Statement of Purpose

---

The mission of the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program is to facilitate communication within the increasingly diverse population in Rockbridge County.

Although ESOL has focused on the Latina/o community, the program works with speakers of all languages. We offer formal ESOL classes and one-on-one tutoring arrangements, Spanish classes for adults, free translation of documents (Spanish-English/English-Spanish), and a hotline to provide immediate interpreting services.

ESOL e-mail address: esol@wlu.edu

Chairs: Andrea Hidalgo ’09 and Lauren Santabar ‘09

Education: English (Teaching and Tutoring) chairs: Marcus Newsome ‘11 and Elizabeth Polanco ‘09

Education: Spanish (Teaching) chairs: Becca Beeson ‘10, Estefanía McPhaul’09, and Gaby Zamora ‘09

Translations chairs: Hansen Babington '09, Vance Berry '09, and Kelsey Wright '10

Hotline chairs: Natalie Bunnell '10, Judith Soria '10, and Guadalupe Suárez'09

Publicity chairs: Becky Bratu '09, and Alisha Laventure '09

Development and Grants chair: Lynn Bazzel ‘09 and Susan Mahoney '09

Faculty adviser: Ellen Mayock

Announcements

• WVTF piece on the ESOL Hotline (April, 2009)
• W&L web piece on the ESOL Hotline (Apri. 2009)
• Check out the ESOL-Dominican Republic webpage!

• NYT article: Diversity in the Classroom (2009)

• Check out the MLA language map to see who's speaking what and where (posted June, 2004)!

• Sign up to be an ESOL volunteer by writing to esol@wlu.edu !

Latest News

• ESOL LAUNCHES ALTERNATIVE FEB BREAK IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC! 19 ESOL students, along with Professor Barnett, Coach Hathorn, and Professor Mayock, will embark upon a one-week service trip to the San Diego Padres’ baseball academy in Najayo (Dominican Republic) for the week of February break (February 14-21), 2009.

• (March 19, 2008) Tal McIver, Chair of ESOL, is honored in the community service category of the Celebrating Student Success Awards! 6:30 p.m., Lee Chapel.
• (March 13, 2008) ESOL is awarded a Verizon Community Initiative Grant.
• (April 27, 2007) ESOL sponsors a workshop for ACS and VA institutions. The ESOL Workshop is designed to provide information on how to start ESOL organizations at other schools. PowerPoint presentation is linked here.
• (March 21, 2007) Stephanie Dodson, ESOL Chair, wins the ESOL Service Recognition Award at the Celebrating Student Success Awards Banquet.
• (March 21-24, 2007) ESOL Committee Chairs Andrea Hidalgo and Eli Polanco attend the TESOL Conference in Seattle.
• (March 2, 2007) ESOL Student Committee Chairs Cynthia Cheatham, Stephanie Dodson, Emily Sberna, and Michael Viviano do a panel presentation at Science, Society, and the Arts, W&L's undergraduate research conference.
• (December 5, 2006) ESOL has been awarded an ACS Diversity Mini Grant! See details on the Grants page.
• The Celebrating Student Success Committee has chosen ESOL to be recognized for its outstanding service work for November, 2005! Great job, chairs and volunteers!

Website maintained by Ellen Mayock.

Last updated 4/26/09.