What do LCI students really think of Virginia Tech?

LCI students discuss some of the things that have surprised them about Americans and share their favorite things to do outside of class. Get the full story from this brief video news report.

Relive the magic of the Holiday Variety Show!

See students and faculty share their talents in an international celebration of the season!

Three cheers for the winners of the Employee Recognition Awards

At the Intensive English Program planning retreat Friday at the Inn at Virginia Tech, Language and Culture Institute director Don Back and associate director Elsie Paredes honored the nominees and winners of the annual VTLCI Employee Recognition Awards.

Light Bulb Award Winner: Georgia Wyche
Georgia was chosen to go to Chile to support our capacity-building initiative at Universidad Austral de Chile. There, she was challenged to assist the faculty at UACh with their English language learning efforts during the Chilean Winter despite the student protests that took place during that time. Georgia made significant strides there by being creative and offering workshops to the community when school was closed due to the student strikes. Also nominated: Chip Hayes, Christine Bobal, Lori Rottenberg
Trailblazer Award Winner: Don Back
Don has distinguished himself as director of the Language and Culture Institute by dramatically increasing the size and success of the LCI. He exhibits a strong entrepreneurial spirit and fosters that same spirit in others. The continued expansion of the English language program, doubling and tripling the number of enrollments, in Blacksburg and in Northern Virginia, is a direct result of his visionary leadership, his recruiting efforts, and his business savvy. He is inspirational by example, always encouraging the development of new ideas and opportunities among his administrative team.
Spirit Award Winner: Linda Sanford
Linda is always willing to offer support and guidance to teachers and students who need assistance.  She works so well with the students: She really listens to them when they have questions, problems, or concerns, and she goes out of her way to help them. Amazingly, she knows their names, family life situations, and future goals. With our student body at around 200, this is very impressive! She has infused a love of reading into students at all levels and works her hardest to make reading enjoyable for them. Linda has her hands full with her regular job responsibilities, but she always makes time for the students and really connects with them. They love her for it! She also crosses boundaries by using her administrative position to help the teachers at the LCI and make sure they have what they need to be successful. Afternoons find her eating her lunch in the teachers’ office and taking time to get to know the LCI teachers. Her consistently positive attitude makes her a joy to work with. Also nominated: Crystal Cook, Susan Hill, Cristina Keeton, Dijana Maunaga-Trajkovic, Anya Sereda, Christine Bobal
Clean and Green Award Winner: Dijana Maunaga-Trajkovic
Dijana is continually working to better integrate new technology into the classroom, and in so doing, she’s helping the LCI’s Northern Virginia Center save paper. For example, she helped her colleagues learn to use a grade-reporting website not just for grading but also for developing flashcards, creating online documents, and other eco-friendly uses. She’s also helped implement Google Drive, which has further cut down on paper usage. Also nominated: Janessa Jackson, Dijana Maunaga-Trajkovic, Christine Bobal
Behind the Curtain Award Winner: Charlene Dandrow
We would not have the IELTS program if it were not for Charlene. She has tackled that position and made it her own. Charlene serves a community larger than just Virginia Tech. She serves everyone in the U.S. who wants to — or is required to — take the IELTS test. She is incredibly customer-service-oriented and treats every client with respect. She also employs many folks in the community and does an excellent job of training test invigilators and clerical markers and ensuring the overall success of the program.     Also nominated: Linda Sanford, Janessa Jackson, Susan Hill, Dijana Maunaga-Trajkovic
Hokie Stone Award Winner: VTLCI Special Programs
Everyone who has worked with the LCI Special Programs has done an amazing job of teamwork and accomplishing the objectives of each program with creativity, professionalism, and just loving their jobs. The special programs director feels incredibly lucky to have such an awesome group of instructors and staff. Those folks are the following: Georgia Wyche, Mackenzie West, Milton Salcedo, Lois Ingles, Nicole Storm, Charlene Dandrow, Ada Chrisman, Caitlin Capone, Pablo Martinez, Pinar Gurdal, Crystal Cook, Alicia Chadegani, Kay Gude, and Katia Wooden. Also nominated: The Language and Culture Institute, Susan Hill, Cristina Keeton, Christine Bobal, Lori Rottenberg
Energizer Bunny Award Winner: Cristina Keeton Cristina is always positive and helpful to students and staff. Even in a situation that would frustrate most people, she manages to stay unruffled and work through it. She is also a great resource for new teachers. Her co-workers know they can always depend on her. One pointed to an experience co-teaching with her that she said was "by far the most enjoyable co-­teaching experience" she'd ever had. Cristina has unbelievably powerful charisma that makes everybody around her feel more energetic. Also nominated: Molly Rogers, Michele Hash, Nicole Storm, Susan Hill, Dijana Maunaga-Trajkovic, Anya Sereda, Christine Bobal, Lori Rottenberg
Red Carpet Award Winner: Janessa Jackson In a very short time, Janessa has become a truly valued member of our group. She is extremely courteous with students and is a can-do person who is not a complainer. She uses our scarce resources with no reduction to service to students. Whenever a new student arrives or calls, she always takes the time to answer their questions and make them feel welcome. She is unfailingly efficient and courteous. Also nominated: Pablo Martinez, Dijana Maunaga-Trajkovic, Lori Rottenberg

