Advanced LIEP Students Prepare for Graduate Studies

We are proud of our three advanced students in the Loyola Intensive English Program (LIEP) who are preparing for graduate study. Let us introduce you to Sasha, Shuichi, and Hui.

SASHA PRYGONIUK from Ukraine - Law

Sasha Prygoniuk practiced corporate law and family law in Ukraine. When she married a U.S. American and moved to the United States, she thought that she would have to set aside her law career. But then she discovered that Louisiana gives foreign lawyers the opportunity to obtain the LLM degree, to take and pass the bar, and then to practice law.

“I like to make a difference,” says Sasha. “Even in the United States, I see injustice that needs to be corrected. I like to read and study law and to know what we can and cannot do. Sometimes people don’t realize what they can do in a particular situation, and I like to help them by showing them what is possible, by giving them a chance.”

Sasha will begin her study for the LLM in spring 2011 in the College of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. Eventually, she would like to open her own law practice and to work with U.S. Americans seeking to adopt children, especially from Russia. “Adoption is a complicated process,” Sasha says. “I can help by knowing not only the law but also the language and culture.”

Sasha feels that her LIEP classes are preparing her well for her law studies. She especially appreciates the clear explanations of English language structure. “Now I understand how English grammar works,” she says. Sasha also enjoys the variety in class: explanations, exercises, films, field trips, presentations, interviews. “The different kinds of activities keep me interested,” she says. “And,” Sasha adds, “the price is good.”

SHUICHI SUZUKI from Japan – Public Health

Shuichi Suzuki worked as a pharmacist in Japan. “I was sick as a child, and my mother was also sick, so for me, medicine is very important,” says Shuichi. Shuichi enjoys working directly with patients. He is especially drawn to helping people suffering from diseases in developing countries.

In spring 2011, Shuichi will enter the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University to study for a masters degree in public health. This will allow him to combine his love for medicine, for international work, and especially for direct work with patients.

Shuichi finds that the rigor and discipline of studying at LIEP is good practice for graduate school. “It’s been a while since I was a student,” he says, “and LIEP is helping me get accustomed to so much study again.” Shuichi is also pleased with the improvement in his writing and speaking. “My writing skill is dramatically improving,” he says, “and I am improving my pronunciation and speaking fluency.”

Shuichi especially appreciates the independent study class that he and his LIEP instructors have created to correspond to his special needs and interests. For his independent study, Shuichi is observing an international business class at Loyola and exploring how principles of business and culture can be applied to the field of public health.

Finally, Shuichi is delighted with the opportunity to make U.S. American friends. “Many Loyola students are interested in international students,” Shuichi says. “My tutor is becoming a friend, and students in the international business class often speak with me.”

HUI ZHANG from China – Business

Hui Zhang is planning to study for an MBA degree in the College of Business at Loyola University New Orleans. Hui has a variety of business interests, among them marketing problems, finance, and hospital administration. She is also attracted to teaching. Hui has a three-year-old son and believes that teaching is an excellent career for a mother. Hui’s own mother has been a kindergarten teacher in China for over thirty-five years. Hui would also like to study abroad in South America and Europe, and Loyola’s College of Business offers that opportunity.

Hui believes that LIEP is providing solid preparation for her graduate business studies. “I have improved my writing skill and my presentation skill,” she says.

Hui also appreciates the reading material about contemporary issues in her LIEP class.  Of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Hui says, “This book changed my ideas. I knew that women had many problems, but the personal stories in the book made these problems so real.” Hui also responds to the themes of love and sacrifice in the military novel Baby Jack by Frank Schaeffer.  She says, “This book expresses deep love from the very bottom of the heart.” 

Our next post will introduce you to our monthly Philo Cafe, or Philosophy Cafe, where LIEP students come together with other members of the Loyola and New Orleans communities for an intercultural exchange on a philosophical question.