Mexican students visiting Algoma University next month

By JOANNE NANNE, Algoma University

(SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - July 16th, 2008): Sault Ste. Marie will be playing host to twenty-two young students from Mexico for the next month. The students are in the Northern Ontario city as part of an exchange program between Algoma University and CESUES University, located in the northern Mexican border state of Sonora. While in the Sault, the students will work on their English language skills, learn about Canadian culture and gain insight into the tourism industry by working with local businesses.

The students will be hosting a potluck dinner on Wednesday July 23rd at The Speakeasy at Algoma University that will be open to the public. The dinner will begin at 6:00pm and will be followed by presentations by the students on tourism opportunities in Sonora.

"Algoma has offered a very specialized program for our students," says Alfonso Macias, Department Chief Liaison from CESUES. "Many of them are from the tourism program and are looking for opportunities to work in an internship capacity. A small city like Sault Ste. Marie offers better opportunities to obtain work experience."

The exchange program between CESUES and Algoma U is now entering its third-year. In addition to classroom learning and workplace experience, the students will also be able to participate in a full itinerary of outdoor activities, tours and local activities. All of the students are staying with local families which will afford them further opportunities to practice speaking English and familiarizing themselves with Canadian culture.

"Sonora's tourism industry is enjoying steady growth," says Macias. "As we are a border state with Arizona it is important for our workers in the service sector to be able to speak English and have an understanding of the customs of English-speaking visitors."

"We've been able to offer a program tailored to the needs of our guest students," says Joanne Elvy, Program Director for SPELL (Sault Program for English Language Learning) at Algoma University, who is coordinating the exchange program with CESUES. "Although there is a classroom component, students will also have ample opportunity to venture out into the community to have interaction and make connections with local residents."

CESUES bears the costs associated with the exchange program. To qualify for the exchange, CESUES students must pass an aptitude test that includes an English language proficiency assessment and also maintain good academic standing.

"Having the students from CESUES visit us has become a very welcome annual occurrence," says Elvy, who has been involved with the exchange program since its inception in 2006. "This year we were able to find host families with only word-of-mouth advertising and I've also had a number of members of the community call to inquire about when our Mexican friends would be arriving."