CELOP Alumni Where Are They Now? Vuthikorn (Tim) Anusasamornkul, Thailand

July 16th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Alumnus Vuthikorn (Tim) Anusasamornkul

1. What is your name?

Vuthikorn (Tim) Anusasamornkul

2. Where are you from?

Bangkok, Thailand

3. Where do you live now?

Los Angeles, California

4. When and for how long did you study at CELOP?

July 1^st – August 3^rd 2017 (1 month)

5. Why did you choose CELOP?

CELOP was recommended to me by an older student and as I was going to the West Coast for my MBA I thought a network from the East Coast would also be valuable to me.

6. What were some of the things you liked most about CELOP? Do you have a favorite memory?

My classmates are amazing! I am very close with all of them; I believe one of the reasons was that we shared the same experience. All of us were internationals who tried our best to prepare/adapt for our upcoming MBA program. And they were all amazing, smart, and humble, from diverse and interesting backgrounds. The CELOP program was surely a great mini-MBA environment for me to understand what was ahead of me at the time.

7. In what ways did CELOP help you prepare for what you are doing now?

As mentioned, the class environment was important to me and the case practice was also helpful in a way. I am currently pursuing my MBA at UCLA Anderson.

8. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate?

I attended Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. I graduated in 2014 with a major in mechanical engineering.

9. Where are you working/studying now?

I am an MBA candidate at UCLA Anderson, class of 2019.

10. Tells about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

To be honest, I think I still haven’t been exposed to enough job functions and industries to decide on my long term dream career, which was one of my reasons for come doing an MBA, to learn more about the opportunities. However, I know I will eventually go back to work in Thailand.

11. What was your favorite thing to do in Boston?

The city has a charm in itself (but of course I was only there in the summer). The Charles River was really pretty and all the buildings are so new! I could just walk around wandering in the town all day without getting bored.

12. What was your favorite restaurant in Boston?

It was definitely King and I, an amazing Thai restaurant.

13. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

CELOP has so many things to offer. Just ask yourself what you really want from the program. In my case, I thought of connecting with people from the east and CELOP has MBA students going to many schools: Harvard, MIT, Boston University, and Babson. CELOP has really done a great job with these students and I was glad to join the program.

CELOP Current Student – Mujtaba Kifah Al Hubayl, Saudi Arabia

July 11th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Student Mujtaba Kifah Al Hubayl

1. What is your name?

Mujtaba Kifah Al Hubayl

2. Where are you from?

Saudi Arabia

3. What program are you currently enrolled in at CELOP?

Science and Technology

4. What’s your favorite place on campus at Boston University?

Mugar Memorial Library

5. What do you like most about CELOP?

I like the community here in CELOP, it’s very encouraging and enthusiastic.

6. Why did you choose CELOP?

The program that I came with works with BU CELOP.

7. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate?

I’m going to attend CU Boulder majoring in Mechanical Engineering

8. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

I want to become a researcher who makes a breakthrough in science.

9. What is your favorite thing to do in Boston?

As a photographer I think taking pictures is the best thing to do in Boston.

10. What is your favorite restaurant in Boston?

Fiouna’s Persian Fusion Cuisine.

11. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

Do not hesitate come and study at CELOP. The atmosphere will motivate you to study hard!

Meet our Current Students- Josephine Pasik, France

June 12th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Current student Jozephine Pasik

1. What is your name?

My name is Josephine Pasik.

2. Where are you from?

I’m from Paris, France.

3. What program are you currently enrolled in at CELOP?

I’m currently enrolled in the 25 intensive program – level mid intermediate. I’m studying at CELOP for one semester.

4. What’s your favorite place on campus at Boston University?

My favorite place on campus at Boston University is Fit Rec. It’s a very large gym. I like to go there with my friends. We always have a good time. There is even a recreation pool, and hot tub to relax in after a workout.

5. What do you like most about CELOP?

I like meeting people from all over the world. I enjoy classes where we learn about their country, and we talk about ours.

6. Why did you choose CELOP?

I chose CELOP for different reasons. I wanted to improve my English at an American university. I wanted to study in Boston, the student city of the United States, where there are a lot of prestigious universities. Also, I wanted to live at an international American campus, and enjoy life there. CELOP offered a good program that suited me.

7. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate?

I’m a current student in Paris. I study business at a university. I finished my first year, and I'm going back for my second year in September.

8. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

I want to do a lot of things in the future. A lot of things interest me. As of today, I would like to work in the sector of digital communication or events. I am also interested in working at the United Nations, but I’m just 19, I still have time to choose!

9. What is your favorite thing to do in Boston?

I like walking and shopping on Newbury street.  The street is very beautiful. I like to walk along the Charles River. I also like going to the museum, especially the Institute of Contemporary Art. They offer a virtual reality experience. There is a beautiful view of the port of Boston, and where you can take nice pictures. This is the place to go and it is also free for BU students.

10. What is your favorite restaurant in Boston?

I discovered a very nice place called « Frenchie ». I went there for Saturday brunch. It’s a very nice French food restaurant. I don’t eat very often at the restaurant, because I opted for an unlimited plan at the dinings halls at Boston University. The food is good, fresh, and there is a wide variety.

11. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

CELOP is a very good place for improving your English. You are going to make friends from different countries. You will be able to live in one of the largest American universities with many things to do. It will be an experience you will never forget!

CELOP Alumni: Where Are They Now? Haebareun Kim, South Korea

May 29th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Alumnus Haebareun Kim

1. What is your name?

Haebareun Kim

2. Where are you from?

Republic of Korea

3. Where do you live now?

Seoul, Korea

4. When and for how long did you study at CELOP?

September 2007 ~ December 2007

5. Why did you choose CELOP?

I attended a language school for nine months before CELOP. For the remaining three months, I wanted to get a more systematic education and experience what American universities are like indirectly.

6. What were some of the things you liked most about CELOP? Do you have a favorite memory?

The Core class was great, but the Elective class was more memorable.
I chose the Semester book class with Doreen and my English improved significantly. Various articles, hard writing, and correction motivated me to engage even harder. 11 years later now, I sometimes look back in the past, looking at the Semester book.

7. In what ways did CELOP help you prepare for what you are doing now?

It is essential for Korean people to have a good score on a standardized English test like the TOEIC to get a job; however, many people struggle on the speaking section. Experience in interacting with English-speaking natives and the help from CELOP that I had definitely helped me get good grades on all sections of the TOEIC.

8. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate?

I majored in business administration at Chung-ang university in Korea. I minored in folk studies to study Korean I graduated in February 2013.

9. Where are you working/studying now?

I am running an in-house venture and an app business at KT, Korea Telecom.

10. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

As I currently run an in-house venture, my interest in organization management has increased, therefore I want to study management efficiency of various organizational structures and apply it to the government or companies based on the results.

11. What was your favorite thing to do in Boston?

Everything in Boston was great and memorable, for example, the sea, museum, shopping, Charles River, and the old subway.
Among them, the most memorable one is the museum. I made a one-year membership in the museum, so I used to visit it whenever I had time. My favorite picture from then is still my smartphone background screen image.

12. What was your favorite restaurant in Boston?

I often visited a Japanese restaurant called Takemura on the Cambridge side. I loved sushi in Korea and I went there more than twice a week because It was near my house. I ate all the varieties of salmon sushi on the menu. Since the chef was Korean, he often served special dishes, so I remember how much I enjoyed it. When I go to Boston, I plan to visit there again.

13. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

At CELOP, there is an opportunity to broaden your experience of American culture as well as English in various ways. I mentioned the elective class which improved my English with various subjects. It was also a good opportunity to share various opinions with Boston University students in 1:1 tutoring.

CELOP Alumni: Where Are They Now? Lander Santos de Oliveira, Brazil

May 10th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Alumnus Lander Santos de Oliveira.

1. What is your name?

Lander Santos de Oliveira

2. Where are you from?

Brazil

3. Where do you live now?

Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil

4. When and for how long did you study at CELOP?

From September 2013 to December 2013

5. Why did you choose CELOP? 

Actually, the Brazilian government institution that funded us assigned the students to the universities.

6. What were some of the things you liked most about CELOP? Do you have a favorite memory? 

The close interaction with professors and students. They were always willing to provide the most productive hours of knowledge, even during “recreational” events.
My favorite memories are the visit to Woods Hole and the food days at CELOP, in which we could try different food from different cultures.

