• Home
  • Programs
    • Learn English!
      • Intensive English Program
      • Free English Program
        • Drop-In Free English
    • TESOL Certificate Online
    • World Language Classes Online or On-Campus
    • Language Travel
    • Private and Semi-Private Tutorials
    • IEP University Pathways
    • Workplace Training
    • Spanish for Healthcare Professionals
    • Host a Student
      • Procedure for Becoming a Host
    • Program Registrations
  • About ILI
    • ILI’s Mission
    • ILI Staff
    • ILI Board of Directors
    • Join our Team
    • Northampton
    • ILI Support and Accreditations
    • ILI Learning Resources
    • Privacy Policy
  • News
  • Partners
    • Educational Partner Resources
  • Volunteer
  • Contact
    • Directions to ILI
  • Donate!

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 / ILI alum and Board member, Aimee F. Salmon, shares what ILI means to her!

December 30, 2020

ILI alum and Board member, Aimee F. Salmon, shares what ILI means to her!

ILI alum and Board member, Aimee F. Salmon, shares what ILI means to her!

“As an English learner, an immigrant myself, and a former ILI student, I understand how challenging it was to move to a new place, learn a new language, and start from scratch. Not only that, but navigating the American system. It’s really challenging with language barriers! ILI is helping the student to overcome those barriers by teaching them English. That helps them get a job, become a U.S. citizen, get drivers’ licenses, and do different tasks that we usually take for granted, like talking to your doctor without the need of a translator. Supporting ILI gives me a sense of purpose, and I invite you all today to support this incredible organization.”

Aimee Salmon is a member of the ILI Board of Directors and former ILI student. She moved to Northampton, MA in 2014 as an immigrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who gained her U.S. citizenship in 2017. Aimee is determined to share her passion and enthusiasm by empowering women in western Massachusetts to love themselves through dance and fitness.

Thank you Aimee! You are such an important link in the ILI team! If you would like to join Aimee and so many other ILI supporters, click here to learn more.

Article by ILI Staff / News

ILI News

  • Mayor Honors Past ILI Board President February 1, 2023
  • ILI featured in EL Gazette magazine! January 25, 2023
  • The Top 5 Benefits of Learning English Online with Native English Speaking Teachers January 18, 2023
  • Interview with Edwin Cubillos, Colombian photographer and peace activist December 14, 2022
  • Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford visits ILI October 17, 2022
  • Business English Guide to Improve Your Communication Skills October 12, 2022

Email Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter to get periodic updates on programs and services.

ILI on Instagram

“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
TOMORROW - Saturday, January 28th don't miss an Au TOMORROW - Saturday, January 28th don't miss an Author Reading & Discussion with Bob Pura + Tara Parker at @parlorroommusic at 2pm!

Bob Pura, former Greenfield Community College president (18 years) and now an ILI board member, was on the Bill Newman radio show yesterday discussing his new book. 

So many of our students have found success at @gccgreenfield . Here's a photo of all of ILI's students who were at GCC during Bob's last year...including former board member, Aimee Salmon. Aimee is at Mt. Holyoke and graduating this semester, Florice is at Tulane, Bene is at Smith, Orphee is at Western New England University, Flora just graduated from Western New England and is an electrical engineer in Connecticut and Lastone graduated from UMASS and works in Boston.

➡️Listen to the radio show here: https://whmp.com/podcasts/the-communitys-college/

#whmp #ili #thecommunityscollege #bobpura #taraparker #communitycollege #authorevent #northampton #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts
This past fall, ILI applied to #MassachusettsDepar This past fall, ILI applied to #MassachusettsDepartmentofElementaryandSecondaryEducation’s (DESE) competitive grant program to help fund our free English classes for immigrants and refugees. The hard work paid off. When DESE announced the recipients, ILI was on the list! ✨

“We were thrilled to get the good news,” said Macey Faiella, director of ILI’s English programs. “The pandemic shed new light on the disparities that face immigrants and refugees, and we reassessed our program to include greatly expanded offerings. DESE responded positively—all to the benefit of the students.” Starting this fall ILI will teach four levels of online and in-person evening classes and a new intensive in-person morning course. 

For 34 years, ILI has partnered with the state to provide free English classes in western Massachusetts. This award extends the partnership for an additional five years. It funds about two-thirds of the overall program. ILI is responsible for the remaining costs.

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #dese #education #grant #nonprofit #freeenglishprogram #mass #community
  • Home
  • Programs
  • News
  • Support & Accreditations
  • ILI’s Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 International Language Institute of Massachusetts, 25 New South Street Northampton, MA 01060 · Site by Turn Signal Media