Hesston College, Hesston, Kansas
The ESL School at NYFA, New York, New York
AppELS Institute, Boone, North Carolina

POLY Languages Institute, Irvine, California
POLY Languages Institute, Los Angeles, California
POLY Languages Institute, Pasadena, California
EF International Language Campuses, Inc., Tarrytown, New York
EF Education First, Tarrytown, New York

Clark University's American Language and Culture Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts
Rennert International, New York, New York
The University of Texas at El Paso-Extended University, El Paso, Texas
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York

SCAD Language Studio, Atlanta, Georgia
Open Hearts Language Academy, Coconut Creek, Florida
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The ESL School at NYFA, New York, New York
The ESL School at NYFA, Burbank, California
Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota
ELI University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi

And our newest Associate members:

The American Culture & Language Institute, Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, Virginia
East Carolina University Language Academy, Greenville, North Carolina
Black Hills State University, Spearfish, South Dakota
The ESL School at NYFA, Burbank, California

On Language, Gainesville, Georgia
Intensive English Academy, Palm Desert, California

And our newest Associate members:

American Voices, Mill Valley, California, www.americanvoicesapp.com
ISX World, Boston, Massachusetts, www.isxworld.com
Student Sims, San Diego, California, www.studentsims.com

Saint Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania
Saint Leo University, Saint Leo, Florida
USC International Academy, Los Angeles, California

And our newest Associate members:

Alelo, Los Angeles, California, www.alelo.com/
en.news with CNN, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, www.en.news
University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, www.press.umich.edu/elt
a2 International Education Fairs, Istanbul, Istanbul,  www.akare.com.tr/

Showa Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
International Education Center (IEC), Concord, California
International Education Center (IEC) at Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, California
Language Studies International
ELS Language Centers/Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, California
Intensive English Center, Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee
META Language School USA, Orlando, Florida
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
Notre Dame of Maryland University, English Language Institute, Baltimore, Maryland
English Language Institute, LIU Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York
Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire
D'Youville College, Buffalo, New York
University of the Pacific International, Stockton, California
Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque, New Mexico
English as a Second Language, Hays, Kansas

And our newest Associate member:

HOFT Institute, Austin, Texas

And our newest Associate member:

Home Stay Network, Redmond, Washington, www.homestaynetwork.com

Deadline: 5/29/2018

View More Info Here

An Employer’s Perspective on the Benefits of the English Language Fellow Program

Source: ELP Newsletter (https://elprograms.org/about/contact/newsletter/)

The English Language Programs team sat down with Patti Juza, Director of the International English Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. She talked to us about her experience employing English Language Fellow alumni and shared some tips for alumni on how to better promote their experience when job searching.

Could you describe your experience working with alumni of the English Language Fellow Program?

We have currently four or five English Language Fellows working in our program. I have to say, we are always impressed with their resumes because of the versatility that’s demonstrated on them. English Language Fellows have a talent for working with multilevel classes and that sometimes happens these days in Intensive English Programs. Enrollments expand and contract, and we’re starting to see fewer lower level students join programs. But occasionally there are and that’s where being able to manage and differentiate instruction in class is really important. We’ve found that a lot of our English Language Fellows have seen it all, they’ve done it all, and they’ve been very helpful in designing curriculum, and working with these populations.

What unique skills or qualities do you think Fellows bring to your program?

I think it’s not just unique skills or qualities, but also experiences that English Language Fellows bring to the table for university-based English language programs. Of course, there’s a certain amount of flexibility that they had to demonstrate in their roles as Fellows, and there’s a versatility that we really appreciate. That goes for curriculum development, designing university prep courses, test preparation, English for specific purposes courses, designing and delivering workshops, and doing a lot of teacher training. Also, the experience with online education—embracing instructional design and delivering courses online, whether it be hybrid or a fully online course. English Language Fellows also present themselves very well. That’s really important to us. There’s a confidence there that Fellows have developed. It’s a confidence, not an arrogance, that I think a lot of us in the field appreciate. Certainly, there’s time management, because a lot of faculty may have experience teaching or developing courses, but these days, we get a lot of late and last minute requests and proposals to deliver programs. Because English Language Fellows have to wear so many different hats and do so many different things at the same time, they are very mindful of deadlines and timelines. That’s very beneficial to us, too. 

What does it mean to you when you look at a candidate’s CV and see that he/she is a returned English Language Fellow?

Someone who is tried and tested. There’s a certain amount of initiative and independence that an English Language Fellow has developed. Resources may be stretched or they are not always optimal, but there is this certain quality to their instruction. Also, a lot of self-motivation that’s really important for these types of programs and projects. So, that’s something that’s key for me.

