The University of North Texas’s Intensive English Language Institute is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
On Nov. 13 (Monday), the institute will host IELI Day with current students and IELI alumni in Marquis Hall.
“I’ve found IELI to be something special because of the high caliber of its dedicated faculty and staff and it’s rigorous, standardized curriculum,” said Donna Obenda, academic and special programs coordinator of IELI.
The Intensive English Language Institute at UNT is the longest-standing program of its kind in North Texas and one of the most prestigious programs for learning academic English in the United States. In addition to teaching academic English at UNT, IELI has partnered with an on-campus program at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan and regularly welcomes high school and college students to UNT during the summer months for an American culture and communications program. IELI is also responsible for the testing and training of UNT’s international teaching assistants.
IELI students contribute tremendously to the diverse landscape at UNT. Last year alone, IELI students represented more than 30 countries. There are currently more than 550 IELI graduates enrolled in UNT degree programs. One such student, Milena Johnson, is a Spanish major and French minor, studying to become an official translator.
“I came here [to IELI] and the whole world was in front of me,” Johnson said.
Ahmad Ramin was a student at UNT’s Intensive English Language Institute one year after the Institute’s launch in 1978. His daughter, Lilly Ramin, currently the Instructional Technologies Librarian at UNT said, “He loved the program. The style of teaching really impressed him.”
Lily Ramin’s family emigrated from Iran two years after her father studied at IELI. She joined UNT Libraries shortly after attaining her master’s. Now, she engages with the same vibrant community her father experienced four decades ago.
Since IELI’s inception, more than 15,000 students have completed the intensive English language program here at UNT. Thousands of students continued on to graduate with UNT degrees.
“IELI’s mission is to provide the highest quality English language instruction and services for international students who want to pursue degrees at UNT,” said Carol Ogden, interim director of the Intensive English Language Institute. “We are passionate about our work because international students add value to the educational experience of American students. IELI is proud to play a small role in promoting global understanding and fostering personal and professional relationships at UNT.”