Campus tour sparks English-learning students’ dreams of higher ed


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English Language Learning (ELL) students from South Miami High School toured FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus recently as part of a partnership between the College of Education and Miami-Dade Public Schools to help motivate students who are recent arrivals to the United States pursue higher education.

On a cool South Florida winter morning almost 30 Miami-Dade high school students wandered through FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus taking it all in.

From the busy Graham Center to the Sky Lounge at Deuxieme Maison and to the College of Education courtyard, these South Miami High School students – all fairly recent arrivals to the United States – saw first hand the places where they could get the training to become lawyers, doctors or educators.

But the Cuban and Colombian-born students all face one common hurdle to get here: perfecting their understanding of the English language in order to score well on college entrance exams.

“They are at different levels of proficiency in the language, yet they are all college-bound kids,” said South Miami ESOL department chair Alejandro Benedi, who accompanied his students on the tour of FIU. “This is a good opportunity for them to explore their future. FIU is our local university and most of these kids are going to end up here because they think they will be served better.”

Between November and December, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and College of Education collaboration welcomed almost 300 English Language Learning (ELL) students to FIU to help provide additional inspiration for them to do well in school. In January, another 200 students are expected to tour campus.

For some students, the campus tour provided the spark that got them thinking of where they will want to pursue higher education.

“This is my first time on a college campus,” said Vaicel Mesa, 15, who plans to become a doctor. “I felt interested. I felt like I belong here.”

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Students gazed up at the art hanging in the Deuxieme Maison Sky Lounge.

What made an impression on 15-year-old Keila Pino was the diversity of FIU students.

“I love to learn about other cultures and other languages,” she said. “I love the university for being international.”

Before returning to school, College of Education faculty met with the students and provided them with guidance on what they should consider before applying to different universities.

“While you are in high school, think about what you can do to get ready for college. Work on your language skills and take advanced placement or dual enrollment courses,” said visiting clinical associate professor Sharon M. López, a former Miami-Dade County Public School principal.

“You should also look at the full picture of what a university has to offer. Academics are just one piece of the puzzle. Do you like the city? Do you feel safe? Do you like the dorms? Can you live there for four years?”

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