Campbellsville University TESOL and ESL ceremonies held Dec. 10

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• Amanda Massey Wiles of Science Hill, Ky. received her MATESOL degree in winter commencement exercises at Campbellsville University Dec. 12. Dr. Jihyun Nam, introduced her in the hooding ceremony.

CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY (12/17/2014)(readMedia)-- Campbellsville University's international education areas, the Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, held hooding and completion ceremonies last week at both the CU Louisville Center and on the main campus.

Dr. H. Keith Spears, vice president for graduate and professional studies, shared greetings from ten languages and challenged the students to use their new language skills for developing positive relationships. He related a story of a taxi driver in Beijing, China, who spoke excellent English, learning the language so that he could make new friends with visitors to his country.

"Like that taxi driver," Spears told the newly credentialed students, "you now have more than one language to build common ground with others. Use your new language to create bonds of friendship." He told the students it is not the skill of the language, but what you do with this skill that is so important; how they use it to communicate will be the determining factor of their success with English.

Dr. Jihyun Nam, assistant professor of linguistics, announced the MATESOL degree completion of Amanda Massey Wiles, Science Hill, Ky. He and Dr. Frank Cheatham, senior vice president for academic affairs, placed the hood around her shoulders. Nam said of Wiles, "She is the only one of my students to have received A grades in all TESOL courses. She and her two sisters are all graduates of CU." He acknowledged Amanda's mother in the audience, Pat Massey of Science Hill, Ky.

Campbellsville University's ESL program teaches English to non-native speakers of English, and prepares them for full-time study at Campbellsville University. Eight students were recognized in the completion ceremony.

Edwina Rowell, ESL instructor, introduced Julio Jesus Rodriguez Alcantara, the outstanding ESL student who "most fully embraced English and American culture."

The mission of the English as a Second Language Institute (ESLI) is that of teaching English to nonnative speakers of English. In this capacity, the ESLI aims primarily to equip students admitted to the undergraduate and graduate programs of Campbellsville University with the English skills necessary to function successfully within their chosen programs of study.

Photos of the event are on the CU Flicker gallery at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/campbellsvilleedu/sets/72157649693204911.

For more information on the English as a Second Language program at Campbellsville University, contact Andrea Giordano at acgiordano@campbellsville.edu or visit the website: campbellsville.edu/esl.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.

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CUTLINE FOR ATTACHED GROUP PHOTO:

Ceremonies were held last week at Campbellsville University to honor students completing the English as a Second Languiage (ESL) program. Faculty with their ESL students include: back row from left -- Crissi Oldham, Edwina Rowell, Ana Almeida, Maria Amaya, Travis Kennon, Maryann Matheny, Jose Jimenez, Erick Carrion, Erick Requena, Andrea Giordano, Jose Landaeta, David Torres, Junjie Piao, Matt Jones, Julio Rodriguez, Jurgita Andrikyte, Ryutaro Konaka, Vicky Campbell, Risa Ozeki and Monica Rodriguez. Front Row -- Adriam Moleo, Antonio Corona, Antonio Archila, Ayumi Nakagaki, Xuesong Li, Yeji Lee, Valeria Cedeno and Yaming Zhu. (Campbellsville University Photo by Linda Waggener)