process.

“Erin” in Korean. Not too bad for a beginner, right?

At the end of the day, we’re both a pair of girls in our twenties dreaming about our future careers and who we’ll meet several years down the road. No matter what our backgrounds may be, there is a deep and understanding connection between the two of us that surpasses my love for pasta and burgers and her fondness for Mandu Guk (Korean dumpling soup). Jiyeon has taught me that regardless of background and geography, there are many things we all share and I’m more than thankful to have been a part of this journey and discovering this with her.

Finding, Stating, and Pursuing Her Purpose

Ximena with IEI classmates and teachers at the Fall 2015 Welcome Picnic

Some paths to discovering your life’s purpose are not direct and are heavily influenced by those we meet along the way. At the IEI we help students strengthen their skills and articulate their goals in order to pursue their life purposes.

For IEI student Ximena, friendships made while studying abroad changed her career direction and academic pursuits. After graduating high school in Colombia, Ximena spent a year at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. studying in a one-year Business Administration and Professional English program. While there, she met two lawyers from Saudi Arabia who shared with her their role in helping developing countries through the field of international law. The prospect of helping others, making a positive impact as well as helping women and girls affected by domestic violence held great appeal for Ximena.

Ximena and some Georgetown classmates at a fundraising event in Washington, D.C.

She went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Law from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Cali, Colombia and was hired by a very reputable organization in Bogota upon graduation.

Ximena with her grandmother and mother after graduating from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Cali, Colombia

Though she was working in a law-related field, her responsibilities were not focused on the social justice issues she was most passionate about. So, while still working, she pursued a graduate degree in international law. Then after graduating in May 2015, she decided to pursue a law degree at Illinois. Unfortunately, at that time it was too late to apply for law school, she enrolled in the Fall 2015 session at the IEI.

With colleagues at a conference in Colombia (2013)

Upon arriving in Illinois, she spent a week in the large city of Chicago. However, when she traveled two hours south to Champaign-Urbana, she was a little concerned. “There are no buildings. There are no mountains!” Her first two days here she was a bit scared and still in shock because it was so different. But after a few days exploring her new city, she started to feel more at home because people were friendly and the slower pace of the town began to grow on her.

First time in the Midwest! Chicago summer 2015

Though Ximena had studied English for many years, most of her previous language development had focused on pronunciation and speaking. At the IEI she was challenged to improve her academic English and to do things expected of students in the US: writing research papers, preparing presentations, thinking critically, and learning US academic classroom culture.

She also didn’t waste any time communicating her academic and professional goals to IEI Academic Coordinator Gretchen Forman who began meeting with her regularly to help Ximena complete her Law School applications, CV, Statement of Purpose, as well as scholarship applications.

Ximena and IEI Academic Coordinator Gretchen Forman at the Fall 2015 IEI Final Reception

When not in class or working on her Law School documents, Ximena found opportunities to be a part of the local Immigration Forum and volunteer with a lawyer at the Immigration Project. There she worked with women who have immigrated from Central and Latin America who needed help gaining access to government visa assistance for victims of domestic violence.

As a result of the help she received from the IEI Academic Coordinator, her volunteer work in Champaign-Urbana, her English language development provided by her IEI classes, her passion for helping others through international law, and strong academic background, Ximena was accepted into the Illinois Master of Laws (LL.M) program starting Fall 2016 and was awarded a scholarship!

Ximena has been able to find, state and pursue her purpose. How can the IEI help you do the same?

#WhyIWrite

Tuesday October 20th was the National Council of English Teachers’ National Day on Writing and to mark the occasion several IEI writing classes participated by responding to the simple prompt, “Why I write…”

Here are the responses from the Level 400 College Writing class. How would YOU respond?

Why I write…

…to speak by my hand. To get all my ideas out of my brain, and to have the chance to do them.

…is that writing can organize my thought and idea more easily. When I am confused in my situation writing is helpful to arrange my current situation.

… to improve my critical thinking. To leave my stress out. To contact with other. To effect peoples mind by my writing. To save my time.

… actually I didn’t like writing, before I came the U.S. Now, I like to write. Because I know that writing is useful for learning English and make me creative.

… I would like writing when I was a child, I feel that writing recover my emotions especially when I am in bad mood. Indeed, writing is a best way to say something that you can’t say in some situation. I write to empty my depression or to feel more warm. I love writing!

… I write to tell what is my opinion, what am I thinking, and how is my feeling. I write to express my emotion instead of saying it, because sometimes it’s not suitable to say it out.

… I write to express my feeling. I believe words have strong power to change people’s lives, opinions, or thought positively or negatively. I think writing as art. You have ideas and try to show them to other people in the best picture. As you choose your colors and lines carefully to get a good work in art, you choose words carefully to get good writing.

… because writing need a lot of skills. I’m not good at writing that is why I write.

