ELS Students Speak - About Never Being Bored
February 1, 2012
Grand Rapids, MI
10745 48th Avenue, Suite 110
Allendale, MI 49401
Tel.:
(616) 892-5720
In affiliation with: Grand Valley State University
ELS/Grand Rapids is located next to the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University. Grand Rapids, the second largest city in Michigan, is 20 minutes away. Allendale is located within 30 minutes of the beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan and a little more than two hours from Chicago. West Michigan, with the beaches, blueberry patches and four seasons is safe, and the people are welcoming and friendly. The Grand Rapids area is big enough to provide many ways to practice English, and includes many events throughout the year. Art Prize, the Festival of the Arts, Griffins Ice Hockey, Whitecaps baseball and many musical concerts are on offer for entertainment. International students are sure to enjoy life while studying at ELS/Grand Rapids.
- On Campus Facility Use
- Lake Michigan beaches and the Van Andel Museum Center
- Weekend trips possible to beaches, Detroit or Chicago, Niagara Falls
Distance to Key Locations from ELS Center
| Location | Minutes | Transportation Method |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | 40 |
|
| Bank | 5 |
|
| Downtown Area | 25 |
|
| Post Office | 25 |
|
| Restaurant(s) | 3 |
|
| Shopping Mall/Outlet | 40 |
|
| Sports Stadium/Center | 25 |
|
| Supermarket | 5 |
|
| Bus Stop/Subway | 1 |
|
LEGEND
Walking
Bike
Car
Bus
Train
Electricity
110V 60KHz.
Electric Plug Details
1
2
Programs available at this location
English for Academic Purposes
Achieve English Proficiency for University Study
Cost Per Session
$1730
Downtown GVSU student residence(Student Residence (On Campus))
Students can take a free bus to the ELS Center. Private bedroom in a shared suite-style unit in urban student residence. Shared suite-style bathrooms. Rooms include full size refrigerator, stove, microwaves may be available, dining table and chairs. Big screen TV, gym located in building. Linens are also included and can be changed weekly. Students clean their own rooms during stay. Security: Key card-access building. A resident assistant lives in the dormitory.
| Price per Session | $635 - 1070 |
|---|---|
| Occupancy | Single |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Airport Pickup | $85 |
|
Meals / week or Meal Credit No meals included. Students can purchase GVSU cafeteria Debit Dollarcard after arrival. |
|
Homestays in the area(Homestay)
Host family students are responsible for their personal transportation. Most students use the bus to get to campus.
| Price per Session | $780 |
|---|---|
| Occupancy | Single |
| Minimum Age | 14 |
| Airport Pickup | $85 |
|
Meals / week or Meal Credit 16 meals per week (daily continental breakfasts/dinners with lunches added on weekends) |
|
- Baseball field
- Computer center
- Gymnasium
- Ping pong
- Running track
- Snack bar
- Soccer field
- Swimming pool (indoor)
- Golf course nearby (fee)
- Rock Climbing
- Tennis court(s)
- Language Technology Center (LTC)
- Movie theater
- Music practice room(s)
- Health center
- Basketball court(s)
- Library
- Billiards (pool)
- Racquetball/squash Courts
- Volleyball court(s)
- Fitness Center
- Fitness Classes
- Wheelchair accessible
- Cafeteria
Meet the Staff
Nicholas Ghiglia
Center Director
Welcome to ELS Grand Rapids, in the heart of Western Michigan. A quiet, safe place to live and study, students of ELS Grand Rapids are supported by instructors that have lived abroad and faced many of the same cultural and linguistic challenges. Having taught ESOL for many years in Japan and Vietnam, Nicholas has a Master of Education degree and speaks fluent Japanese. Nicholas has moved to ELS Grand Rapids from ELS Santa Cruz, California. He is married, with two children.
Amber Young
Academic Director
Amber Young joined the ELS Grand Rapids instructional staff in 2006 and after teaching for a year, stepped into the position of Academic Director. Prior to working with ELS she earned her Master's Degree in TESOL and spent five years teaching English to graduate students in China.
Erin Keyzer
Instructor
Erin graduated from Calvin College with a B.A. in Psychology. After spending a summer teaching English in Kazakhstan, she was hooked! She returned to college and took as many English courses as possible so that she would be prepared to teach English to International students. After graduating, Erin moved to Zhengzhou, China where she spent three years teaching in a university. While in China, she completed her MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) through Azusa Pacific University. She moved back to the States in 2011 and has been teaching at ELS since her return.
Megan McDonald
International Student Advisor
Megan became the International Student Advisor in April of 2012. She loves to interact with students from across the globe, learn about different customs and share in new cultural activities. Before coming to ELS she taught English in Nagoya Japan for 2 ½ years. In her free time she enjoys baking, yoga, karaoke, photography, and traveling.
