By Steven Rashba, ARM, University of Bridgeport

I recently had the privilege of escorting 15 English Language Institute (ELI) students on a tour of the United Nations headquarters in New York. The students and I enjoyed the visit and learned a lot about their countries’ delegations and how they work together to promote international peace and harmony. Purely by chance, we also had the opportunity to say hello to António Guterres, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations.

When the visit to the UN ended, we made a quick visit to Bryant Park and then had a debriefing session about our visit. At first, my students spoke with pride about how they had seen their countries’ flags and learned about the activities of its delegation. They noted how interesting it was to see delegates from Saudi Arabia, China, Korea, Japan, Senegal, and other countries working cooperatively in a building housed in the largest city in the United States. These ELI students realized that while visiting the United Nations headquarters was a unique experience, in retrospect, it was not much different than a regular day of classes. The international cooperation we witnessed speaks to the culture we work to cultivate on UB’s campus, with students from all over the globe coming together to collaborate and learn.

In University of Bridgeport’s English Language Institute, students come from a myriad of different countries from all continents (with the exception of Australia and Antarctica). In the ELI program, they form long-lasting friendships quickly and work on class projects collaboratively. In fact, ELI graduates typically comment on how much they enjoy learning about other, seemingly different cultures from their new classmates and friends. In other words, ELI is a successful microcosm of the United Nations itself.

ELI classes focus on helping students strengthen their listening, speaking, and oral communication skills — some of the more popular discussion topics include wedding and marriage customs, traditional food and clothing, schooling and education, and music and entertainment. Yes, one can easily visit Google or Wikipedia to find some information on any topic, but it is much more fulfilling to learn about customs in other countries from our peers. Through these conversations and experiences, we realize that no matter how different things may seem on the surface, we have far more in common than we have differences.

The English Language Institute is an intensive English as a Second Language program at University of Bridgeport. UB’s ELI program students take coursework to strengthen their English reading, writing, and speaking skills. Students also participate in immersive experiences that help them grow the confidence they need to navigate their post-secondary education and beyond.

Steven Rashba, ARM, is the Director of Modern Languages and the English Language Institute and currently teaches Advanced ELI 140 (Research Writing for ESL Students). Rashba has been affiliated with UB for 24 years and is one of the world’s approximately 3.95 billion bilingual (or more) speakers. A dedicated runner and cyclist, Rashba and his students are active members of Greater Bridgeport Toastmasters and Toastmasters International.