INTERLINK -- Beginning of Fall 2 Term

INTERLINK’s Fall 2 term began on October 15 with a two-day orientation for new students. We welcomed a total of thirty-eight new students from China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Kuwait, Iran, Japan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. Twenty of these students entered with conditional admission to UNCG, including an inaugural group of Omani students, and five of the Japanese students came to INTERLINK as part of their participation in the UNCG-sponsored Disney Program. We are proud to report that our overall enrollment has reached record numbers, with 117 new and continuing students in the program this term. Serving students from over twenty countries, INTERLINK is one of the most diverse ESL programs in the southeastern US.

New students Makuya Ono (Japan), Shiori Oda (Japan), Ngoc Ta (Vietnam), and Jasem Alkandari (Kuwait) waiting for the bus after a trip to the mall

New student Christian Matabaro (Democratic Republic of the Congo) with continuing student Fadi Almalak (Saudi Arabia) at the welcome reception

INTERLINK New Staff

New instructors Linda Roth and Elizabeth Blalock

Ghost Tales Halloween Event

In anticipation of Halloween, INTERLINK hosted a storytelling event, Ghost Tales from Around the World, on October 29. Sixteen students joined staff members Casey Thomas and Lamar Gibson to share scary stories and legends from their own cultures while enjoying cider and cookies. To set the scene, the room was darkened, and images of ghosts were projected on the wall.

New Mind Celebrates Halloween with a 'Spooktacular' Party

The special “witch’s brew,” one of the many spooktacular treats served at the event

The students of New Mind Education put together a truly ‘spooktacular’ Halloween Party at the UNCG University Village Clubhouse on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. Attended by many international and domestic students alike, this monster bash featured a variety of Halloween-themed food and activities.  The menu included homemade seasonal treats such as pumpkin cookies, monster cupcakes, a jack-o-lantern-shaped fruit plate, and a special witch's brew served bubbling out of a cauldron. 

Guests included Aladdin, Luigi of the Mario Bros., Snow White, Batman, Superman, the Grim Reaper, and even a Jedi Knight from Star Wars (plus many more).  The party's attendants danced the night away and participated in many traditional Halloween activities, including a costume contest, a bobbing for apples competition, and bashing a ghostly piñata.   

The inspiration for the party came in part from New Mind's Global Learning Curriculum (GLC), which among other things emphasizes the need for students to acquire intercultural competency and 21st century leadership skills.  The Halloween party was a group project, assigned to New Mind students in their weekly GLC class.  They spent three weeks researching, planning, shopping, marketing, and preparing for the event.  The goal of this project was not only to help students understand the cultural traditions surrounding Halloween in the US but also to help cultivate group communication and collaboration skills important to success at the university level and beyond.

Thank you to all of the participants for contributing to the wonderful turnout with many cultures and costumes represented. We look forward to the seeing the same faces (and hopefully many more) at our next event! 

A student takes a swing at the piñata

Student bobbing for apples