Barb Ellis
Registrar
After working as the accountant for her husband's business for 18 years and as an administrative assistant at GVSU, Barb has been the registrar at ELS Grand Rapids for over 5 years now. As the registrar, Barb assists students with many of their needs, and enjoys working with people from around the world. She is married with 5 children.
Jasmine Lowell
IELTS Administrator
Jasmine is the IELTS Administrator at ELS Grand Rapids. She joined the staff in 2009 after being a homemaker for 10 years. Originally from Singapore, she enjoys interacting with people from all cultures. She is married, with 2 sons, and enjoys music and sports.
Daniel Bowman
Instructor
Daniel has been teaching with ELS since 2008. Prior to teaching at ELS, he earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at Cornerstone University, while working as a Teaching Assistant. In 2005, he married his wife Amanda -- they have two children.
Tami Hankiewicz
Instructor
Tami has been with ELS since 2007. She is an energetic and outgoing person who loves to teach and learn about different cultures. Tami earned her Master's degree from Grand Valley State University in TESOL. She is married with two children and two dogs. She enjoys gardening and entertaining friends. She also likes to camp and spend time outside.
Victoria Swenson
Instructor
Victoria Swenson has taught at ELS Grand Rapids since June of 2006. She earned her MA TESOL from Grand Valley State University, and her Ph.D. in Education from Michigan State University. She has taught in the US and overseas. Before coming to ELS, Victoria was an Associate Professor of Education at Cornerstone University and helped to develop their graduate program in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Erica Spohr
Instructor
Erica loves interacting with people from different languages and cultures. She has been teaching ESL for 10 years and has met students from 52 countries! Erica has a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics from the University of Michigan & has has almost completed an MA in TESOL. Before joining ELS in December 2009, she taught at Northern Michigan University and worked in the Refugee Services program a Lutheran Social Services of Michigan.
Kyle Hess
Instructor
Kyle Hess graduated from Cedarville University in 2010 with a degree in International Studies and TESOL. Some of his hobbies include soccer, piano, and reading. He has had the privilege of spending time in several countries, including Japan, Rwanda, Uganda, and Peru. After graduating from college, he moved to Michigan to work with ELS and marry his beautiful wife Georgiann.
Dean Dykstra
Instructor
Dean Dykstra earned his Masters of Education from Grand Valley State University in 2004. He has worked with students in many different subject areas including math, reading, writing and test preparation. In 1999 he married his lovely wife Dinorah, who is from Honduras, and they have three sons. Dean enjoys playing soccer, reading, cooking with his wife, and learning new things.
ELS Students Speak - About Friendly, Small-Town Living
February 1, 2012
ELS Students Speak - About First Trip Abroad
February 1, 2012
ELS Students Speak - About Enjoying Winter Weather
February 1, 2012
ELS Students Speak - About Connecting with Counselors
February 1, 2012
ELS Students Speak - About Enjoying Winter Weather
August 31, 2011
ELS Students Speak - About Friendly, Small-Town Living
August 31, 2011
ELS Students Speak - About Connecting with Counselors
August 31, 2011
ELS Students Speak - About First Trip Abroad
August 31, 2011
ELS Students Speak - About Accomplishing Goals
August 30, 2011
A trip to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
April 18, 2012
ELS students visited the Gardens on a field trip.
Trip to Pando snow park
April 18, 2012
As an all ELS activity, students went snow tubing at Pando snow park, near Grand Rapids. Excellent winter fun!
Facing Mars
April 18, 2012
This group of students went to Grand Rapids Public Museum to see the Facing Mars exhibit as part of their class Contact America activity.
Art Prize
December 28, 2011
Grand Rapids hosts Art Prize -- an annual contest judged by the people. This dynamic 'festival' brings the city to life.
Intercultural Competence Experience
December 28, 2011
ELS Language Centers/Grand Rapids and Grand Valley State University have started a program to increase student interaction. The ICE program encourages students to increase there understanding of the cultures of the world -- international students are especially welcome!!
Wishing you a Happy Holiday!
December 22, 2011
In celebration of the holidays, all ELS Language Centers in the United States, Canada and Australia, plus Princeton Headquarters, will be closed on several different days. Read more to find out.
Dear ELS Students,
With the close of 2011, ELS reflects with deep appreciation on your choice to attend ELS Language Centers. We would like to take this opportunity to again say thank you. It is truly rewarding to work with all of you in our common goal of enabling you to fulfill your career and life goals through education.
In celebration of the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays, all ELS Language Centers in the United States, Canada and Australia, plus Princeton Headquarters, will be closed on several different days.
