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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 / Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford visits ILI

October 17, 2022

Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford visits ILI

Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford visits ILI

Intensive English students learn about governing in the U.S.

October 11 was a great day for international students in ILI’s Intensive English Program (IEP). That was when Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford, who represents the Northampton area in the Massachusetts State Senate, visited the class for more than an hour, briefly describing what her job as an elected official is all about and then fielding student queries on a wide range of topics.

Before the Senator’s visit, IEP students read her biography, discussed a number of “hot” topics andState senator Jo Comerford speaks to intensive English students at ILI. went over the basics of how government works in the U.S. Therefore, they were well prepared with a slew of questions–from the practical, like how to deal with the Registry of Motor Vehicles, to the personal, like why the Senator left her former career to go into public service.

Some questions were political in nature, touching on environmental concerns, social issues, U.S. relations with China and school shootings. Others related to matters of “right now” interest to the students and to many other of the Senator’s constituents (one of the many new vocabulary words of the day), such as Question #4 on the Massachusetts’ driver’s license application related to eligibility for immigrants.

IEP students and ILI staff thanked Senator Comerford for the generous amount of time she spent at the school and for her valuable information and many insights into U.S. culture, society and governance. The students left with her personal email address so they can contact her directly with questions such as transferring professional licensing for employment in the U.S. and, of course, navigating the Registry of Motor Vehicles!

Article by ILI Staff / News

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Maedeh, from Iran, brought in delicious treats and Maedeh, from Iran, brought in delicious treats and $2 bills to share with staff and classmates to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year! ✨ Now = new and Ruz = day. The Persian New Year is always celebrated around the first day of spring. What a beautiful holiday! 🌷

#persiannewyear #nowruz #ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #studentlife #newyear #holiday #ialcschools
We love when Chloe comes to visit! 🐶 We love when Chloe comes to visit! 🐶
We love hearing from our students who are travelin We love hearing from our students who are traveling and studying language at one of our partner schools. This month we are featuring Kathy Felton who spent six weeks in Spain studying Spanish and exploring southern Spain. Pictured in this selfie taken by Kathy, are students from Brazil, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Japan and the U.S along with their instructor, Borga. And while Kathy was in Spain, she continued to volunteer in our language travel and volunteer tutor programs.

✨We are sending students to China, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Morocco and Spain where they improve their languages skills and experience the culture of the country. Learn more about our Language Travel Program here: ili.edu/programs/language-travel

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #languagetravel #spain #studentlife #languagelearners #ialc #ialcschools #education
Teaching and learning at its best! Thanks to the @ Teaching and learning at its best! Thanks to the @world_affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, we welcomed 11 English teachers and 2 U.S Department of State advisors to ILI on Friday. The group represented 11 countries (Cabo Verde, Colombia, Greece, Malaysia,Mozambique, Peru, Sudan, Suriname, Tunisia and Uzbekistan) and are part of the International Visitor Leadership Program. They are in the U.S as part of the American Language and Multicultural Diversity project. 

#internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #worldaffairscouncil #westernmass #usdepartmentofstate #internationalvisitorleadershipprogram
Each month ILI contributes a Word of the Month to Each month ILI contributes a Word of the Month to @northampton.living , this month it’s ÁDH MÓR, the Irish words for GOOD LUCK. ☘️ Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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#northamptonlivingmagazine #creekrish #goodluck #wordofthemonth #ili #internationallanguageinstitute #ádhmór #massachusetts #northampton #education #community #stpatricksday
Thanks to ILI supporters our first-ever Days of Gi Thanks to ILI supporters our first-ever Days of Giving-38 hours to celebrate 38 years-was successful! 🌻 Much appreciation to both our many new and long-time donors. We are especially happy to announce that among our new donors are two from countries outside the U.S.! 

You helped make our virtual events, such as the free mini language classes and conversation groups, fun and interesting. We also welcomed a great group of students, teachers, staff, board members and donors in person at Mama Iguana's to mark ILI's 38th year. 

And you helped us meet six fundraising challenges throughout the 38 hours. Notably, your support established the new "Days of Giving Scholarship" that will send immigrants and refugees in our free English classes to our fee-based Intensive English Program, where they will increase their hours of study from six per week to twenty-one hours per week!

�We hope you enjoyed ILI's Days of Giving and learned more about your community language school. Thank you once again!

#ilidaysofgiving #thankyou #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #nonprofit #education
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