CAREER ADVISING CHALLENGES WITH ESL/IMMIGRANT STUDENTS

Introductions ► Amy Kampsen, University of Minnesota  Academic Advisor  Work predominantly with ESL/Immigrant students in Commanding English program ► Robin Murie, University of Minnesota  Director of Commanding English program  Instructor

Brief overview of Commanding English (CE) program ► First year learning community for students whose native language is not English, and whose ACT and placement scores indicate a need for further English language development ► Connects ESL reading courses to other typical college freshman courses (ex. biology, anatomy, sociology, etc.) ► CE only sections of writing, speech, and immigration literature ► Students are together for entire year ► Program offers workshops, events, and opportunities for building community and University connections ► Provides developmental and strength-based advising

So you want to be a doctor?? Or a…. ► nurse ► pharmacist ► dentist ► medical technologist ► Dental hygienist ► etc.

Some of our numbers ► 74 out of 108 (69%) fall 2005 and 2006 freshman admits to CE program at Univ. of Minnesota indicated interest in medical career or hard science path ► Shift in profile of CE students:  In 1999, 64% were SE Asian (Vietnamese)  In 2006, 72% were East African  Shift in major and career choices from engineering, computer science to medical field

Why might this be an issue? ► ESL/immigrant students may not have full English language proficiency  May impact ability to take courses requiring heavy reading  May affect ability to take timed tests  May impact ability to take full course load ► ESL/immigrant students may not be academically prepared for rigorous math and science courses required  Lack of adequate high school preparation  86% of CE students need developmental math  68% of CE students repeat math and science courses  Time and money spent on tuition for developmental courses, repeated courses: may run out of financial aid  Frustration for student

Issues continued ► Career path may not be appropriate  Career path may not fit with ability, personality, interest, values  Students may lack information  ESL/immigrant students may not have same career development process as American born and raised students  ESL/immigrant students may not have the same tools available to them to assist in self-knowledge discovery  Family/community pressure  Cultural values (value community/family needs rather than individual needs)

Issues Continued ► Tendency to focus on student’s deficits rather than strengths ► Encouraging further career exploration and realistic goals without discouraging students  Report by Abdimalik Askar, Metro Alliance Coordinator (Report on Best Practices for Recruitment and Retention, Somali Colloquium in Metro Area) ► Somali students frustrated and discouraged by counselors (“you have a better chance of becoming a firefighter than you do a nurse”)

Discussion ► What challenges, if any, do you face on your own campuses with advising ESL/immigrant students on careers and majors? ► What specific resources are available on your campus that assist ESL/immigrant students with career development? ► What suggestions do you have that could help inform advising practice with ESL/immigrant students?

How U of M Commanding English Program Supports Career Development ► Connect ESL coursework to academic sciences classes: biology, human anatomy, physical geology (new F’07) ► Incorporate career information into the science reading courses ► MCAT reading passages ► Career courses  Orientation to Self and Career  Orientation to Health Sciences  Connect with Health Careers Center (tour, research, information sessions) research, information sessions)

How U of M Commanding English Program Supports Career Development continued ► Looking beyond medicine  What does a degree in Global Studies do, for example?  Making connections to less obvious career paths  “What’s the good of that?” ► What do former students know?  Student panel: process of deciding on a major  What majors seem to work for students in our program

How U of M Commanding English Program Supports Career Development continued ► Developmental and strength-based advising  Help students understand that choosing a major or career path is a process  Help students identify individual strengths and show how those strengths can be used in many different areas  Help students communicate with and educate family members on career development and college process  Have an awareness of cultural implications  Understand needs of individual students (Maslow’s hierarchy)

The End! THANK YOU!