International Education Week (IEW) 2025 has officially begun, and, as part of the celebration, Towson University is shining a light on its English Language Center鈥檚 (ELC) 40th anniversary.

Housed within TU's Office of International Initiatives, the ELC helps international students develop the English language skills needed for a successful academic transition to U.S. 麻豆传媒高清.

Read on to learn how the English Language Center shaped the TU experience of international ELC alumni Ammar Alqatawi (AA) and Urmi Rathod (UR).

In what ways did the ELC support your academic career at TU?

AA: To understand a language, you need to understand the culture first. At the ELC, they involved us in U.S. culture as part of learning the [English] language and achieving the level of proficiency we needed.

How did what you learned through the ELC support your personal and professional growth? 

UR: They鈥檙e not just teaching you academic material. They鈥檙e teaching you practical, real-life skills: to be out in the world, to explore the world and learn how to live in the world. I know how to use public transportation in the U.S. because of the ELC. For me, the ELC is a starting point of education in the U.S.

How did faculty in the ELC strengthen your confidence in public speaking?

AA: Professor Hass consistently encouraged us to try public speaking challenges, which I saw as very helpful for students who don鈥檛 speak English as their mother tongue. He taught us that we have the right to stand and speak in public, and you can鈥檛 do that without practicing.

How does the ELC stand out from other academic programs you鈥檝e experienced?

UR: The team in the ELC accepts you the way you are. They treat me like I鈥檓 their family or daughter. They sat with me and taught me a lot about my career. 

Alumna stands beneath the Phillippines flag on International Walkway

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International Education Week

Join the International Initiatives Office in celebrating international culture and education this week.

Check out IEW events!