Baylor to Begin English As Second Language Program

February 26, 1996

WACO, Texas - Baylor University has entered into an agreement with ESLI (English as a Second Language International) to provide foreign students with help in English.
The pilot project will begin May 20 when enrollment begins for the summer school sessions, according to Dr. Gary R. Bartholomew, president of ESLI, which is based in Austin.
According to Bartholomew, ESLI will be for students who "are very bright and excellent students, but they need assistance with English. The language barrier is often the most difficult problem a foreign student has when attending a college in the United States."
Bartholomew and ESLI operate similar language assistance programs at Pepperdine University, Trinity Western University, which has campuses in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada, and The Yorkland School, also located in Toronto.
Under the agreement, ESLI will hire all faculty to instruct students and the company will develop and coordinate all course work necessary.
Dr. John S. Belew, The Jo Murphy Chairholder in International Education, said that Baylor has been considering implementing such a program for several years.
"In today's academic world, a program such as this is essential," Belew said.
"It will provide help for foreign students whose deficiency is English. The program will help us greatly expand our foreign student base and will increase the number of qualified international students who want to attend Baylor. The ESLI program is a very solid one. The other schools ESLI has contracted with have all praised it highly, and we believe it will provide the service we need in this area."
Bartholomew said he anticipates about 50 to 60 students to enroll in the first class. "We will focus on students on who want to come to Baylor for their degrees, but they need help in speaking English," he said. "Typically, these students are exceptionally bright, but the English language presents some problems to them. Our program benefits the school and the student."
For more information, call Bartholomew at (512) 418-1634.