Meet Our Students
Japan
Akira Iwamoto
"The IEI experience has helped me tremendously in what I am doing in graduate school now."
Attending the language program at the University of Illinois Intensive English Institute helped me to improve not only my English skills but also my knowledge of the American academic culture and campus life. The IEI academic listening and speaking and pronunciation classes helped me a lot in the discussion classes I have later had in the graduate school. I could learn the academic American English communication styles that I could use. Although writing styles vary from one academic field of study to another, what I learned in the IEI academic reading and writing courses can be applied to any field. Besides, the academic reading and writing teacher cared about the academic area each student came from. I also was given the chance to take a special class at the University of Illinois, given in collaboration with the Intensive English Institute. This was my first course experience at an American university, and getting an A grade in that course helped me gain self-confidence. One of the services offered by the IEI is the Conversation Partners program. University of Illinois students volunteer to become conversation partners with IEI students. They get together and discuss various campus daily life topics. This way many students built good friendships with American students. My conversation partner is now a very nice friend of mine. I keep in touch with him, and we go out together and share many university experiences. The IEI experience has helped me tremendously in what I am doing in graduate school now. I really appreciate it and I am proud that I could attend the IEI!
Yumi Obata
"Urbana-Champaign is a clean, safe and beautiful city."
There are too many reasons why I liked the IEI to write in a paragraph, so let me pick some of them. I liked the IEI very much because of its excellent curriculum. What I learned in classes was practical and useful for my work in Japan as well as for academic preparation. The teachers in the IEI are professional, kind and friendly. I spent a lot of time with my teacher chatting after classes.
I also enjoyed the environment of the IEI and U of I. IEI students can use facilities at the U of I such as libraries and IMPE (athletic gym). I went to IMPE to swim in the summer and the Ice Arena to skate in the winter with my classmates. There is "Convo Table" twice a week after class and I could meet a lot of the IEI students from different classes, teachers and American students. It was really a good opportunity to make friends. There are many more fun activities in the IEI.
Urbana-Champaign, the city where the IEI is located, is a clean, safe and beautiful city. It is not very big but has got enough entertainment places such as movie theaters and shopping malls. I often spent my time walking around campus to enjoy the beautiful scenery. I especially like the fall season. It's really amazing! This is too short for me to express my feelings for the IEI, but I hope this helps you to understand why I enjoyed the IEI.
Kumoko Suzuki
"I learned many ways how to communicate with foreigners, which I had never learned in my school days in Japan."
On the first day I joined the English program at the IEI, I could hardly communicate with class mates and even do shopping. But on the last day I left the IEI, I was surrounded with classmates and I was talking and laughing with them. At the IEI, I learned many ways how to communicate with foreigners, which I had never learned in my school days in Japan. I got these ways very easily and with fun because all teachers were specialists in teaching English. I had many friends from all over the world with same ambitious goals, who could use their improved English skills to make a difference in their lives. Thanks to the IEI, I became able to do many things such as making travel reservations, shopping, and attending the university classes in English by myself. And I enjoyed traveling to many places, including Mexico and Canada, and having conversations with locals in English. I strongly recommend you to come to UIUC at Champaign-Urbana and experience the IEI language classes!