About her experience with the program, Diwei writes:  “The ESL Speech Lab helps me to correct my punctuation and accent. Conversation Hour gives me a chance to express my opinions and communicate with other students. A lot of exercise makes progress, and the Tools for Clear Speech program accelerates the pace of improving my English!

I want to pursue my academic dream of becoming a faculty member. After graduation, I will go to graduate school to get my doctoral degree.”

Hello, my name is Diwei Wang. I’m a Junior student from Baruch College and my major is Accounting. I came to the United States one and a half years ago. As an international student, I have all the problems that an international student could possibly have. Language became my first and major barrier for effective communication in the first year. On my way to improving my English, the Tools for Clear Speech program helps me tremendously. Every week, I join the ESL Speech Lab and Conversation Hour as much as possible, and I also go to the workshops that the program offers us. I want to tell every international student in Baruch College that the Tools for Clear Speech program is really fantastic. I hope that everyone can make use of the resources that the Tools for Clear Speech program provides us and overcome the barriers as much as possible. Thank you.

About her future plans, she also says:

“Everyone wants to find a good job and I am not an exception. To be a part of Google’s team would be a great opportunity for me.”

Hi everybody! My name is Khanna Pugach and I’m an international student from Russia. Even though it’s my second year here in the United States, I’ve already been to two schools. I’m a transfer student from one of the CUNY schools, BMCC, where I used to study computer science. This is my first semester here at Baruch and my plans are to major in computer information systems. You would be so surprised to know how many problems can be solved using programming techniques nowadays. I have never let go of the feeling that I have to improve my speaking skills, so I was so excited to hear about the Tools for Clear Speech program, and I am looking forward to the day when speaking English will be as easy and comfortable as it is speaking my native language, Russian. Thank you!

De Cai Chen is a Junior Finance major from China. His native language is Mandarin Chinese and he utilizes the English peer tutoring and ESL Speech Lab at SACC to improve his English language skills. About his future plans, De Cai says,

“I want to be a financial analyst after graduating from Baruch. My dream is to know 99% of places in the world, and I will start my travels from China.”

Transcript:

Hi, my name is De Cai Chen; you can also call me Allen. I am currently a Junior at Baruch, majoring in Finance. I am Chinese; I came to the United States when I was thirteen years old and English is my second language.

About two years ago, I was a freshman just like others and I came to Baruch. I didn’t know anything and my English was just so-so. I am a SEEK student, so when I went to my SEEK counselor trying to get some help for my English class because I’m very bad at writing, they told me that I could come to SACC for tutoring. Even though I don’t have class on Friday, I still want to come to SACC on a Friday schedule so I can get a longer time for tutoring. So that’s how I get a high grade in English class – that’s how I can get a 3.6 GPA.

Mengdi is a Junior Accounting Major at Baruch. Her native language is Mandarin.

About the Tools for Clear Speech program, she says:

“The ESL tutors are very helpful for students whose native language is not English. They give students a lot of advice to help them improve quickly.”

Transcript:

Hello, my name is Mengdi Su. I am an international transfer student from China, and my major is Accounting. I am a lower-junior in Baruch College now and I hope I can be an excellent accountant in the near future. English is not my mother tongue so I cannot speak as fluently as local people, but practice makes perfect. I joined a lot of volunteer events and student activities. I met a lot of friends here and spoke a lot, so I believe my English will become better and better. Thank you.