Please refer to the following grid as a guide to which days our various units will be closed:
Regular class schedules will resume on Tuesday, December 27 in the USA (Wednesday, December 28 in Canada and Australia) and on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 (in all locations).
ELS wishes you a wonderful holiday season, and much success in 2012!
Sincerely,
The ELS team
ELS 50th Anniversary University Tuition Scholarship
November 18, 2011
Calling All Merit Scholars! We are proud to present our ELS 50th Anniversary University Tuition Scholarship in celebration of Fifty (50) Years of ELS Leadership in International Education.
This scholarship is a special recognition for students like you--with outstanding academic achievement in your undergraduate, graduate, and/or secondary school.
If you meet the minimum grade point average (GPA) and several other requirements, ELS will award 50 percent of your ELS Language Centers English for Academic Purposes (EAP) tuition. The ELS 50th Anniversary University Tuition Scholarship will be paid directly into your student account at the ELS Host Institution or AEC member that issued your CLA, making the process simple and official.
Contact an ELS-authorized Counseling Agent, who will ensure that you follow the admissions process properly, meeting all scholarship terms and conditions. Participating ELS university partners are as follows:
- Adelphi University
- Barry University
- California Lutheran University
- Clemson University
- College of Mount Saint Vincent
- College of Southern Nevada
- Concordia University Portland
- De Anza College
- Dominican University
- Dominican University of California
- Eckerd College
- Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Foothill College
- Front Range Community College
- Golden Gate University
- Grand Valley State University
- Hawai'i Pacific University
- Idaho State University
- Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
- Lewis University
- Louisiana Tech University
- Loyola Marymount University
- Marquette University
- Middle Tennessee State University
- Mount Ida College
- Northern Illinois University
- Ohio Dominican University
- Oklahoma City University
- Plymouth State University
- Point Park University
- Queens University of Charlotte
- Roger Williams University
- Saint Joseph's University
- Southern Arkansas University
- Southern Polytechnic State University
- Stetson University
- Tennessee Tech University
- University of Arkansas Fort Smith
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Houston - Clear Lake
- University of La Verne
- University of Mary Washington
- University of Missouri - St. Louis
- University of New Haven
- University of North Dakota
- University of St. Thomas - Houston
- University of St. Thomas - Minnesota
- University of Tampa
- University of the Incarnate Word
- University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
- University of Wyoming
ELS International Pathways expanding in Australia
October 21, 2011
ELS has expanded to now include pathways to tertiary institutions in Australia!
Interested in studying in Australia? Choose from ELS Universal English College in beautiful Sydney or the new center opening in May 2012 in Brisbane, located on the campus of Metropolitan South institute (MSIT) of TAFE.
ELS provides a full range of English training programs, as well as pathways to over 40 institutions in Australia, including prestigious and popular institutions like Macquarie University, University of Western Sydney, University of Newcastle, University of Wollongong, TAFE New South Wales and Le Cordon Bleu.
Now over 650 schools, colleges, TAFE, and universities worldwide accept the ELS certificate of completion as evidence of English proficiency, and fulfilling the English language requirement for admission.
For more information please visit ELS Universal English College and UniversityGuideOnline.org
Higher Education Pathways
October 12, 2011
ELS Now Provides Higher Education Pathways from India to the US, Australia and Canada.
Last Thursday marked the opening of ELS International Pathways office in Chennai, India! This momentous next step for ELS was celebrated with traditional Indian foods, Indian dance performances and presentations of the history of ELS and the new mission of ELS in India. We will provide objective education counseling to help students achieve their higher education goals in the USA, Canada and Australia.
For more information, please visit ELS.in
2012 Brochure goes "E"
September 21, 2011
Learn more about the wide range of program and center options ELS offers, by checking out our 2012 e-brochure!
Read it here: www.els.edu/2012Brochure
ELS 50th Anniversary
June 16, 2011
ELS is excited to celebrate our 50th anniversary of leadership in international education in 2011!
Get to know us by the numbers ... and by what our students say. It's great to be part of the ELS family!
Learn more about our celebration here: http://www.els.edu/en?s=50th
Downloads
Activity Calendar -- Session 4, 2012
This calendar includes many activities that ELS offers to students during March/April.
ELS at Grand Valley State University
Provides a brief description of ELS, our Programs and the Grand Rapids ELS Language Center. The flyer also offers some specific attributes of the university, its programs and other helpful information.
GVSU Campus Map -- Allendale
The main campus of Grand Valley State University is in the town of Allendale, 20 minutes away from both downtown Grand Rapids and the beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan.
GVSU Campus Map -- Grand Rapids
Winter Hall, the dormitory where ELS Language Centers/Grand Rapids students live, is located on Grand Valley State University's downtown campus . Most of the university's graduate programs are here as well.
