WINNIPEG, MB – They come from different parts of the world, but two students graduating tomorrow, Friday, April 20, 2012 have some things in common: Alvaro Sanz from Madrid, Spain and Ahmed Mohammed Rashwan from Al Madinha, Saudi Arabia will bring newly acquired English language skills from The University of Winnipeg with them into the world, along with some good memories.
ELP Student Ahmed Mohammed Rashwan
For Rashwan, his favorite thing in Winnipeg is “the Golden Boy. And making new friends from different countries and improving my English.”
The ELP program saw a jump of 18.9% from 2011-2012 compared to 2010-2011. Students graduating tomorrow come from Spain, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Korea, Mali, India, China, Japan, Libya, Pakistan, Vietnam, Colombia, and Argentina as well as Canada. A total of 1,101 students enrolled in ELP programs this past year, compared to 926 last year. Just under half
(520 students) arrive on student visas from all over the world. The others (581) students are Canadian-born and landed immigrants. A quickly growing program is the Teaching English as a Second Language certificate which this year more than tripled with 162 students enrolled.
Many ELP students go on to study degree programs as international students at UWinnipeg after completing the highest their Academic Level 5. UWinnipeg’s Global Welcome Centre and English for Specific Purposes program serves more than 400 students, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments, offering numerous free supports to immigrants and refugees with language barriers including computer classes, mentoring and tutoring.
UWinnipeg announced the appointment of Nigel Dixon as Executive Director of the University’s English Language Program (ELP) last week. Dixon began working in ELP as an instructor in June, 2008; since November 2011, he has been the Acting Executive Director of ELP. Winner of the Gold Medal in Religious Studies at UWinnipeg in 2002, Dixon also holds a Master’s degree in Religion (University of Manitoba 2009), and held a Shastri Institute Language Training Fellowship in India
ELP Students Alvaro Sanz (top) and Ahmed Mohammed Rashwan
(2004-05).
More than 70 students are expected to attend the ELP graduation ceremony tomorrow at 10 am in Convocation Hall. Find out more about ELP at UWinnipeg.
– 30 –
MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