LCI Instructors Teach Local Refugees

LCI instructors have partnered with the Coalition for Refugee Resettlement to teach English to local refugees. 

By Kama Weatherholt Wagner

Instructors from the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute are stepping out of the classroom to teach English language learners in Southwest Virginia.  Beginning in January 2012, LCI teachers Susan Neu and Jason Lovelace spent two hours each Monday and Wednesday afternoon in Roanoke working with the Coalition for Refugee Resettlement.  The CRR, a project of VT Engage, unites local students and professionals with the aim of assisting refugees who have resettled in the area. 

The CRR was formed in 2006 to assist a group of African refugees at the Maple Grove housing community in Roanoke and since has expanded to include four public housing communities where many of the families live.  It is primarily driven by Virginia Tech students, who teach adult ESL classes, tutor children, and provide classes in citizenship.  Most importantly, they offer an open and safe environment so that the refugees feel welcome in the United States.   




Susan Neu and Jason Lovelace

Surrounded by colleges and universities, the CRR has access to many resources, including instructors at the LCI.  From January to May, Neu and Lovelace taught an adult ESL class for four hours each week.  The students in their classes were primarily women in their 40s and 50s, mothers and housewives with young children.  The children often accompanied their parents to class, where they worked independently on their own homework and even helped their parents with their studies.  The adults were frustrated when they saw how quickly their children were learning because they wanted to develop their skills at the same speed.

Unique obstacles sometimes slowed the process.  Some refugees, already fluent in their native languages and French, were learning to speak English as a third language.  On the other hand, many were not literate in any language and had to first work on understanding the concepts of words, letters, and writing. 

For Lovelace and Neu, the experience was challenging but rewarding.  “I was able to focus more on the student side of teaching,” Lovelace said.  Neu agreed, adding that she found great value in teaching this particular group of students. “It was important to scale our goals down,” she explained, “and to realize that tiny baby steps are enough.” 

In spite of the barriers they faced, the students were determined to learn to read and write in English.  Lovelace and Neu focused on using visuals, creating their own booklets with pictures and words.  Lovelace had particular success with a shopping lesson focused on food and clothes.  “They had fun and seemed to understand and relate to that topic,” he said.  Neu had a similar experience when teaching students about greetings such as hello and how are you.  She was happy to reach the stage where she “felt like there was true recognition.”

Progress was slow but steady, and both instructors believe that the experience was ultimately beneficial to the students.  Lovelace looks to the future for evidence of his students’ success – “I hope that one day they’ll be out in public, something will click and the light bulb will go off, I learned that!"

On Sept. 17th,  LCI instructor Kay Gude will continue the project, and she says she’s looking forward to this new teaching experience.  “I’m excited to work with the refugee students because I enjoy helping newcomers build their language foundation.”  

VTLCI Welcomes Fulbright Scholars This Summer

The VTLCI is hosting an intensive academic preparation program for 35 Fulbright scholars in July and August. In partnership with the Institute of International Education and the U.S. State Department, the VTLCI welcomes 35 Fulbright Scholars from all over the world in a program to help prepare them for graduate studies in the United States. Scholars will spend 3 weeks, beginning in July, on the Virginia Tech campus focusing on technology in the classroom, research skills and service learning. They will visit Smithfield and participate in lectures by Virginia Tech faculty.

If you have questions about programs at the VTLCI, contact Amanda Johnson, Assistant Director for Special Program at 1-9348 or majtwin@vt.edu.

