Silver City, NM- Four students from the most recent class of the Language Institute graduated this morning after two months of extensive training in the English language and more than 180 hours done in classes.
The graduates consisted of three females and one male student, Angelica Bustamante, Diana Chavira, Brenda Payan, and Alejandro Alvidrez.
The guests included: Dr. Linda Hoy, Dean of the College of Professional Studies, Silver City Mayor Ken Lander, Anne Harvey, and Mr. James Ortiz from the Department of Community and Workforce Development. There were also donors and individuals very involved with the program’s success there to celebrate this class’s next step going towards their education.
In the Sunset Room on the second floor of the Student Memorial Building, there was a lovely purple carpet that the graduates got to walk up to the distinguished panel of guests where they received their certificates signifying their completion.
Diana was very grateful for this opportunity saying, “I would like to thank everyone for all of their support. We had an amazing experience and we are very thankful.”
The teachers from the Language Institute in attendance were Ann Timmons, the grammar teacher, and Eric Ockerhausen, the institute’s reading and writing teacher. They each had something significant to say to their students with Ann going up first. “I am always amazed at the young people that leave their homes to experience a new place, and I’m glad that you all came here.”
Ockerhausen said, “Hopefully the next time I see my students, they will speak to me in English, and I will speak back to them in Spanish.”
While Brenda and Alejandro will be heading back home to Delacias, Chihuahua, two of the recent graduates from the program will actually be interning in Grant County for another four months, Diana and Angelica. The students also mentioned that Silver City is a new and welcoming home to them.
