My IEC Experience

by: Paripa Michelle Ganou

All of us have goals to reach, challenges to overcome, and things to accomplish. As a student, the ultimate goal is to have the best educational experience possible in order to succeed and make our family proud of us. Indeed, studying is a long journey that we need to take seriously. It is essential to find the right school and the right program.

While in my home country of Cote d’Ivoire, I was struggling to find a good program and a good university to reach my goal. After getting my bachelor’s degree in my country, I decided to move to the United States to get more experience. After many days of research, I found St. Cloud State University.
I fell in love with the spirit of this university. What drew me in was the diversity on campus. I decided to apply to the Intensive English Center to improve my English. The Intensive English Center was perfect for me. The program information was clear and I got a response to my application quickly. I was excited to make the change, but I was also sad to leave my family. I was afraid because I did not know anyone here.

That feeling went away after a couple of weeks in the IEC. I started to feel like I was at home. The Intensive English Center teachers and staff were kind, patient, and friendly with all of their students. They help us from the beginning to the end of the program, teaching us, advising us, and providing great support.  The only challenge was dealing with the Minnesota weather (especially winter), but the IEC team did everything to ensure a pleasant environment for their students. After just one semester, my English skills improved considerably.

Studying abroad is a challenge. It is therefore crucial to find the perfect environment with a good quality education. That’s what I found at the IEC at SCSU. After my English studies, I had the opportunity to study at another university where I was accepted for graduate school. However, I decided to stay at SCSU. I can tell that I am fully satisfied with my choice. Starting with the Intensive English Center program prepared me for my Masters of Public Administration program and allowed me to adapt to life in the US. Your success your responsibility—work hard, attend classes, participate, do homework, and study. Being a student is not always easy, but surrounding yourself with great people, like those at the IEC, makes a big difference.

Attending the Intensive English Center program has been one of my favorite chapters in my educational journey.