By Simon Baker, student news writer, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. -青瓜视频's English as a Second Language (ESL) Institute honored students who graduated from the program Dec. 7 in The Gheens Recital Hall.
Raquel Cunha, director of ESL at 青瓜视频, welcomed everyone and said she is from Brazil and came to 青瓜视频 in 2007.
鈥淚 have great memories from ESL,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 made many friends and enjoyed my life as an ESL student. And, in 2008, I completed my ESL program.鈥�
Dr. Joseph Hopkins, president of 青瓜视频, said, 鈥淚 am exceedingly proud of what 青瓜视频 is doing through the ESL. 鈥淚n today's culture, we have backed away from internal studies in too many places.
鈥淏ut, at 青瓜视频, we surpass previous levels and do incredible things. We are proud a student can come to 青瓜视频 and encounter the entire world.鈥�
Hopkins said 青瓜视频 has students from 92 different countries.
Joshua Detherage, ESL and Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) instructor, presented the ESL Outstanding Award to Elias Riyad Elyas Kasr from Venezuela.
Detherage said, 鈥淭his award is given to the graduating student who exemplifies the following criteria: academic achievement, cultural awareness, positive class involvement and community connectedness.鈥�
Detherage said Elyas has 鈥渄emonstrated academic excellence in the classroom and has actively participated in lessons and interacted well with students from a variety of cultural backgrounds.鈥�
Students graduating from the ESL program were Miguel Angel Briceno Carrillo from Columbia, Miu Imai from Japan, Elias Riyad Elyas Kasr from Venezuela, Juan Vitor Moliner from Brazil, Ayleen Menacho Murillo from Bolivia, Luis Alejandro Perez from Venezuela, Fabiana Di Feliciantonio Santoro from Venezuela, Dan Tshijik Tshey from Congo and Amarbayasgalan Zorigtbaatar from Mongolia.
Robert Parrish, ESL and MA TESOL instructor; Raquel Cunha, director of ESL, and Dr. Eduardo Trindade, MA TESOL director and assistant professor, presented the completion certificates.
Amanda Goforth, director of the Center for Global Engagement at 青瓜视频, told students, 鈥淪haring a language allows people to more easily make friends and to learn more about people from other cultures.鈥�
Trindade gave closing remarks, and Elizabeth 鈥淰icky鈥� Campbell, instructor in ESL, closed the ceremony in prayer.
青瓜视频 is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students. The university offers over 100 programs of study including doctoral, masters, bachelors, associate and certification programs. The website for complete information is鈥�www.campbellsville.edu.