First Fall Field Trips

Though it is only mid-September and still early in the fall semester, ESL students have already enjoyed some unique and exciting events as part of their studies at Upper Iowa University! As the new ESL Program Coordinator, I have had the privilege of regularly planning and organizing field trips for the students as an opportunity for them to personally experience the richness of American culture. 

So far this semester, our group of 30 ESL students has gone on two cultural field trips and acquired an initial taste of what Iowa has to offer beyond the city limits of Fayette. Our first trip occurred during the second week of classes on August 29^th. One of our ESL instructors and his family invited all the ESL students to his farm in Elgin, Iowa, for a welcome gathering that day. The students enjoyed a sunny afternoon of yard games, a scavenger hunt, a home-cooked dinner, and a chance to become more familiar with ESL staff, fellow students, and the beautiful landscape of northeast Iowa. We all were grateful for the hospitality shown to us and the opportunity to get a first-hand look at the uniqueness of rural living.

Our field trip continued into the evening with a stop at a local corn maze. The students divided into small groups and, with the help of a map, weaved their way through the paths in the corn rows. The director gave students a sheet of questions with answers hidden in the maze that they had to search for in order to complete it. Once completed, everyone ended the field trip by gathering around a bonfire to make their own s’mores – a delicious American treat of graham crackers, chocolate, and fire-toasted marshmallows. 

Yard Games at ESL Instructor's farm

Less than two weeks later on September 8^th, ESL students got to experience a new side of American culture during a field trip to the Carriage Classic at the Villa Louis Historic Site in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Pikes Peak State Park in rural McGregor, Iowa. The Carriage Classic is a driving competition of different classes of horse-drawn carriages reminiscent of the late 19^th century. Competitors also dressed in clothing and attire from this period in American history. After leisurely watching the competition, students took group tours of the Villa Louis mansion. This elaborately restored home is located on a private estate once owned by a family who bred and raced horses in the late 19^th century. The Carriage Classic celebrates the nature and charm of this estate in its glory days. The ESL students were intrigued by the history this event and site commemorates. 

Picnic at Pikes Peak State Park

ESL students at the Carriage Classic

After touring the Villa Louis, the group crossed back over the Mississippi River to Pikes Peak State Park for a picnic dinner and to explore nature. After the meal, many of them hiked the park’s main trail to view a waterfall hidden amongst the forest and rocky cliffs. Without question, the highlight of the park was the spectacular scenic overlook view of the river and bluffs of Wisconsin and Iowa that stretched for miles. 

Overlook at Pikes Peak

Overlook at Pikes Peak

These two outings are only a mere sampling of all the exciting events and field trips coming up this semester in ESL. The ESL staff and I are looking forward to accompanying the students as they continue to discover many more interesting areas of and aspects about American culture.

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.  

          

Chicago!

This last December ESL students had the privilege of visiting one of America’s most famous cities: Chicago!

It was a dark and brisk Saturday morning on December 10^th, 2011, when 34 ESL students crawled out of bed to brave the adventure that awaited them. Oh, and did I mention it was 4:00 in the morning? J

I believe students, as well as trip leaders, were trying to calm the butterflies in our stomachs as we boarded the busses, checked off lists, and made sure everything (and everybody) was accounted for. With just a couple forgotten items that needed retrieving and a few minutes to spare, we were able to take off on our merry way. It wasn’t too long before the day started heralding it’s coming as the sky turned from black to lighter shades of grey, and then pink. It was going to be a beautiful day. Just as we had hoped!  As the scenery changed from flat farmland to rolling hills, the students began to awaken and partake in a small breakfast of cereal bars, juice, and fruit. As peaceful as this mental image may appear, the moments never grew dull as the petitions for temperature change could not be settled. “It’s too cold in here! Turn the heat up!” “Hey, could you please turn the heat down? …turn on the AC!” Maybe someday we will get it right.

After what seemed about half a lifetime on the road, Chicago’s skyline eventually started to take shape. It could be said that the rise of the student’s excitement grew in proportion to Chicago’s disclosure on the horizon! Shouts of joy and noise of gladness could probably be heard coming from each vehicle in the UIU caravan. Not only were the joyous noises increasing, but the traffic too! Soon one realized that he was in a crash course for Chicago driving! Let’s just say the keyword here is “Aggressive”. (Oh, and the word “crash” had nothing to do with vehicles, only lesson learning)

Once the students had packed away their things at the hotel, they were ready for their first day of Chicago. Half the students went to tour the Art Institute while the other half went to stroll around and enjoy the Field Museum of Natural History. Students came back talking of fine art they had seen as well as SUE, the largest and most complete T-Rex skeleton ever discovered.

The next thing on the agenda was Chicago’s Shed aquarium! Here students got to see fish from all over the world, placed in environments that reflected their original homes. Neon colored jellyfish could also be seen as well as the fish’s, shark’s, and stingray’s lunch time - fed right out of the hand of a scuba diver.

After the aquarium, students trekked up through Millennium Park viewing the giant, artsy, outdoor, theatre, as well as the “big silver bean,” or more sophistically entitled, “Cloud Gate”. Beautiful Christmas lighting could now be seen as the night progressed and even a collage of graceful ice skaters could be glimpsed weaving their way in and out of each other on the Ice Rink nearby. Though this night could have ended here, the John Hancock Observatory was still yet to go on the schedule. Going north on the famous “Magnificent Mile” students arrived to the Hancock Center and traveled 100 stories up to the top! While there, students were able to dine in at a café and enjoy the breathtaking landscape and audio tour of Chicago. After the descent back down to the street, the group headed back to the hotel for some much needed rest…especially for the feet!

