Category: English Language Institute

ELI welcomes students from Chiba University in Japan

Chiba University Nursing Students at Capstone College of Nursing
Chiba University nursing students at a welcome reception held at the Capstone College of Nursing

This spring the ELI welcomed 34 Japanese students from two Chiba University programs.

One of the programs is a two-week English + Nursing Program. The ELI partnered with the Capstone College of Nursing to offer observations of nursing classes, clinical immersion, simulator tutorials, tours of medical facilities, and assistance with the WellBAMA program. The students also take English classes with a focus on medical terminology. It has been 20 years since UA and Chiba University’s School of Nursing established this program.

The other program is a four-week Language & Culture Program offered through the ELI. The students attend three hours of English language classes each day. The classes focus on writing, speaking and American culture. In addition, the students experience university life and activities, as well as visit various southern cities including Atlanta and New Orleans. The ELI has offered this program to Chiba University students for over 25 years.

Before coming to UA, the Japanese students in both programs collaborated online with UA students in the Capstone College of Nursing and with the Applied Linguistics/TESOL program. These are two of four programs between UA and Chiba University which incorporate Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) components.

Later this month, another group of Japanese students from Chiba University will come to Tuscaloosa to visit local schools in coordination with the College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Chiba University Students in front of B.B. Comer
Chiba University Language and Culture students in front of B.B. Comer

Friends of Fulbright Scholarship Students at UA

Friends of Fulbright students being welcomed at the airport
Friends of Fulbright students being welcomed at the airport.

This spring the English Language Institute (ELI) at UA is welcoming ten Friends of Fulbright scholarship undergraduate students from Argentina.

The Friends of Fulbright scholarship students take nine hours of English instruction per week and observe three University of Alabama undergraduate or graduate classes related to their majors. The goal of the program is for students from Argentina to gain familiarity with attending U.S. universities and experiencing life in the U.S. In addition to classes, the students participate in cultural activities on and off campus. The students plan to pursue graduate degrees after completing their undergraduate studies in Argentina.

This is the third year the ELI has been selected to host Friends of Fulbright. Guillermo Brauchli, a former Friends of Fulbright Scholarship student studying electrical engineering, said of the experience, “I find this program really fruitful in helping me to improve my English and getting involved with American culture. I really enjoyed my time in Tuscaloosa and I definitely plan to come back one day.”

The ELI is pleased to partner with the Fulbright organization to support international exchanges.

ELI hosts English + Nursing Programs

Ansan Nursing Students at DCH Hospital
Ansan Nursing Students at DCH Hospital

This fall Korean students from Ansan University moved from the English language classroom to pathology and radiology labs. For a second year, the ELI partnered with Druid City Hospital (DCH) to provide an opportunity for students to improve their English skills and gain volunteer experience with a local hospital.

The students began their journey studying intensive English for 20 hours a week for 8 weeks. They also attended a class designed to introduce them to useful medical terminology and hospital procedures.

After their intensive English study, students volunteered with DCH for 20 hours per week. During this volunteer experience, the students shadowed physical therapists, doctors, nurses, and lab technicians.

This spring a group of Japanese students from Chiba University will also participate in an English + Nursing program. The ELI will partner with UA’s Capstone College of Nursing to provide a 2-week program which includes nursing class observations, clinical immersion, and simulator tutorials, as well as English instruction. It has been 20 years since UA and Chiba University’s School of Nursing established this program.

Chiba Nursing Students at DCH Hospital
Chiba Nursing Students at DCH Hospital

ELI Scholarship Winner

Woogyeong, ELI scholarship winner from South Korea

Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winner: Woogyeong from South Korea!

Woogyeong plans return to school to complete her degree in Arts Management. Afterwards, she wants to be a producer.

Every session the ELI awards tuition scholarships to current full-time students. The students must attend 80% of their ELI classes and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all ELI classes. Students must also write a short essay explaining why they want the scholarship.

