Student posters unwrap 'The Ultimate Gift'

Donita Moore's Reading and Writing 450 class wrapped up the last term by creating posters highlighting aspects of the novel "The Ultimate Gift." Made into a 2007 film, the book centers on one man's quest for purpose and meaning in an empty life.

Students highlighted certain aspects of the story and then shared their thoughts with visitors at a poster session on May 15. A number of visitors said the presentations made them want to read the book and see the movie.

Khaled Almenhali (left) and Zijia Liu talk about their Work poster.

Xiji Hong talks about the film version of "The Ultimate Gift."

Amjad Alharbi, Musaed Almajed and professor Jonathan Dworin peruse the posters.

Adelina Miranda talks about the "gift of family."

Abdullah Alghamdi's poster focused on the "gift of money."

Ali Alneyadi and Linda Sanford

Sijie Pu

4 Virginia Tech students receive LCI-sponsored scholarships

Four students have been selected to receive scholarships from the Virginia Tech chapter of Phi Beta Delta, which this spring inducted 18 new members.

Sponsored by the Language and Culture Institute, the scholarships help underwrite the costs of undergraduate and graduate students’ study in other countries. The scholarships are designed to encourage trips to nontraditional destinations for programs that include language and cultural engagement components.

Read more about the scholarship winners and the new Phi Beta Delta inductees.

Amer Fayad, president of the Gamma Omega chapter of Phi Beta Delta, and Ian Leuschner, the chapter coordinator, induct new member Elsie Paredes, associate director of the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute.

Congratulations, future Virginia Tech students!

The following Language and Culture Institute students plan to matriculate at Virginia Tech this fall:

1. Chen, Yanxi
2. Feng, Zheng 
3. Guo, Fan
4. He, Ruolin
5. Hou, Jue
6. Jiang, Fengge
7. Li, Zihao
8. Lu, Shijun
9. Wang, Haoyu
10. Zhang, Xunan
11. Zheng, Wanwei
12. Zou, Qi
13. Duan, Shaowei
14. Han, Zhongting
15. Lan, Yi
16. Wu, Yutong

The following students have earned six credits at Virginia Tech (math and English) and will enroll in the Summer Academy as incoming freshmen:

1. Huang, Shasha 
2. Li, Boyang “The Elder”
3. Li, Boyang “The Younger”
4. Liu, Shuiqing “Leo”
5. Liu, Xudong
6. Wang, Dong
7. Zhou, Meiyun

Spring graduation photos

Student PowerPoint presentations earn honors

Students in Christina Massey's grammar class created PowerPoint presentations detailing some of the things they learned last term.

The presentations were evaluated by outside judges, and the top two earned extra credit and a spot on this blog.

"I have done some innovative (at least for me) activities this semester and really enjoyed them," one of the winners, Xiaodan "Sonia" Li, said in an email. "So please do not be afraid to try something new, and you will find you enjoy them!"

The other winner, Zhongting Han, said: "I really had much fun and learned a lot, such as listening, speaking, and social skills. The life in Blacksburg is not as boring as I thought before. I know there are lots of activities you can find in VT's calendar. Some of them you may be interested in!"

In the news: Language and Culture Institute welcomes international Humphrey Fellows

Guru Ghosh (right), Virginia Tech's vice president for outreach and international affairs, welcomes Humphrey Fellows Hamid Meziane (left) of Morocco and Boldkhuu Nanzad (center) of Mongolia before a university reception at The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center.

Boldkhuu Nanzad came to Virginia Tech from Mongolia to “improve my knowledge and gain experiences” to develop new ideas of thinking and working.

Deputy director of fuel policy management at the Mongolian Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, Nanzad is one of 12 midcareer professionals from around the world who are studying English at the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute as part of the prestigious Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program.

This is the sixth year the institute has hosted the program’s English training component. The Fellows are focusing not only on their English and academic skills, but also on learning about academic life in the United States, developing intercultural awareness and leadership skills, and adapting to American culture, says Susan Neu, who directs the program at Virginia Tech.

Read more at: www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2013/05/051513-outreach-humphrey.html
See more photos at: www.vtnews.vt.edu/photo-galleries/2013/050613-humphreys/humphrey-gallery.html

VT News spotlights 2 Phi Beta Delta scholarship winners

Two recent recipients of Phi Beta Delta scholarships have been profiled by Virginia Tech News for a series of stories about graduating students.

The Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute funds the scholarships for Phi Beta Delta undergraduate and graduate student members who will study abroad in credit-bearing programs with language and cultural engagement components.

Maggie Appel-Schumacher of Mackenbach, Germany, is a graduating senior with majors in German and international studies. She received a scholarship for summer 2012 for an internship with the German National  Association for Student Affairs in Munster, Germany. Click here to read more about her.

Victoria Heath of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is a graduating senior majoring in history and political science. She received a scholarship for summer 2012 for work with Lutheran World Federation on Refugee Issues in Kakuma, Kenya. Click here to read more about her.

More information on the Phi Beta Delta scholarships is available on the organization's website, www.oired.vt.edu/PhiBetaDelta.

Photos from the LCI spring picnic