Tell us about the path that led you to Clark. 

I always loved advertising. Kids don’t always know what they want to do, but I always wanted to go into it. After completing my bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing and working as a reporter for a year, I decided to pursue an advanced degree. The type of degree I was looking for is not available in my home country of India, so I set my sights on the U.S. and started researching different programs. When I came across Clark University, the campus, curriculum, and the career opportunities that would be available to me after graduation were what I expected and was looking for. I arrived at Clark in the Spring of 2022 to pursue a degree in Marketing Analytics. During my studies, I have been the most surprised to learn that I actually like programming! 

What has it been like to work at the International Center? 

I can’t believe how lucky I was to get an on-campus job in my field of study. It is exactly what I wanted. I love every part of it.

Do you have a favorite project from your time with us so far? 

One of my favorite projects is a video I created for the 3+1+1 program. I got to talk to the Deans and interview them on video—it was really cool and gives me total bragging rights! 

Aside from work and school, what are you passionate about? 

I love art and I am an artist. In India, I ran a small business selling paintings, sketches, and painted clothing. I also love to sing. 

What are your plans for after graduation? 

After Clark, I would first like to pursue a career in the marketing field. I also want to get a PhD in Global Marketing.

Thank you for your work, Tejal! We wish you the best in your future endeavors and will miss you when you graduate this May. 

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International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education, celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. Clark University draws students, faculty, and staff from around the world, and International Education week gives us the opportunity to come together and celebrate the value of international education at Clark.

International Education Week 2022 offered the community a variety of educational, community-building, and fun activities, including the launch of the International Student Affinity Space, lightning talks from international faculty, and a networking event with international alumni. On Thursday, November 17, a line of over 200 students, faculty, and staff waited at the entrance to Tilton Hall for the most popular—and by far the yummiest—culminating event of the week: Taste of the World, where international cuisine from eight local Worcester restaurants was served. We look forward to celebrating International Education Week again next year!

The post Clark Celebrates International Education Week appeared first on International Students and Scholars.

“While learning a new language, frozen expressions (a group of words standing in a fixed association) are really important,” Ercan Balci, Assistant Director of ALCI and the Program’s founder, said. Inspired by his love of languages and noticing a gap in the offering of this type of program at Clark, Balci decided to design a program where Clark students, faculty, and staff could benefit and learn new language skills. “Ideally, you would want to learn a language from a professional or a language teacher with a PhD, but sometimes learning from a native speaker is great because you can ask them questions like, ‘Oh how do you say that if I go to Russia? How can I greet people?’ So that’s how I got the idea, which is not new because so many other schools already do it…so we’re just modifying it for Clark,” said Balci.

The program offers a great learning and community-building experience to participants and allows partners to learn at their own pace and set their own schedules. Nikita Nur, a graduate student from Russia and CULEP participant looking to improve his English skills, appreciates that the program helps him to “feel more confident because I can share information about my culture and learn something new from my partner. I can use this exchange program not only for learning English, but also for my future activities and goals. My partner helps me prepare for mock interviews. We share suggestions, travel about campus, eat at a few locations, and then talk about it and describe them in Russian.”

If you are interested in learning a new language or improving your skills in a specific language, CULEP is open to all members of the Clark community and is accepting participants on a rolling basis. To learn more about the program and how to join, visit the Language Exchange Program website.

The post The American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI) Introduces the Language Exchange Program for Fall 2022 appeared first on International Students and Scholars.

A little about Ercan

Ercan is the Assistant Director of the American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI). Ercan oversees the ALCI curriculum and manages ALCI programs abroad. Ercan studied languages at the BA, MA, and PhD levels in Istanbul, Turkey, his country of origin. An international soul, Ercan relishes discovering and interacting with the rich tapestry of cultures and languages that make up our world. Ercan has traveled the breadth of Europe and the Americas.

What brought Ercan to the International Center?

Ercan has always eagerly facilitated student language acquisition and study. Previously to his work at the International Center, Ercan worked at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champain as well as serving as the director of Brown University’s Center for Language Studies. At Clark, Ercan continues help students acquire language skills critical to both academics and global understanding.

How has Ercan served the global Community?

In every one of his professional roles, Ercan has strived to encourage trans-institutional international collaboration, increase the visibility and diversity of languages and cultures on campus, and strengthen language teaching programs. Ercan is a global citizen who serves students where ever he goes.

A little about Justin

Justin is an enthusiastic language learner and the Assistant Director of the American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI). He runs the campus-based English for Academic Success and Pathway programs. Studying internationally can be both monumentally difficult and rewarding, and it is international students’ desire to challenge themselves and experience new cultures and environments that draws Justin to working with international aspiring scholars. In addition to being an excellent teacher and language learner, Justin is a guitar virtuoso performing as part of a Connecticut-based band at local bars, eateries, and breweries.

What brought Justin to the American Language and Culture Institute?