If you are a current ELI student and want to apply for a scholarship for next session, you can find the application on the ELI Forms page.

ELI Scholarship Winner

Water, ELI scholarship winner from Taiwan

Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winner: Water from Taiwan!

Water plans to attend a university in the U.S. after he finishes his studies at the ELI.

Every session the ELI awards tuition scholarships to current full-time students. The students must attend 80% of their ELI classes and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all ELI classes. Students must also write a short essay explaining why they want the scholarship.

If you are a current ELI student and want to apply for a scholarship for next session, you can find the application on the ELI Forms page.

ELI Scholarship Winner

Manaka

Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winners: Manaka from Japan!

Manaka is studying British and American Studies at Kyoto University. She plans to become a flight attendant in the future.

Every session the ELI awards tuition scholarships to current full-time students. The students must attend 80% of their ELI classes and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all ELI classes. Students must also write a short essay explaining why they want the scholarship.

If you are a current ELI student and want to apply for a scholarship for next session, you can find the application on the ELI Forms page.

Rwanda genocide survivor visits annual commemoration

Photo courtesy of Angelique Umutoniwase

Shahriyar Emami, Staff Reporter
April 1, 2019
The Crimson White

When Angelique Umutoniwase was five years old, the Rwanda genocide terrorized her country.

The genocide, which took place from April 7-mid July, 1994, resulted in more than 800,000 deaths. As Umutoniwase described it, the killings are officially called the 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi.

Some of Umutoniwase’s family members were victims of the the genocide. After the tragedy, she and her two sisters survived by staying together.

“It did affect me,” said Umutoniwase, who is now a Fulbright scholar at the University of Alabama. “I lost my parents and my brother.”

Umutoniwase said she lost other family members because of the killings, also. After the genocide, the sisters stayed in orphanages. Umutoniwase said children and adults were split up throughout Rwanda.

“Some kids don’t have parents,” Umutoniwase said. “Some parents don’t have children.”

The Rwandan government tried to help victims after the genocide. However, it was not enough, Umutoniwase said, and the entire country had to start over from scratch.

“After the genocide, we had to strive for our future,” she said. “We decided to keep going.”

A commemoration of the genocide will be held in Washington, D.C. on April 7, the day the genocide began in 1994. This will be the Rwanda genocide’s 25th anniversary.

The University of Alabama’s Capstone International Center will sponsor Umutoniwase’s first trip to the Rwanda genocide commemoration.

For Umutoniwase, the commemoration will serve as a way to learn from the past.

Annual commemorations are held in Rwanda from April 7-13. After that week, an honorary three months of remembrance takes place. This period is in observance of the three months the genocide spanned.

“The purpose of the commemoration is to make perpetrators learn that they did the wrong thing,” Umutoniwase said.

Survivors like Umutoniwase will use the annual commemoration as part of their healing process, she said, and in her case, the University is supporting her trip.

“Because Angelique was really directly affected by the Rwandan genocide, we felt it was important for us to support her in being able to attend the commemoration event,” said Teresa Wise, associate provost of international education and outreach.

The University has been involved with Fulbright since the program was established in 1946, Wise said.

“The Rwandan genocide is a horrible example of the kind of violence that takes place across the world sometimes,” Wise said. “It’s important for us to support [Umutoniwase] in being able to continue to process that event for herself and for her family and for her nation.”

Wise said the Fulbright Commission receives funding through the U.S. government’s state department.

“The individual countries’ governments or sometimes private organizations also contribute to that funding,” Wise said. “So it’s a combination of governmental funding from specific countries, including our own and then sometimes private funding.”

The Fulbright Commission came into effect as an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom based on educational values across nations.

Wise oversees the international outreach operations for the Capstone International Center. The UA English Language Institute (ELI) is included under that umbrella.

Currently, Umutoniwase is studying with the ELI, and she said she is the only Rwandan student in the ELI and Fulbright program at the University.