7. In what ways did CELOP help you prepare for what you are doing now? 

The respect for different cultures, the English language, team work, public presentation skills

8. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate? 

Since I was part of a program in which the students could learn the language first and then take courses within my major, I started studying Biotechnology in Brazil in 2011. In September 2013 I started studying at CELOP and in January 2014 I took some courses at the BU Medical Dept. In 2015 I finished my major in Brazil.

9. Where are you working/studying now?

I currently work at Dow Agrosciences

10. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

In the future I would love to work in the USA in a job that challenges me every day, preferably in the same field I currently work in.

11. What was your favorite thing to do in Boston? 

Run along the Charles River.

12. What was your favorite restaurant in Boston? 

Anchovies.

13. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure? 

You cannot go wrong choosing this school. You will certainly achieve your goals at CELOP thanks to the supportive teachers, advisors and administrative team. CELOP will offer everything you need to succeed. Moreover, Boston is a fascinating city, offering lots of cozy places, friendly people, sightseeing and the most beautiful skyline you will ever see.

CELOP Bridge to BU Alumni: Shuohe Ren

May 2nd, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Bridge to BU alumnus and current Boston University student, Shuohe Ren.

1. What is your name?

Shuohe Ren

2. Where are you from?

China mainland (PRC), Jiangsu

3. Where do you live now?

Boston University (Boston, Massachusetts)

4. When and for how long did you study at CELOP?

I studied at CELOP last Fall (Fall 2017) in the Bridge to BU program and studied for a semester.

5. Why did you choose CELOP?

I applied Boston University (BU) when I was a high school student. I got the conditional offer from BU. That is to say, after spending one semester in CELOP in the Bridge to BU program, I would go to BU, my dream school. That is definitely an amazing choice for me. Honestly, what initially attracts me was BU instead CELOP, but I really enjoy the experience in CELOP and I will share more about it later!!!

6. What were some of the things you liked most about CELOP? Do you have a favorite memory?

What impressed me was the lovely faculty there and the fantastic activities. If I have to pick my favorite, I think it is my experience about the activity in Halloween. In the last Halloween, every student made up or wore costumes like ghost in CELOP, and our professor made up very funny in the class. I never had fun in Halloween like last year in CELOP!

7. In what ways did CELOP help you prepare for what you are doing now?

Initially, my purpose to study in CELOP was to get the “ticket” to BU. However, CELOP gives me more than that. I spent plenty of time to speak English with my friends. What makes CELOP special is that they showed me American culture that is I cannot get from a traditional English language school. Besides, the experience for presentation also benefited me a lot. I was a very shy boy in high school, but my presentation became more and more fluent after the experience in CELOP.

8. Where do you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What is your major and when will you graduate?

I am studying at Boston University for bachelor degree now.

My major is computer science and applied math (double major).

9. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

I would like to work in the field of information technology. Specifically, I want to try my best to develop applications to improve people’s life standard.

10. What was your favorite thing to do in Boston?

Massachusetts is so famous for the colleges here. I would like to make friends from different college. We are outgoing and energetic.

11. What was your favorite restaurant in Boston?

Gyu-kaku. I really BBQ!

12. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

It’s English, but more than English.

CELOP Bridge to BU Alumni: Liying Zhu

April 26th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Bridge to BU Alumni and current Boston University student, Liying Zhu

1. What is your name?

Liying Zhu (Lisa)

2. Where are you from?

Shanghai, China

3. Why did you choose to enroll in the CELOP Bridge to BU program?

I chose it because it’s a great way to help me get the offer of Boston University and it can help me transit form a high school student to a university student very well

4. How did the CELOP Bridge to BU program help you to prepare for your undergraduate degree program at BU?

It helped me know some writing styles and how a typical US class works.

5. What were some of the things you liked most about the CELOP Bridge to BU program? Do you have a favorite memory?

Teachers in this program are very nice. It’s very important for us to prepare for the TOEFL PBT at that time, but the instructors helped us a lot. Before the final exam, instructors are also very anxious about it and can understand our emotion and comforted us a lot.

6. What’s the most important thing you learned during the CELOP Bridge to BU program?

When you study hard to adapt to the typical US class, your preparation and participation will be seen by the instructors and they can know how to help you more through this. The more you interact with them, the more benefit you will get.

