Meet Rokaia M.: Local Resident, Originally from Iraq

University of Southern Maine (USM)

Students at work in a USM science lab.

English Language Bridge Program (ELB), completed, Spring 2015 

Q: When were you part of the ELB program (English Language Bridge) program at USM?  Where did you attend high school before coming to USM?    

Rokaia: I graduated from Portland High School in 2014 and began the ELB program at USM in the fall that same year. 

 Q: What is one of the biggest differences between classes in college and classes in your high school? 
Rokaia: One of the biggest differences is students' interaction; in college, every student needs to be part of the discussion, and their thoughts and ideas will need to be shared so much more often than in any previous school year.

 Q: What are some resources (outside of class) at USM that you have found most helpful?
 Rokaia: For me, the most helpful USM resources are the tutors in the library and my adviser who helps me in choosing my classes and by following my progress throughout my academic year.  

Q: What is one study tip that you can offer new students to help them be successful in their classes?
Rokaia: To be successful, new students should do their homework assignments on time and not at the last minute because homework will accumulate fast if one's time is not organized.

Q: What has been your favorite class within the ELB program? Why? How did it help you reach your goals? 
Rokaia: My favorite and most useful class was the ESL100 College Writing. In that class, we learned and practiced the writing process step by step. In addition, this class assigned us the right amount of writing, which prepared me for the higher-level courses that I took later. 

Q: What has been your favorite non-ELB class at USM (so far)? Why?

Rokaia: The Literature and Medicine class has been my favorite so far because of the various medical-related topics that we discussed, and the many significant subjects that I learned about and opened my mind to.

Q: What has been the most challenging part of being a college student?

Rokaia: For me, the most challenging thing has been speaking up and sharing my thoughts, which most of the classes require in order to succeed.

A view into a busy USM science laboratory.

Q: What are you studying now? 
Rokaia: Now, I am majoring in Human Biology at USM.

  

Q: What kind of work do you hope to do in the future? 

Rokaia: I am looking forward to becoming a dentist in the future.

Q: What is your favorite American word or phrase?

Rokaia: I like the phrase: "Do your best.".

Meet Khen N.: Vietnam

University of Southern Maine (USM)

Intensive English Language Program (IELP), Fall 2015



Khen N., right, with classmate
and friend Tho M.

Q: What surprised you the most when you first began attending classes in the Intensive English Language Program at USM?
Khen: The thing that made me surprised most is class size here. (They are small compared to some other schools.)

Q: What is one of the biggest differences between classes in a US college and classes in your home country?

Khen: It is not hard to find some differences between a US college and classes and those in my home country- such as class size and learning and teaching style. However, the largest difference, for me, is about the way teachers give a lecture and the way students learn. While US students learn in an active way, their partners in Viet Nam experience passive learning. Also, learning in the US focuses on practice, but Vietnamese one focuses more on theory.

 

Q: What did you think about living and studying in Portland, Maine?

Khen: In my heart, Portland is a very beautiful city with fresh air and a peaceful pace. It is a good place for keeping healthy and focusing on studying.

 

 Q: What is one important study tip that you can offer new students to help them be successful in their classes?

Khen: I think that a goal is the most important thing that every student needs to determine because it will help them know what they are doing and keep them moving forward.

And one more thing: when a student takes a class, he or she must be involved in that class. This will be very helpful for their studying. For example, when I was in grammar class, instead of just sitting and hearing my teacher, I joined in these activities (such as discussing and doing homework in groups) and asked my teacher to give an explanation for what I didn’t understand. All of these things helped me improve my grammar a lot. Consequently, I had successful results for grammar.

 

 Q: What was your favorite activity in your Intensive English Language classes here at USM?

Khen: I loved the outdoor activities like apple picking ( http://www.libbysonupicks.com/) and joining in the Husky Fest. (https://usm.maine.edu/tourism/husky-harvest)

 

 Q: What was your favorite class in the Intensive English Language Program? Why?

Khen: One of my favorite classes that I had taken when I studied at USM was the speaking class. I really liked it because it gave me not only time to practice my English speaking, but it also gave me a chance to make friends.

 

 Q: What is one challenge that you overcame successfully while you were a student in the IELP program at USM?

Khen: The difference of language, I think, always is the largest challenge for students like me, and this leads to shyness and fear of communicating. However, I feel lucky to have been a student in the IELP program at USM because it helped me overcome this barrier.

 

 Q: What are you doing now that you have completed your IELP studies at USM?

Khen: Now I’m living in Michigan. I feel grateful for what I studied when I was at

USM. My English skills are better, and thanks to that, I was accepted to a college here.

Khen N. with program classmate and program
instructors and staff

 

    Q: What kind of work do you hope to do in the future?

     Khen: I love caring for and helping others, so I think a job in nursing or social work suits me.

 

     Q: What is your favorite American word or phrase?

     Khen: I like these words: “Never give up and try hard.”

 

 

 

Welcome!

We love our students in the ESOL program at USM, and we think that they are truly amazing. We are sure that you will, too!

We invite you to follow us for regular features on students who have attended both our Intensive English Language Program (IELP) and English Language Bridge (ELB) Program (USM undergraduate degree students).
 
Learn more about them and their experiences in our program and at USM; Most importantly, find out how they succeeded and what their challenges and surprises were.
 
-Thank you for reading!
 
Andrea Vasquez, Program Director, ESOL
University of Southern Maine