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Greater Understanding Leading to Greater Opportunity

by Ella Dame, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences / Jun 27, 2024

College of Education at Illinois Ph.D. student Cong Wang

Programs help students succeed within a new language and culture.

Cong Wang taught English in China for six years before arriving at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. But when she arrived on campus, Wang knew that communicating isn’t just about proper spelling and grammar but also a grasp of the cultural nuances around the language. She still had a lot to learn about English to make the most of her time here as a student.

One of Wang’s personal philosophies, however, is that you learn things by doing them. So she joined the  Center for Writing Studies Writers Workshop as a mentor and began helping other students with things she did know, such as proper citations and how to write expositional essays. Along the way she began to learn more about the language and the culture in America—and helped others do the same.

She recalled, for example, when another student from China asked her if he should bring a gift when he met with his professors. She explained that while it’s more common in China, it’s unusual in American universities.

Wang’s story is just one of many that describe how, lesson by lesson, international students find a new home at the U. of I. In fall 2023, there were 11,580 international students at the U. of I. according to International Student and Scholar Services. Programs have been established in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to help these students adjust to speaking and communicating in a place miles away from home.

The Center for Writing Studies Writers Workshop, located in the Main Library, gives students support in their writing from peer mentors, presentations, and writing groups. Carolyn Wisniewski, director of the Writers Workshop, said that 50% of the students who visit the Workshop are international students. In fall of 2023, the Workshop’s 29 consultants handled 2,954 sessions.

“The University of Illinois, being such a globally drawing campus, we certainly see a number of international students,” Wisniewski said. “We work with those students in a variety of ways.”

The Writers Workshop hires consultants every year to assist students, faculty, and staff with their writing needs. Some of the consultants, such as Wang, a Curriculum and Instruction Ph.D. student in the College of Education, are international students who find that their perspective helps them engage with other international students who need help.

Read more about programs designed to help international students succeed...