Justin has long been interested in language and cultural exchange. During his undergraduate studies, he earned a degree in German Poetry, Literature, and Language from Hunter University. He has studied at the University of Paedagogische Hochschule, where he supported staff at his host university and tutored fellow students in English. Justin has a Master’s degree in linguistics from Newcastle University. Justin is TEFL certified, and has taught abroad at Kindai University in Osaka, Japan and as an ESL instructor at Mt St. Vincent in New York.

How has Justin served the global Community?

Justin is polyglot, speaking with varying degrees of proficiency in English, German, Russian, Japanese, and Icelandic. Justin knows firsthand the wonders and frustrations of learning new languages. As an ESL teacher and a German instructor, he has helped expand world views and build bridges in ways only language acquisition can facilitate. Justin continues to help students reach their goals and communicate across languages in his new role at ALCI.

A little about Hadley

Hadley is the International Center Program Coordinator. A Clark alumna, Hadley has returned to the university to serve the international student community. At the International Center, she builds the programming that helps bind and build the invaluable international student community that makes the Clark experience so unique.

What Brought Hadley to the International Center at Clark University?

Hadley has been interested in international education for years. During high school, she traveled and taught in Zambia and Mexico, and attended a language immersion program in Spain. These early experiences gave her an understanding of the importance of international education. During her undergrad tenure at Clark, Hadley studied sociology and economics both at Clark and abroad in Stirling, Scotland. Upon graduating, she continued her studies at Clark receiving a masters in professional communications. Hadley went on to work in education administration at other educational institutions before returning to Central Mass and to Clark as a staff member.

How has Hadley served the global community?

Hadley has returned to Clark to pursue her passion for promoting international education. She is an incredible resource and team member, having experienced firsthand the wonders and struggles of studying in a new country. International education gives both international and domestic students a global perspective and opens them to new ideas, and Hadley is invaluable in making this possible for students at Clark.

A little about Winnie

Winnie is the International Students and Scholars Office Compliance and Support Coordinator. Winnie has had a life-long passion for language and culture. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Russian Area Studies from Central Connecticut State College as well as TESOL/TESL/TEFL teacher training certification received through Oxford seminars.

What brought Winnie to the International Students and Scholars Office?

A traveler herself, Winnie spent time in Taiwan after college realizing upon her arrival she spoke little Chinese, couldn’t use chopsticks, and frequently rode public transit with only a loose understanding of her destination. Since her post college adventures in Taiwan, Winne has traveled far and wide.

How has Winnie served the global community?

Before joining our team at Clark, Winnie worked in social services for twenty years serving refugees and immigrants from around the world. During this time, she provided invaluable education in both English as a Second Language and Citizenship. Additionally, Winnie worked for a program that served unaccompanied migrant and refugee children. During her travels, Winnie benefited immensely from the kindness of people in the host countries she was visiting, and has sought to pay back that kindness by helping travelers, students, refugees, and new Americans in the U.S. by providing the resources that they need. Winnie has hosted exchange visitors from regions as far flung as Guatemala, Japan, France, Sweden, Sierra Leon, the Netherlands, and Russia. Winne serves the International Students and Scholars Office with gusto and compassion and is a tremendous asset to Clark University.

The post Meet the Newest Staff Members at the International Center! appeared first on International Students and Scholars.

Being a first-year, I’m uninformed most of the time about what special events Clark has every year, especially now because a lot of them, like Gala, haven’t been done in some years. I’m part of the Salsa Club at Clark—which represents Cuba at Gala—and they were the ones that introduced me to Gala. I’m from Colombia and dance has always been part of my culture, so I jumped at the opportunity to not only perform but also choreograph for the Cuba dance with one of my teammates.

Gala was an intense experience, mainly because there is a lot of effort put into it. I signed up for three dances: Colombia, my home; Puerto Rico, some of my friends are from here; and Cuba, because I’m on the Salsa Team. Being in one dance is very time-consuming, so when I took on three my plate was full. We had late-night rehearsals almost every day—including weekends—for close to two months. We had to learn the dance and run it for what felt like a million times to perfect it. Even though it was hard, the last week was the most excruciating. We call that last week “Hell Week” because we have to run around from rehearsal to rehearsal and dance from 7:00 p.m. to midnight every day.

Everything paid off in the end, though, because the performance was amazing and everyone enjoyed Gala. Before getting on stage and hearing the audience cheer, I felt a crazy amount of nerves and adrenaline that I would love to feel every year from now until I graduate from Clark. Being part of Gala was an experience that made me feel close to home and helped me to meet new people that I now call my friends. It was also incredible to see how invested everyone was in making Gala unforgettable for everyone who was part of it: the International Students Association, the performers, the choreographers, and the audience. Being a part of activities like Gala makes me see how much Clark cares for its international students and how united our community can be. I look forward to participating in Gala again, and maybe even choreographing for Colombia next year!

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