Thursday, May 24, 2012

International Ambassadors

International Ambassador Profiles

Within our ESL Institute, we have International Ambassadors that want to help ESL students adjust to university life both socially and academically.  We would like you to have the opportunity to meet some of them.  You never know, one of them may become your Ambassador!




Name: Kayla Ludwigson

Hometown:  Alma, Wisconsin
Year at UIU: Senior
Major: Double major in psychology and human services with a minor in sociology
Goal in Life: To be truly happy J
Favorite Memory in ESL (perhaps while on a field trip, or during mentoring, etc.): After three years of working in ESL, it is difficult to pick just one favorite memory. However, one that is definitely at the top of the list would have to be from my birthday when some of the ESL students got me birthday cookies and had handmade me a big birthday poster. It was so sweet of them to do that!
Favorite Food: Stromboli (actually, anything Italian!)
Favorite Past-Time: Reading, baking, and watching scary movies
Number one country you would like to visit and why: I would love to visit Norway most of all because that is where most of my ancestors were from. However, going anywhere in South or Central America would be amazing as well!
Your best advice to an International Student learning English: Make sure to take advantage of as many opportunities as you can! Even if it seems uncomfortable at the time, it will make learning English (and making friends) that much easier.
Favorite Quote: To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest.
Best thing about working as an International Ambassador at UIU: The best thing about working as an International Ambassador, for me, is getting to see the growth the students experience, both personally and linguistically, throughout the year.


Name: Joshua Beebe
Hometown: Independence, Iowa
Year at UIU: Will be a Senior in the Fall. Graduating in December
Major: Business Management
Goal in Life: Show God’s glory by doing my best at everything I do.
Favorite Memory in ESL (perhaps while on a field trip, or during mentoring, etc.): Going on field trips with the students.
Favorite Food: Italian Food
Favorite Past-Time: Spending time with friends.
Number one country you would like to visit and why: I will be going to Tanzania this Summer for a mission trip. I would like to visit South Korea someday to learn about their culture.
Your best advice to an International Student learning English: Don’t be afraid to make friends with native English speakers. You will learn so much about the American culture and it will help you improve your conversation skills.
Favorite Quote: "I thank God I was warring on the gridirons of the Midwest and not on the battlefields of Europe. I can speak confidently and positively that the players of this country would much more, much rather, struggle and fight to win the Heisman award than the Croix de Guerre." -Nile Kinnick (University of Iowa’s only Heisman Trophy winner)
Best thing about working as an International Ambassador at UIU: The best thing about being an International Ambassador at UIU is learning about the students’ cultures while helping them learn a skill that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.


Name: Nikki Boggs
Hometown:  De Soto, Wisconsin
Year at UIU: Senior
Major: Art
Goal in Life: To see the world and live happily.
Favorite Memory in ESL (perhaps while on a field trip, or during mentoring, etc.): Having girl nights with my group members and playing Apples to Apples in the ESL Zone.
Favorite Food: Pepperoni and cheese calzones
Favorite Past-Time:  Creating art.
Number one country you would like to visit and why:  Europe because I would like to trace my ancestral roots and see all of the historical architecture and museums.
Your best advice to an International Student learning English: Do not be afraid to make mistakes, especially when you are talking with your instructors or ambassadors. We’re here to help you, we want you to succeed, and we love speaking with you.
Favorite Quote: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss
Best thing about working as an International Ambassador at UIU: Building relationships and learning about other cultures.


Name: Kris Whitsell
Hometown: Grundy Center, Iowa
Year at UIU: Senior
Major: English, Communications minor
Goal in Life: To love my chosen career, become a wife and mom, and live for a purpose beyond myself
Favorite Memory in ESL (perhaps while on a field trip, or during mentoring, etc.): Getting to see the students’ first live experience with American hockey at the Waterloo Blackhawks game
Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Favorite Past-Time: Discovering new places on weekend mini-road trips
Number one country you would like to visit and why: Anywhere in Western Europe to take in all the sights and scenery and because so many people who’ve been there have told me, “You just have to see it for yourself!”
Your best advice to an International Student learning English: Practice your English skills whenever you can, even when communicating with fellow native language speakers; Make it a goal to “think in English” as well – this will help grasping concepts you already know (but now expressed in a foreign language) go much smoother
Favorite Quote: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot
Best thing about working as an International Ambassador at UIU: Seeing the students excited to learn and apply English and having the drive to excel in their language mastery; Seeing their faces light up when something “clicks” in their mind is so encouraging, too

First ESL Student to Earn a Bachelor's Degree


Ms. Selena Davant from France is our first ESL student to earn a bachelor's degree from Upper Iowa University.  She has made history!  Davant came to our ESL Institute in Fall 2009 (August), graduated from the ESL Institute in December 2009, became an undergraduate student in Spring 2010 (January), and graduated this May 2012 with honors and a major in communication.  We are very proud of her accomplishments while she was here at UIU!  Davant was very involved in a Greek club and student government.  Davant will now pursue a master's degree in fine arts here in the United States.  We wish her the very best!

You may have noticed that Davant graduated from the ESL Institute in one semester (16 weeks), and finished her bachelor's degree in two and a half academic years.  Every ESL student's journey at Upper Iowa is a little different.  Davant came to us with a higher English proficiency level, so she only needed one semester of ESL.  Then, because she had obtained some post-secondary credit in France, she was able to finish her degree a little faster.

Every ESL student's English proficiency is assessed upon arrival; accordingly, each student is placed in the appropriate ESL courses.  ESL students typically need one academic year (two 16 week semesters) to complete the ESL program before starting undergraduate studies.  After successful completion of the ESL program, ESL students can become undergraduate students without taking the TOEFL exam.  As an undergraduate student at Upper Iowa, you can earn your bachelor's degree within three years if you work quickly, but most earn their degree within four years.  Then again, if you have earned post-secondary credits prior to enrolling in the ESL Institute, you never know, you may end up finishing even faster like Davant.

If you would like to find academic success at Upper Iowa like Ms. Selena Davant, please contact Dr. Madalina Tincu, Coordinator for International Enrollment, at tincum@uiu.edu to learn how to apply to Upper Iowa.