Day two dawned just as brightly as the first and even greeted us with some warmer weather. Students were able to partake in a delicious continental breakfast as the group leaders bustled about for the day’s preparations. Once everyone was accounted for, the group headed off to Chinatown!

In China town, students were given a brief historical overview of the place by one of the ESL instructors and then set free to explore the area. As students returned from their explorations, it was noted that many of the Asian students were able to buy things they had not yet been able to obtain since leaving their homes in Asia. It was fun to witness this as they were able to eagerly share and discuss a bit of their country with the rest of the students, and leaders too!

After the Chinatown excursion, one last destination loomed on the horizon: the Museum of Science and Industry. Students spent the remainder of the last day exploring the endless displays that filled each room. Walking through the museum, one could experiment with tornadoes, avalanches, fire, lightning, chemical balancing, and much, much more. One special tour gave the students a chance to see the ominous U-505 submarine that was captured in the Second World War. A state of the art walk through tour gave everyone a new respect for submarine crew members!

After two fun-filled days in Chicago, the trip was nearing its end, or was it? No way! As every Chicagoan could tell you, a trip to Chicago is not complete without trying Chicago style Deep Dish Pizza! Before heading out of town, everybody indulged in Lou Malnati’s famous Chicago style pizza. Cheese, Sausage and Pepperoni pizza was had by all until all could eat no more. Now the trip could end on the right note: a full stomach!

Fall Adventures

Have you ever asked yourself why someone with a stove and microwave would ever want to brave the cold of autumn to cook their food outside… even over an open fire? How about tractors and trucks pulling wagons loaded with, not hay, but people! What of the act of picking an item from the household garden and giving it two eyes, a nose, and a mouth and involving it in the home decor? These questions are of common seasonal activities in America; however, for those crossing over from other cultures, these activities may be far from normal.

As coordinator of the field trips, I have gotten to enjoy some pretty awesome activities with a wonderful bunch of ESL students this past fall. This fall we were privileged with 36 students to take around and to help discover what the world of American Culture looks like up close and personal.

Our itinerary for the year started off with an afternoon visit to an ESL instructor’s home near Elgin, IA. Here, students enjoyed a sunny and pleasant afternoon playing yard games, eating home-cooked food, and just having a great time of fellowship; meeting and getting acquainted with the families, instructors, and staff of ESL.

On September 10^th, ESL travelled to the Carriage Classic at the Villa Louis Historic Site in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin. Here, there was a wide array of horse drawn carriage competitions as well as guided tours of the 19^th century Victorian style mansion located on the grounds. Afterwards, a meal was served at Pikes Peak overlooking the Mississippi River and town of Prairie Du Chien. Not only was the meal good, but the view stole the show! One Japanese student said of the place: “I had never seen such a beautiful nature.”

Later on in the month of September, before the weather got too cold, students were taken out to the countryside to enjoy a more traditional/seasonal trip consisting of a hayride, bonfire, and pumpkin carving activity. Many students had only heard of these things and some had only ever seen them on American movies.

In October, students were taken to Elkader, Iowa to visit and learn of the American Civil War from the Co. A, 49^th Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry. This trip will probably not soon be forgotten as students got to see and interactively discover what life would have been like during the civil war. Students learned how to load and set off a cannon as well as how to perform a civil war artillery drill and infantry drill. Probably the most captivating activity was learning how to dance the Virginia Reel. This was a country dance popular in the U.S. from about 1830-1890. Students also got to see and hold authentic and reproduced artifacts of the civil war.

These are just some of the trips I have chosen to expound on that the ESL institute has provided for its students this fall, however, there are many more trips that will be opened up to ESL students in the coming months. Special thanks must be given to those families around Fayette who continually and joyfully give of their time and resources to help show each student all the good and wonderful things that go on in our little corner of Iowa. Because of these families, many ESL students have gotten to ride a horse, milk a cow, make apple cider and ice-cream, try buffalo stew, and much, much more! I think I can say that we are all looking forward to the times ahead of us!



Welcome to Upper Iowa University!

The goal of this blog will be to have posts that inform prospective and current ESL (English as a Second Language) students about Upper Iowa University and what is happening in our ESL Institute.

To start off, a little history is appropriate.  Upper Iowa University's ESL Institute began in August 2009 with 14 students, but we are now expecting at least 40 students from a variety of countries for August 2011!  This growth is a testimony to the great service our International Programs and university provides, our dedicated instructors, our strong curriculum, and our special programming (e.g. cultural field trips and ESL Zone).  Here is a link to our webpage: http://uiu.edu/international/esl.html

Students at both beginner and advanced proficiency levels take 5 courses: grammar, writing, reading, listening/speaking, and American culture.  Students complete the ESL Institute academically equipped to succeed as undergraduates.  The cultural aspects of the program help students adapt to the demands of living in the United States and going to an American university.   

If you are looking for a university to study where there are no outside distractions, but plenty of opportunities to practice English, Upper Iowa University is for you!  Upper Iowa is located in rural scenic Northeast Iowa with many friendly Midwesterners.  It is a very safe and peaceful environment.  When you are looking for a study break and some fun, you have plenty opportunities for outdoor and indoor recreation (e.g. canoeing/kayaking, biking, swimming, weight lifting, basketball, and badminton).  Moreover, there are many campus events and clubs that students can get involved in, and a mall trip every weekend.  Additionally, students can enjoy four seasons – summer, fall, winter, and spring.  Winter is usually an enjoyable new experience for students because there is a lot of snow in comparison to their home countries.  Many build a snowman, make a snow angel, or go skiing for the first time!

I can assure you that our new incoming August 2011 ESL students will find themselves pleased with their decision to attend Upper Iowa.  I want to give a special warm welcome to them and a special welcome back to all of our returning ESL students!  

Sarah Bjork

Director, ESL Institute