Alvaro Gonzalez '97, who parlayed his experience in the ESL Intensive Program at RIC into a career at the school, and Laura Faria-Tancinco, coordinator of that program.
In 1986, at the age of 24, Álvaro González '97 arrived in the United States without much knowledge of English. After five years in the country, and while struggling with unemployment, he decided to use some government vouchers to enroll in an ESL program at Rhode Island College.
"I had a little bit of English background from my high school years when I was in Colombia, but I needed to build up and be able to speak it, write it and read it adequately," he recalls. "That was my goal, so in the fall of 1991, I decided to attend the ESL program at RIC."
Laura Faria-Tancinco, coordinator of the ESL Intensive Program in the Professional Studies and Continuing Education department explains that "the ESL Intensive Program focuses on developing academic and professional English, so students can transition to college or reach for higher professional opportunities."
González got more than just an education through the ESL Intensive Program, he also met his future wife, who encouraged him to stay with the process of learning English and go after a bachelor's degree. "To me that was like climbing Mount Everest because it was unthinkable, but she was so convincing that I took up the challenge," he beams.
The transition from ESL into getting a bachelor's degree was nerve-racking, but gave Gonzalez the strength to spend more hours getting confident with speaking and writing. "RIC has a very good office that can help you achieve those goals," he says, referring to the RIC Writing Center.
He recalls visiting the Writing Center with his wife so many times that he believes they were the office's top customers. With their help, he graduated with a degree in management and information services in 1997, while his wife graduated in 1999 with a degree in education and became an ESL math teacher.
Alvaro Gonzalez '97 (center) met his wife, Sonnia Villegas (second from left), while they were both students in the ESL Intensive program at RIC.
While he was a student, Gonzalez worked on campus for the Information Services Help Desk and became a special monthly employee; that was the start of his long career at RIC. "To me it has been an exciting career, an exciting journey here at the college," he says. "I feel blessed because I have been surrounded by people who have always been willing to lend a helping hand."
Faria-Tancinco clarifies that the needs of students are always different, and the ESL Intensive Program can provide not only the education, but the social connections they need to take the next steps. "Students build their network of friends and acquaintances," she explains. "If a student has always dreamed of going to college in the U.S., it becomes so much closer when you are taking an ESL class at a college."
She also explains that the ESL program helps connect students to the right people, so they can transition to matriculating at RIC and starting degree classes. "We have connections with the Admissions office," she says. "They really help students with their applications and make sure everything is all set."
Faria-Tancinco believes those students can picture themselves going further and "all of a sudden they are taking degree classes, which is the ultimate goal. The path is not linear; it has lots of twists and turns."
González echoes her belief in the program and encourages others to follow in his footsteps. "You have to challenge yourself and commit to learning the language and speaking it properly," he advises. "Being bilingual opens so many doors and opportunities, and you can also see the world from a different perspective."
He also credits the program for his career in management information services over the past 20 years. "I think that the ESL program is the reason why I am in this position right now. The program and the people around me are the ones who catapulted me into this new adventure."
