English Language Center Makes a Difference for Colombian Ph.D. Candidate
- Feb 18, 2018
For many international students wanting to pursue an advanced degree at a U.S. university, language is often the biggest obstacle. But with intensive English programs for students at any level the English Language Center in Texas Global is helping international students achieve their academic goals.
“It made a big difference,” said Juan Diego Palacio-Mejia of his experience as a student in the Academic English Program (AEP). Having taken many English courses in his native Colombia, Palacio-Mejia grew frustrated at his lack of progress. After two semesters with the English Language Center at UT, he was able to succeed on his examinations and was accepted into Department of Integrative Biology to pursue a Ph.D.
Palacio-Mejia moved to Austin from Medellin, Colombia with his wife. She was beginning her own Ph.D. at UT at the time.
“As a Latin American, I found Austin was the best of two worlds,” he described. “Latin culture and American culture coexist here and it made my transition to the U.S. smoother.”
Palacio-Mejia enrolled in the AEP program in fall 2009. He also credits his integration into the local community to his experience in the English Language Center. “Not only did I learn English, I was also introduced to the culture,” he explained. “The diversity of my classmates and instructors helped me learn about different cultures and how everyone deals with culture shock and homesickness.”
The biggest takeaway from his experience was that he finally felt confident in his English skills. The academic writing skills he learned through the program have helped him as a graduate student, and he uses them every day as he works to complete his Ph.D. and in his work as a teaching assistant.
"Those skills help me write assignments, grants, fellowships and now my dissertation," he said. Now that he teaches classes, he recognizes that “the AEP oral communication classes were key.”
Palacio-Mejia’s research centers on the cold tolerance of native grasses in the United States. He is working under Thomas E. Juenger, Associate Professor in the Section of Integrative Biology in the College of Natural Sciences, and planning to defend his dissertation in Summer 2018. He then hopes to continue his research and work as a professor.
For students currently studying at the English Language Center or considering enrolling in English Language Center courses at UT, Palacio-Mejia has some advice: “Be persistent, work hard, take advantage of the excellent resources of the English Language Center program."
Hard work in the Academic English Program is what made the difference for Palacio-Mejia and hundreds of other students served by the English Language Center who bring rich diversity to the university community and walk away with the skills they need to change the world.