7. What is your major now at BU?

Biomedical engineering

8. What’s the best part about studying at Boston University?

As a large university, BU has a lot of resources to help a student to develop more. For example, in college of engineering, we have SME (society of manufacturing engineers). SME take students to visit a lot of local companies every week, which will help each student have a better view of what is truly happening in the society.

9. Tell us about what you want to do in the future?

I am planning to go to graduate school to learn more about biology and medical devices since I have strong interest in biomedical engineering. Those researches conducted by prestigious professors are very thoughtful and I really want to join them.

10. What would you tell someone who is thinking about enrolling in the CELOP Bridge to BU program but is unsure?

Don’t worry about your own ability. As long as you work hard and pay attention to the material covered in class, you will get a good result.

CELOP Alumni: Where Are They Now? Azimkhan Kozhakhmetov, Kazakhstan

April 13th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Alumnus Azimkhan Kozhakhmetov.

1. What is your name?

Azimkhan Kozhakhmetov.

2. Where are you from?

Kazakhstan.

3. Where do you live now?

State College, PA, US.

4. When and for how long did you study at CELOP?

January 2014 – December 2014.

5. Why did you choose CELOP?

I had a choice to go to Boston and California. My acquaintance was studying at CELOP and recommended that Boston is a nice place to be.

6. What were some of the things you liked most about CELOP? Do you have a favorite memory?

I like and appreciate every day I spent in CELOP. I owe everything what I know as an English speaker to CELOP teachers. My speaking and listening abilities were not that bad, but I had an enormous problem with my grammar. My first teachers were George, Ellen and Tim which almost helped to build my skills brick by brick. At the second semester I had an excellent teachers and classmates. With Diana who had Italian roots we could talk about Dante’s Divine comedy, with my friends Alexey and Umut from Russia and Turkey, we were just enjoying to discuss about Chuck Palahniuk’s books. And the last but not the least is Shelley who makes the environment in CELOP. Even after I left CELOP, I visited a lot and when we were making a road trip all around the US for 25 days, we stayed at Shelley’s parents’ house in Montana where her sister was a very helpful as she is.

7. In what ways did CELOP help you prepare for what you are doing now?

Writing classes with Tim was very helpful. I took two semesters of writing classes with him and now it is actually helping me to write a scientific papers. The first is already done.

8. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate?

I started my education in Kazakh National University in Kazakhstan, and transferred to Joint Institute of Nuclear Research in Dubna, Moscow, Russia. My undergraduate major was in Physics. Then I graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in summer 2017 with Master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering.

9. Where are you working/studying now?

Now, I am working towards my PhD at the Pennsylvania State University. I am a graduate research assistant at Materials Science & Engineering Department and developing a novel semiconductor materials for Intel.

10. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

Eventually, I want to be a professor or scientist in US national laboratories and have my own lab. The most precious thing that brings me a joy is teaching.

11. What was your favorite thing to do in Boston?

I did two things: almost every day after classes I went to the harbor area, Italian side of the city is gorgeous. Since I am coming from a landlocked country, and grew up reading books of Stevenson, Jules Verne, and Jack London about adventures in seas, it was my weakness and still it is, just walk around the harbor. The second one is live concerts. Most of my money went to attend live concerts in Boston and Mansfield, MA. Linkin Park, Thirty seconds to mars, Lana Del Ray, Lykke Li, Coldplay, One Republic, Script and etc. that are the short list of the concerts that I have been.

12. What was your favorite restaurant in Boston?

I am not a person who likes to experiment with new foods, but only place I would go again and again is called Yummy Café in Allston where they have a delicious beef with broccoli.

13. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

CELOP is a perfect place to improve English skills. The environment, staff and teachers make CELOP as an outstanding school for everybody.

Faculty Spotlight: A moment with…Lynn Bonesteel

March 12th, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP faculty member Lynn Bonesteel takes a moment for a brief interview.

1. What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?

I love developing innovative programs, curricula, and materials for English language teaching and learning.

2. What did you do before working at CELOP?

I taught ESL to immigrant students at North Shore Community College in Lynn, MA. Before that, I worked for a charter travel company and for the National Women’s Political Caucus.

3. Where are you from?

I was born in rural New York state, in the Catskill Mountains, and was raised in a small town in Western Massachusetts. But I have lived most of my adult life in and around the Boston area.