NCR LCI Students at the National Portrait Gallery

Two students, Omamah Ashmeel and Abdualah Alreheli, from the Northern Virginia campus of the LCI describe their expriences at the portrait gallery in Washington, DC.

Field Trip to the National Portrait Gallery
By Omamah Ashmeel

I was very excited about the trip; I'm always excited when routine changes. I love art and museums and what was exciting the most is that we would have a tour guide because wandering in an art gallery without knowing the significant of each portrait is useless and with my knowledge and background, I would not even recognize the presidents. What I loved the most was the sculpture of Rosa Parks. This was a moving story of a brave woman who changed the future of the nation by refusing the inequality of that time. The sculpture itself is quite interesting it is made of wood showing her vulnerability yet her determination compared to the cops arresting her. They appear to be a bit flat in dimension while her portrait is more three dimensional. Her head is big while their heads are small and that might be an indication of will power and a bigger mind in her favor. An additional interesting aspect in the sculpture is the colors of her clothes. She is dressed in red, blue and white as if the artist wanted to emphasize that she's a patriotic and deserved her rights like any other American. Another artwork that I found very interesting was the JF Kennedy portrait. Unlike  other presidents' paintings, this one is abstract with vibrant colors and visible brush strokes. In the portrait kennedy's posture is unusual, he appears to be leaning forward as if he's about to stand; also he's dressed casually without his jacket on. Lastly, the Contemporary American Art section was fascinating with all different materials used from neon lights to wood.

National Portrait Gallery
By Abdualah Alreheli

Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute coordinated a trip to the National Portrait Gallery, allowing its students to acquire a new cultural experience which the school anticipated to be highly beneficial to them.  The management of the Institute was eager to find a qualified person to clarify to students the importance of the art. When the students arrived, they realized that the museum was dedicated to American history and were astonished with the culture they saw through each portrait. This novel experience for the students was partly due to the fact that typical museums are not always specific to a particular country. During the visit, the students were able to see a display showing a myriad of images of past United States presidents, along with many other pictures, which illustrated significant events that have occurred since the discovery of the States. A particularly impactful image was that of a black woman who was arrested because she refused to get off of a bus. Ultimately, the students were very pleased to have this unique and exciting opportunity, and they were also grateful to Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute’s management for always striving to assimilate foreign students into this great country.

Humphrey Fellows at VTLCI

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows at the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute

The Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute is currently hosting fifteen international Fulbright scholars who are participating in the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Long Term English Training Program. Fourteen countries are represented, including Brazil, Burma (Myanmar), Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Haiti, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Panama, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Africa, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. At the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute, the Fellows are working diligently to refine their academic language skills. Their curriculum includes content-based instruction on intercultural development, conflict resolution and leadership skills. In addition to their formal coursework at the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute, the Fellows have participated in volunteer activities in the Blacksburg community and in classes on the Virginia Tech campus.

In the community, the Fellows recently volunteered at Micah’s Backpack, preparing meals for students and families who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. The Fellows joined other volunteers who gather every Thursday evening at St. Michael Lutheran Church to help package meals for students.  Not only did the Fellows enjoy packing meals, but they also benefited from engaging in conversation with local volunteers dedicated to running Micah’s Backpack. 

 Humphrey Fellows volunteer at Micah’s Backpack

On campus, the Fellows participated in Professor Eric Kaufman’s course on Leadership in a Global Society. The Fellows interacted with students in a discussion on the personal and professional competencies required for effective leadership in a global, diverse and, multicultural society. The Fellows also participated in Professor Elizabeth Fine’s course on Multicultural Communication. Professor Fine’s students engaged with the Fellows on topics related to communication, including the process of exchanging meaningful information across cultural boundaries in a way that preserves mutual respect. 

At the end of the training program, the Fellows will move on to host universities, including American University, Arizona State University, Cornell University, Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan State University, Syracuse University, Tulane University, and the University of Minnesota.  At these locations, they will further their own research projects in diverse areas, including agriculture and rural development, environmental policy, HIV/AIDS policy and prevention, human rights, and journalism.  The Fellows will engage in professional networking activities and non-degree graduate level study in order to obtain expertise that will be applied and adapted in their respective countries.

The Fellows will be on the Virginia Tech main campus through August 2012. Invitations to visit classes, departments, businesses and government offices are welcome and should be directed to program director Robert (Bert) Wilson at rwwilson@vt.edu or 540-231-5730.