“We’ve found that a lot of our English Language Fellows have seen it all, they’ve done it all, and they’ve been very helpful in designing curriculum and working with these populations.”

What sets a Fellow apart from a teacher who hasn’t participated in the program?

I think it’s that ability to manage so many things at one time. One day be doing some kind of online workshop, and the next day doing teacher training face to face, another day, maybe, we need assistance with some background material for an RFP that has just come out. Being able to, on short notice, produce and make a positive contribution to a program. I think that’s something that sets English Language Fellows apart from, say, others who have just come out of school or those who have been teaching in the field for a while. The pace is little bit different. If you’ve been working in a long- standing intensive English language program, there’s kind of a rhythm to it, but, you know, the rhythm has changed because the market has changed. I think English Language Fellows have been exposed to the market outside of the U.S. They know what it’s like. They know what people are looking for, and that kind of feedback to program administrators is really important—it’s valuable.

Could you think of a specific example or experience that you had with a Fellow that really left an impression on you?

Yeah, we have a large program going with the government of Mexico to support military officers. For this year we’ve also been notified that we’ll be doing a program for 50 cadets in health sciences. This came a as bit of a surprise to us! But, one of our returned English Language Fellows has experience in designing and delivering medical English courses. When we announced to our faculty that we have these 50 new cadets coming in May, she stepped up and volunteered to develop the curriculum for that program. It is very exciting for us. We were delighted that she reached out to us and said that this is a project that she’d really like to work on. Even though she’s fairly new to our program, we are confident that it is going to be high quality. 

What advice do you have for Fellows who are finishing up their assignments and beginning to job search back in the U.S.?

Be proactive and don’t wait until you are home. Also, making sure to include all those different projects they worked on. If they haven’t done a lot of instructional design and there are opportunities for them to get that experience before they come home, that’s really key. And on their CVs to make sure not to forget to put things down about assessment. For university-governed programs that hold CEA accreditation, learning outcomes are really important. Those are data points that we have to provide to an accreditor. I think that often English Language Fellows have experience in providing outcome information to stakeholders, but it’s not something they always think to put on their resume. 

I think there’s a lot of expansion with English for specific purposes, so making sure to list the different kinds of classes they taught or designed in those areas. As opportunities come up on college campuses for those kinds of customized programs or working partnerships with academic departments, it’s really important. 

Is there anything else that you feel we haven’t touched on?

The other thing for Fellows to keep in mind is to really document their experience and think carefully about what they want to do post-fellowship. As programs continue to expand and contract and evolve, there are a lot of skills that they bring to the table. Generally, they can write very well— programs always need folks to participate in proposal writing, and also to become part of the accreditation committee on these campuses. I think there is a lot of insight that they bring: Are there other things that that program could be doing to help it to build capacity? What could they lend to professional development for the faculty who are currently there? What experiences do they gain in that university program that they could then take to a project as a Specialist? Do they want to consider going on for a PhD and help train the next generation of faculty members who are going to go out and change the world? I think there are a lot of opportunities out there.

We are all looking for talent. I think an English Language Fellow’s experience is different—it’s not just that someone has worked under tough conditions, but they’ve worked under tough conditions and they’ve produced services, courses, products of such high caliber that could be leveraged in a lot of different ways. 

If you want to survive and thrive you have to have that flexibility, versatility to be able to do it impromptu and own it. It’s hard to train for that. There’s a sort of indescribable something—you know it when you see it. It just happens to be a characteristic that many English Language Fellows share. 

Manhattan Language, New York, New York
English as a Second Language Program, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Intensive English Language Program, Community Colleges of Spokane, Spokane, Washington
Atlantis Language Institute, Miami, Florida

And our newest Associate members:

Emmersion Learning, Lehi, Utah, http://emmersionlearning.com

NEW YORK, November 13, 2017—According to the 2017 Open Doors® Report on International Educational Exchange data released today by IIE and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the number of international students in the United States increased by three percent over the prior year, and the number of American students studying abroad increased by four percent from the prior year.

For complete article:  https://www.iie.org/Why-IIE/Announcements/2017-11-13-Open-Doors-Data

National University Language Institute, San Diego, California
Educational and Cultural Interactions (ECI), Irving, Texas
Lipscomb University EAP Program, Nashville, Tennessee
Intensive American Language Center - Tri-Cities, Richland, Washington
Intensive English Program, Appleton, Wisconsin
Divine Word College, Epworth, Iowa
ESL Institute at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, Tennessee

And our newest Associate members:

Trinity College London, London, United Kingdom, www.trinitycollege.com
Voxy, Mission Viejo, California, www.voxy.com

The Annual Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Enrollment Management (IEM) honors a NAFSA member who has made exemplary contributions to the field of IEM. Nominees must demonstrate a willingness to share knowledge, skills, and expertise with colleagues. They will have made exemplar contributions to the field in a variety of ways, including resource development, training, leadership, advocacy, and mentoring for a minimum of 10 years.