4. Favorite thing to do in Boston?

Watch movies at the Kendall Square Theater; attend theater and choral music productions; eat out at ethnic restaurants.

5. If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Hmmmm…that’s pretty hard. I think I’d get tired of most things after a while. But for breakfast every day I eat yogurt with honey, almonds, and fruit, and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet, so I guess that would be my choice.

6. What’s your favorite TV Show?

It depends on when you ask me…I don’t watch a lot of TV, but right now I am enjoying the cable series Homeland, The Crown, Game of Thrones, and Westworld —and Grey’s Anatomy is an all-time favorite! I’m also a big Seinfeld fan.

7. What is the best destination you’ve travelled to?

I love Latin America. My favorite places so far have been Mexico, especially Mexico City and the Mayan Riviera, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Quito, Ecuador, and Bogota, Colombia.

8. Favorite restaurant in Boston?

I don’t really have a favorite these days, as I tend to eat out at places closer to my home in Salem, MA. In Boston, I enjoy meeting colleagues and friends for dinner or drinks at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square, and I love the Mexican food at Sol Azteca and the Japanese food at Fogakyu in Brookline.

9. What are your hobbies?

Reading fiction and non-fiction, riding my bike by the ocean, gardening, doing jigsaw puzzles, listening to podcasts and programs such as This American Life and The Moth on NPR radio, hanging out with my friends and playing with their dogs, and practicing yoga and meditation.

10. What is your hidden talent?

Singing classical choral music…and typing. I can type 60+ words per minute.

11. What would people never guess you do in your role?

Not sure how hard this is to guess…but I read lots of Supreme Court cases—and do a lot of photocopying!

CELOP Alumni: Where Are They Now? Onder Safak Tongal, Turkey

March 1st, 2018 in Highlight.

CELOP Alumnus Onder Safak Tongal.

1. What is your name?

My name is Onder Safak Tongal.

2. Where are you from?

I’m from Ankara, Turkey.

3. Where do you live now?

I live in Ankara.

4. When and for how long did you study at CELOP?

I studied in Spring-2016 at CELOP for one semester.

5. Why did you choose CELOP?

Even though my TOEFL score was enough to start my master’s degree at BU, I wanted to improve my speaking and writing skills for my following 2 years in Boston. My friends suggested me to study at CELOP because it was a successful and well-established institution in teaching English. Also, I knew that CELOP helps students to overcome possible cultural and academic orientation issues.

6. What were some of the things you liked most about CELOP? Do you have a favorite memory?

CELOP helped me to meet lots of friends all around the world. I cannot forget my first road trip in the U.S. with my new friends from Korea, Taiwan, and China. We went to New York, Philadelphia, and Washington during the Spring Break.

7. In what ways did CELOP help you prepare for what you are doing now?

Thanks to CELOP I got mastered in giving presentations which helped me a lot throughout my academic studies at BU. In my opinion, this is not only a significant skill for university courses but also crucial for professional life.

8. Where did you attend college for your undergraduate degree? What was your major and when did you graduate?

I studied at Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey for my undergraduate degree. My major was Business and I graduated in 2006.

9. Where are you working/studying now?

Now I’m working as a Customs and Trade Investigator in Ankara.

10. Tell us about what you want to do in the future. What is your dream job?

I have a dream to run a company that provides consulting services in the fields of customs and foreign trade.

11. What was your favorite thing to do in Boston?

Attending concerts and doing one-day road trips around New England areas with friends were my favorite things to do in Boston.

12. What was your favorite restaurant in Boston?

Definitely, BU Pub was my favorite restaurant in Boston. It is located in BU castle and serves only for BU students. Every Tuesdays, it has traditional Karaoke Nights which allows you make a lot of friends and strengthen the bonds with them. Additionally, Audubon was always a nice option near the campus.

13. What would you tell someone who is thinking about studying at CELOP but is unsure?

Communication is key. I believe that being fluent in English is as important as having a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the professional environment. For sure, self-effort plays the most important role in this journey. But I can easily state that CELOP is a strong and reliable guide for this journey with its experience and high quality of English teaching. Finally, attend CELOP Conversation Partner Program and improve your fluency spending more time with native English speakers.