… because I have to write to improve writing skills and in fact it don’t make me happy. However, in my opinion when my writing skills will be improved, I will adore doing it because I have a lot of thoughts that I want to write correctly.

… because writing is the most important and I can write what I think about it. I write because I would like to study at university.

…because I want to study undergraduate in the U.S. If I don’t know how to write or learn how to write, I can’t apply to university.

The IEI Earns CEA Accreditation

In August 2015, the IEI received the wonderful news that we had been approved for accreditation by The Commission on English Language Accreditation (CEA) whose mission is to “promote excellence in the field of English language administration and teaching through the accreditation of English language programs and institutions worldwide.” CEA is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as the only accrediting agency for intensive English programs.

The process to becoming a CEA accredited institution came as the result of many years of work and self-study as we analyzed aspects of our program and administration that reflect the 11 CEA standards:

If you read through all of these separate areas, you notice that the IEI does a lot more than just teaching students English! We are responsible for helping support our students with everything from immigration to housing. For example, if you’ve ever had a problem with your I-20, Karen is there to help! If you need to change your roommate or homestay family, you go see Anna! Everything that the IEI does is described in these 11 areas, and all of this is to support you, our students.

In February, after submitting a substantial report to the Commission, a committee from the accrediting organization spent time with us at the IEI making sure that the ways in which we described our self on paper matched up in person (just like a teacher grading a test).  The people on this committee run programs similar to the IEI at other universities across the United States. They are highly knowledgeable and are here to make sure the IEI follows all of the rules and regulations set up by the Commission.

After the committee left, we waited anxiously for their report which finally came several months later…

How did the IEI do?
Really well! We are now one of only four CEA Accredited English language programs that are part of a State of Illinois four-year university.

What did the final report say?
We learned that the IEI is doing a great job of helping our students reach their English language goals. We also learned that even excellent programs can have areas which need to be changed to make them stronger. If you’ve been at the IEI for more than 1 semester, you’ve probably noticed some of these changes already!

What’s going to stay the same?
What is going to stay the same is our commitment to supporting our students – both inside and outside of the classroom. Earning the CEA accreditation is a recognition of the overall quality of the experience when students come to study with us here at the IEI!

Our Students are the B.E.S.T.!!!

An IEI student presents at the IEI’s Summer 2015 B.E.S.T. Conference at the Foreign Language Building.

This past summer, students in Level 500 and 600’s Academic Track had the chance to engage in a final assessment like never before – presenting at a conference they organized themselves! This experience provided students with the chance to engage in an authentic academic project much like that required in graduate and professional programs as well as utilize critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork skills. In addition to serving on a conference committee, each student presented in one of the sessions. There was also an afternoon plenary talk by the IEI Listening and Speaking component leader and a reception at the end of the day to celebrate the successful event.

Here is more about the project and event from a student’s perspective…

When summer semester began, we were informed that we were going to have a very special final exam for the Advanced Listening and Speaking course. It is the B.E.S.T. Conference which not only means we, students are the best, but also we will use our variety of disciplines such as engineering, politics, architecture, law, chemistry, education, and economics to present on four different topics: Business, Education, Science, and Technology.

Afternoon plenary by Kristin Bouton

Also, the B.E.S.T. conference was organized by ourselves (students). We composed four committee groups which are technology committee, promotions committee, program committee, and hospitality committee to make our B.E.S.T. conference possible. For example, students in promotion committee designed a very fascinating logo to attract audience’s attention. Students in program committee created a very professional conference program to make spectators easily perceive what the presenters are going to talk about. Students in hospitality committee set a very cozy reception to make participants feel like home. Lastly, students in technology recorded all of presenters’ voice to leave a wonderful memory.

Committee members greet conference participants.

In my mind, to construct a conference may be very hard because we had to form a unknown future from nothing. But, during the summer we had a committee meeting every week, during the time we composed everything step by step, during the time we worked until late night, we definitely completed a fabulous conference eventually.

On the big date of July 29, we were so nervous for our presentation, but also, some kinds of exciting feeling occurred at the same time. For instance, I saw a lot of students’ faces were tense but smiling. At that time, I knew we would have lots of splendid presentations. Yes, I guessed right! When I listened to every presenters’ speech, their talking, indeed, touched my heart and gave me numerous knowledge. Also, the most important thing, to exhibit our speaking learning during the last two months, we did very well. When I listened to every speaker’s presentation, the English speaking skill impressed me so much. I think, there everyone practiced a lot.

After the conference, I saw every presenter talking with each other with joy because we accomplished a very tough job and we did it perfect!

Committee members getting ready for the post-conference reception in the atrium of the Foreign Languages Building

YAY!!! We did it! This conference was the B.E.S.T.!

Thank you every presenter! You gave me a memorable conference. Thank you Kristin and Amber! You gave us a precious chance to work with people and to present in English. They are all my treasures in my life!

Check out the student produced B.E.S.T. conference program