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ILI

The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) promotes intercultural understanding and diverse communities by providing high-quality language instruction and teacher training.

You are here: Home / News / Voices of the Valley

October 18, 2017

Voices of the Valley

Voices of the Valley

ILI in the news! Caroline Gear, ILI’s executive director, speaks with MassLive about the important role ILI plays in the Pioneer Valley.

By Janice Beetle

Caroline Gear, executive director, International Language Institute of Massachusetts, 25 New South St., Northampton

Years in business:  33

What do you offer and to whom?  The International Language Institute’s creative, practical world language classes are open to all in the Pioneer Valley. Our on-site classes for businesses help enhance employee English and Spanish skills to the benefit of the employees, business owners and customers. Our intensive English classes for international students improve their English skills and help many to matriculate into our college/university partner schools. ILI courses that train U.S. and international students in teaching English to speakers of other languages send certified teachers across the country and around the globe. And our free English evening classes for immigrants and refugees, coupled with our trained volunteer tutors, help these students gain the language skills needed to improve their lives and give back to their communities.

Why? What motivates you? Our talented, innovative teachers are dedicated to our mission, which centers on excellent teaching and support of multi-cultural communities that nurture diversity. I go to work every day, knowing I will meet new students with hope in their eyes. I see students such as the one in Italian class about to embark on a three-week trip to her grandparents’ former neighborhood outside Milan; or a student who is an immigrant who just completed a successful job interview and looks forward to contributing to a new workplace.

What sets you apart? The outstanding marks we receive from students, community supporters, business and university/college partners, and international accreditation institutions. All express their appreciation and high ratings on a regular basis, and that keeps us on the right path.

What mark do you hope to make on your community? Our goal is to continue as a positive influence in the Pioneer Valley and an impetus for learning and stronger, diverse communities. We believe that greater cultural understanding and acceptance can only strengthen what our country stands for and has been able to achieve.

Voices of the Valley is compiled by Janice Beetle of Beetle Press in Easthampton, a PR and communications firm. www.beetlepress.com. To suggest a subject for this feature, email Beetle at janice@beetlepress.com. 

Read the full article here.

 

Article by ILI Staff / News

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Students in ILI’s Intensive English Program visi Students in ILI’s Intensive English Program visited the Northampton Police station yesterday. Students asked Officer Lauren Bolduc questions about topics from animal control to traffic to violent crime to the job of a cop. The tour took us to every corner of the station from the detention center to the evidence room to Chief Jody D. Kasper in her office. Thanks NPD for an unforgettable experience. ⭐️

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #northamptonpd @northamptonmapd #studentlife #iep #intensiveenglishprogram #english #languagelearning #community #ialc #ialcschools
Congratulations to new U.S. citizen Ayça! ✨ Ori Congratulations to new U.S. citizen Ayça! ✨ Originally from Turkey, Ayça studied with us in 2016 and then received a Master’s in Communications and Information Management at @bay_path (ILI university pathway partner). Now she is Director of Marketing and Communications at the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #congratulations #studentlife #congratulations #citizenship #northampton
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” “Music is the universal language of mankind.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

ILI English and French instructor, Josh Owsley is also a musician! He will be playing bass with @landownerband tonight at @thedrakeamherst . 🎶Hope to see you there!

📸Photo by @vagabundodeltiempo 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #landowner #livemusic #teacherfeature #thedrakeamherst  #community
Congratulations 🎉 to our graduates  Jeffrey ( Congratulations 🎉 to our graduates  Jeffrey (Peru), Azhar (Kazakhstan), Ruveyda (Turkey), Andrei (Russia) and Yasemin (Turkey). Every month we have an international potluck to celebrate our graduates. You might have seen Azhar’s cakes before, but the cake that she made, as you will say, is truly over the top! We are sad to say goodbye to the students, but excited about the next steps that they will be taking in their lives.

Cake by @_azhar_bakery 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #studentlife #azharbakery #potluck #education #internationalstudents #ialc #ialclanguages
“We must risk everything for the raw recipe of o “We must risk everything for the raw recipe of our passion” 

We had such an engaging afternoon at @parlorroommusic with ILI Board Member + former president of @gccgreenfield Bob Pura. Bob led a reading and discussion of his new book The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, which he co-wrote with Dr. Tara L. Parker. Audience members also got the chance to learn more about the process behind the creation of the book. 

Thank you for joining us! 📚

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #bobpura #authorevent #reading #discussion #communitycollege #thecommunityscollege #northampton
Today Bob Pura and Tara Parker read from and lead Today Bob Pura and Tara Parker read from and lead a discussion of their book The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success! 📚 Join us at @parlorroommusic at 2pm. 

In their book, The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, co-authors Dr. Robert L. Pura and Dr. Tara L. Parker explore the extraordinary impact of this country’s community colleges on people, communities, and our democratic traditions.

As the book’s foreword by Lynn Pasquerella, President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, states: "[T]he analysis offered by Dr. Pura and Dr. Parker unveils how community colleges—distinctively American institutions—are more essential than ever to fulfilling our nation's historic mission of educating for democracy."

Pura, a member of the ILI board of directors, retired in 2018 as president of Greenfield Community College after 17+ years in that position. Parker is the recently appointed Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at UMass Boston.
 
#thecommunityscollege #authorevent #ili #bobpura #taraparker #theparlorroom #northampton #community
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