“A big part of our mission is to serve as a gateway for international students into The University of Alabama into degree programs,” said Bill Wallace, director of the ELI.

Wallace said the ELI has been on campus since 1982.

“We help recruit international students, help them get ready in terms of their English proficiency and readiness to be undergraduate or graduate degree-seeking students,” Wallace said.

According to the ELI website, the program offers a year-round, six-level intensive English program for international students. These six courses start at a beginner level and finish at advanced. Wallace said there is no specific time frame that students need to finish their ELI courses in.

Umutoniwase is currently at level six, the advanced level.

“Near the end of their ELI time, [students] can begin taking one or two academic credit classes along with their ELI classes,” Wallace said. “So they’re pure ELI until they get to a certain level, and if they so desire, they can take one or two academic classes.”

After her time with the ELI, Umutoniwase plans to attend graduate school. Before that, however, she must make a sufficient score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

“To be admitted to a graduate program, she’ll have to prove that her English is ready,” Wallace said. “We’re here to help her improve, get her English ready and to help her get that TOEFL score that she’ll need to be accepted for a master’s degree program.”

Umutoniwase will study civil engineering with the Fulbright program. After her time at the University, Fulbright will sponsor her graduate degree in the U.S.

“I just gravitate towards civil engineering,” Umutoniwase said.

Fulbright gave Umutoniwase the chance to come to the University to improve her English before she pursues her graduate degree.

One of Wallace’s hopes is that more international students attend the University and feel welcomed on campus.

“When Angelique comes back, I hope we’ll have some kind of report or presentation from her about her experience there [at the commemoration],” Wallace said.

For Umutoniwase, it is important for students and Americans in general to learn about Rwanda’s history.

“I realize many people here don’t know about Rwanda,” Umutoniwase said. “I encourage Americans to know more, to read about Rwanda.”

ELI Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winners: Audrey from Colombia and Yumi from Japan!

Audrey worked at a consumer goods company in Colombia and plans to pursue a graduate degree after completing the ELI.

Yumi worked as an accountant for an automobile company in Japan. She also plans to pursue a graduate degree after completing the ELI.

Every session the ELI awards tuition scholarships to current full-time students. The students must attend 80% of their ELI classes and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all ELI classes. Students must also write a short essay explaining why they want the scholarship.

If you are a current ELI student and want to apply for a scholarship for next session, you can find the application on the ELI Forms page.

The ELI Welcomes Fulbright Students

This semester the English Language Institute (ELI) at UA welcomed ten Friends of Fulbright students from Argentina, as well as six Fulbright Long-Term English Placement students from Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Rwanda and Venezuela.

The Friends of Fulbright students take nine hours of English instruction per week and observe three University of Alabama classes related to their majors. The goal of the program is for students from Argentina to gain familiarity with attending U.S. universities and experiencing life in the U.S. In addition to classes, the students participate in cultural activities on and off campus. These students plan to pursue graduate degrees after completing their undergraduate studies in Argentina.

The Fulbright Long-Term English Placement students came to the ELI to improve their English language skills while seeking admission to U.S. university graduate programs. The students are enrolled in 20 hours of English classes per week and participate in seminars and cultural activities.

This is the second year the ELI was selected to host Friends of Fulbright and Fulbright Long-Term English Placement students. Abigail Stricker, a former Friends of Fulbright student studying biotechnology, said of the experience, “I enjoyed getting to know about American culture and getting more experience outside the Argentinian university.”

The ELI is pleased to partner with the Fulbright organization to support international exchanges.

 

ELI Scholarship Winner

 
 
Congratulations to this session’s ELI Tuition Scholarship winner: Laura from Colombia!

Laura plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in the U.S. after completing the ELI.

Every session the ELI awards tuition scholarships to current full-time students. The students must attend 80% of their ELI classes and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all ELI classes. Students must also write a short essay explaining why they want the scholarship.

If you are a current ELI student and want to apply for a scholarship for next session, you can find the application on the ELI Forms page.