Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/80527
valuable not because of the project work itself, but because it exposes international students to American business culture while giving them a chance to practice the skills they learn in the ACE program. We believe it's essential for our international students to acquire real-world workplace experience if they're going to successfully com- pete for second-year internships and postgraduate jobs; however, immigration policies require them to complete two full semesters of school before they can work or intern in the U.S. By making ACE an academic program, we've been able to provide students with a substantive, hands-on workplace experience during their first year of study while still complying with immigration regulations. Students have found these ACE work experiences extremely valu- able. MBA student Weihan Ni had worked in American companies in China for three years before com- ing to the U.S., but he found the working style in America to be unlike the style in China. Differ- ences were particularly apparent in areas "like professionalism and how people express their concerns to each other," he says. "My expe- riences in both the ACE classes and the work assignment were very necessary to me as I prepared to work in this country." Focus on Communication As international enrollment grows, we believe it's more critical than ever to take a holistic approach to the student experience by support- ing a student's academic, personal, and professional growth. That's one of the reasons we created the sec- ond part of our professional devel- 44 September/October 2012 BizEd By making ACE an academic program, we've been able to provide students with a hands-on workplace experience during their first year of study. opment initiative, the Professional Communication Advancement (PCA) Program. PCA builds on the traditional curriculum for English as a Second Language (ESL), but it goes beyond providing linguistic help to non-native speakers. It also helps students develop a broad range of cultural and professional expertise, as well as other soft skills. Like many schools, IIT Stuart bases part of its admissions criteria on tests like TOEFL and IELTS that gauge language proficiency. Even so, we find that many stu- dents lack the English-language communication skills that would allow them to be competitive in the job market. Rather than rely on standardized test scores to deter- mine students' ESL developmental needs, we use a set of specialized assessments, conducted on site, to evaluate how well each candidate has mastered listening comprehen- sion, speaking, business writing, and pronunciation skills. We also administer computer tests to deter- mine proficiency in academic writ- ing, listening, and comprehension. Every new incoming student who is not a native English speaker and who does not hold a bach- elor's degree from a U.S. institution is required to participate in the assessment process. PCA program director Tracey McGee comments, "Our focus moves beyond vocabu- lary and grammar. We consider how well students are able to com- municate ideas, conduct conversa- tions using real-life English, and use complex sentence structures." Following the assessments, each student is given a recommended series of course modules tailored to address his or her individual needs. Students take up to four of the eight modules we offer in areas such as listening/speaking/presenta- tion, pronunciation, academic writ- ing, and business writing. Because a central tenet of ESL instruction is that language must be taught in a cultural context, all eight PCA modules also incorporate cross- cultural knowledge, norms, and expressions. This provides students with another opportunity—beyond the ACE program—to practice their communication skills and improve their cultural competency. Our PCA instructors all have