2017 - Bill Wallace, University of Alabama

Dr. Wallace has been in the ESL field since 1978 and is currently the director of the University of Alabama English Language Institute and VP Elect for Advocacy on the EnglishUSA Executive Board.

At the University of Alabama, he has been a strong advocate for internationalizing the campus and supporting the successful transition of English Language learners to full time degree-seeking study through pathways and conditional admissions programs he initiated. He created a study center to foster persistence and independent learning for students and his vision has made University of Alabama’s ELI a world-class intensive English program where international students feel welcomed, supported, integrated, and celebrated.

In addition to his leadership at the University of Alabama, he has also served in various leadership roles in a broad spectrum of professional associations such as NAFSA, UCIEP, CEA, TESOL, AAIEP to name a few. He has served as mentor to many IEM Professionals and have worked tirelessly to advocate for international students, and to advance the ESL profession.

Words from his nominees:
“Within international education as a whole, he has become a go-to resource and inspiration for other administrators. He is the model for cultivating relationships with government sponsors and organizations all over the world.”

“Dr. Wallace has earned deep respect in our field; furthermore, he has instilled energy and motivation in those who have witnessed his long-term commitment and unending perseverance. He has proven to us all that he is a humble leader with far-reaching vision who can bring a concept to life and then be found in the trenches contributing to do the work at hand.

For complete article, please click here.

Negotiating student visa applications is an ominous task. With foreign governments requiring evidence of financial background, letters of intent, biometric data and credibility interviews, an application takes months to prepare, followed by usually weeks of waiting for the decision.

Like it or not, visa processing carries weight when students are choosing study destinations; they know it can often be a subjective decision, and rumours swirl among peer groups about how likely a visa rejection might be.

A country’s immigration policy, local press coverage and its reputation in their homeland all affect students’ feelings on visa processing, says George Burke, international admissions and recruitment specialist at the University of Albany SUNY in the US.

For the full article, please visit:  https://thepienews.com/analysis/international-student-visa-application-usa-uk-australia-canada-china/

Brazil's Ministry of Education has formally announced that the Science without Borders study abroad scholarship will be ceased, two years after the programme was suspended, with Brazilian agents now eyeing more opportunities in privately funded higher education programmes.

In a statement issued last month, the Ministry said that after evaluation of the graduation rates, the costs of the scheme were considered too high. It highlighted that the budget was equivalent to the cost of providing school meals for 39 million students in Brazil.

"The current management found the programme with high debts left by the previous government. Students were abroad without resources. The first and immediate priority of the current management was to guarantee financial resources to honour the commitments made with the scholarship holders so as not to harm them," the Ministry said, explaining that around 4,000 students were currently still overseas under the Science without Borders project.

The Ministry added that the CAPES scholarship system remained open for funding for postgraduate and doctoral overseas study.

Maura Leão, President of Brazilian agency association Belta and President of the global Federation of Education and Language Consultant Associations (Felca), said the scheme, which mostly operated on an institution-to-institution basis, had nonetheless ignited an interest in higher education overseas, and the agency sector now had a chance to grow this business strand.

"For agencies we have now an opportunity to develop our higher education departments in a deeper way, once this programme has raised awareness among Brazilian students of the possibilities of going abroad for higher education. Even for those who are planning to go to a local university, they see an option to study abroad for a semester or longer."

She said that would require a lot of knowledge from consultants, a well-organised service and strong partnerships with institutions.

Maura suggested that some of the failings of the scholarship system could be addressed by the agency sector to ensure a successful study abroad experience.

"Consultants can properly screen the candidates according to their skills, language levels and financial capability and help them find the right choice of course at the right higher education institution. Consultants can help students find scholarships and have them on the right track. Unfortunately this was not done before and many students would go abroad without any previous language knowledge, which is mandatory to be successful in programmes such as these. Now there is an opportunity for agents to do this properly to help candidates be successful to be accepted."

The full-year Belta member data for 2016 is due to be released soon, but Maura said there had generally been more enquiries about university study abroad since the scholarship was suspended.

"More international institutions are approaching the market, promoting their universities. Many are doing this only through agents and investing a lot in their knowledge and training. Agents know the market and the local language of the decision makers," she added.

The association is holding an International Education Forum later this month, with higher education among the topics on the agenda.