Calvin to Host 28 Asian Students

June 30, 2006 == MEDIA ADVISORY

This summer, for the second straight year, Calvin College will host a
contingent of Asian students who are eager to improve their mastery of the
English language and to get a little dose of American culture.

From July 5 to August 4 the college's English Study Program will host 28
students, including 27 from Korea and one from China.

The students will live and study on the Calvin campus for a month and enjoy
the program's cultural events, including weekend visits to Chicago and to
Mackinaw Island, bowling, movies, the Frederick Meijer Botanical Gardens and a
visit to a West Michigan Whitecaps game! The students are also hosted by
families from the Calvin community for dinners and weekend stays and worship at
Grand Rapids churches.

But while the off-campus outings are both fun and valuable, it's what happens
in the classroom that makes the program significant. The program's central
focus is on improving the students' competence in speaking English.

"The students make it all worthwhile," says Lisa Bauman, director of the
English Study Program. "Last year was hectic, but it's all worth it because of
the students. They really want to be here, work hard and take advantage of as
many opportunities as they can."

The program provides classes in both English speech and advanced English
communication.

A new feature of the program this year is a Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) preparation course. The course will train the students to take
the TOEFL test, a requirement of for a non-native applicant at an American or
English-speaking college or university.

The program ends with a celebratory dinner, hosted by Calvin president Gaylen
Byker and his wife, Susan. It's both a nice opportunity for the students to
meet the president, Bauman says, and a fitting end to the program.

"Basically the whole start of this came from President Byker wanting to get
Calvin in the global education community," she says.

Contact Bauman at lcb2@calvin.edu or 616-942-0025
For the full story see
http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2005_06/english_study.htm

-end-
Received on Thu, 29 Jun 2006 09:43:02 -0400