CAREER ADVISING CAREER ADVISING CHALLENGES WITH CHALLENGES WITH

ESL/IMMIGRANT ESL/IMMIGRANT STUDENTSSTUDENTS

IntroductionsIntroductions

►Amy Kampsen, University of MinnesotaAmy Kampsen, University of Minnesota Academic AdvisorAcademic Advisor Work predominantly with ESL/Immigrant Work predominantly with ESL/Immigrant

students in Commanding English programstudents in Commanding English program

►Robin Murie, University of MinnesotaRobin Murie, University of Minnesota Director of Commanding English programDirector of Commanding English program InstructorInstructor

Brief overview of Commanding Brief overview of Commanding English (CE) programEnglish (CE) program

► First year learning community for students First year learning community for students whose native language is not English, and whose native language is not English, and whose ACT and placement scores indicate whose ACT and placement scores indicate a need for further English language a need for further English language developmentdevelopment

► Connects ESL reading courses to other Connects ESL reading courses to other typical college freshman courses (ex. typical college freshman courses (ex. biology, anatomy, sociology, etc.)biology, anatomy, sociology, etc.)

► CE only sections of writing, speech, and CE only sections of writing, speech, and immigration literatureimmigration literature

► Students are together for entire yearStudents are together for entire year► Program offers workshops, events, and Program offers workshops, events, and

opportunities for building community and opportunities for building community and University connectionsUniversity connections

► Provides developmental and strength-Provides developmental and strength-based advisingbased advising

So you want to be a So you want to be a doctor??doctor??

Or a….Or a….

► nursenurse► pharmacistpharmacist► dentistdentist► medical technologistmedical technologist►Dental hygienistDental hygienist► etc.etc.

Some of our numbersSome of our numbers

►74 out of 108 (69%) fall 2005 and 2006 74 out of 108 (69%) fall 2005 and 2006 freshman admits to CE program at freshman admits to CE program at Univ. of Minnesota indicated interest in Univ. of Minnesota indicated interest in medical career or hard science pathmedical career or hard science path

►Shift in profile of CE students:Shift in profile of CE students: In 1999, 64% were SE Asian (Vietnamese)In 1999, 64% were SE Asian (Vietnamese) In 2006, 72% were East AfricanIn 2006, 72% were East African Shift in major and career choices from Shift in major and career choices from

engineering, computer science to medical engineering, computer science to medical field field

Why might this be an issue?Why might this be an issue?

► ESL/immigrant students may not have full English ESL/immigrant students may not have full English language proficiencylanguage proficiency May impact ability to take courses requiring heavy readingMay impact ability to take courses requiring heavy reading May affect ability to take timed testsMay affect ability to take timed tests May impact ability to take full course loadMay impact ability to take full course load

► ESL/immigrant students may not be academically ESL/immigrant students may not be academically prepared for rigorous math and science courses prepared for rigorous math and science courses required required Lack of adequate high school preparationLack of adequate high school preparation 86% of CE students need developmental math86% of CE students need developmental math 68% of CE students repeat math and science courses68% of CE students repeat math and science courses Time and money spent on tuition for developmental Time and money spent on tuition for developmental

courses, repeated courses: may run out of financial aidcourses, repeated courses: may run out of financial aid Frustration for studentFrustration for student

Issues continuedIssues continued

► Career path may not be appropriateCareer path may not be appropriate Career path may not fit with ability, personality, Career path may not fit with ability, personality,

interest, valuesinterest, values Students may lack informationStudents may lack information ESL/immigrant students may not have same ESL/immigrant students may not have same

career development process as American born career development process as American born and raised studentsand raised students

ESL/immigrant students may not have the same ESL/immigrant students may not have the same tools available to them to assist in self-tools available to them to assist in self-knowledge discoveryknowledge discovery

Family/community pressureFamily/community pressure Cultural values (value community/family needs Cultural values (value community/family needs

rather than individual needs)rather than individual needs)

Issues ContinuedIssues Continued

► Tendency to focus on student’s deficits rather Tendency to focus on student’s deficits rather than strengthsthan strengths

► Encouraging further career exploration and Encouraging further career exploration and realistic goals without discouraging studentsrealistic goals without discouraging students

Report by Abdimalik Askar, Metro Alliance Report by Abdimalik Askar, Metro Alliance Coordinator (Report on Best Practices for Coordinator (Report on Best Practices for Recruitment and Retention, Somali Colloquium in Recruitment and Retention, Somali Colloquium in Metro Area)Metro Area)

► Somali students frustrated and discouraged by Somali students frustrated and discouraged by counselors (“you have a better chance of becoming a counselors (“you have a better chance of becoming a firefighter than you do a nurse”)firefighter than you do a nurse”)

DiscussionDiscussion

► What challenges, if any, do you face on your What challenges, if any, do you face on your own campuses with advising ESL/immigrant own campuses with advising ESL/immigrant students on careers and majors?students on careers and majors?

► What specific resources are available on What specific resources are available on your campus that assist ESL/immigrant your campus that assist ESL/immigrant students with career development?students with career development?

► What suggestions do you have that could What suggestions do you have that could help inform advising practice with help inform advising practice with ESL/immigrant students?ESL/immigrant students?

How U of M Commanding How U of M Commanding English Program Supports English Program Supports

Career DevelopmentCareer Development► Connect ESL coursework to Connect ESL coursework to

academic sciences classes: academic sciences classes: biology, human anatomy, physical biology, human anatomy, physical geology (new F’07)geology (new F’07)

► Incorporate career information Incorporate career information into the science reading coursesinto the science reading courses

► MCAT reading passagesMCAT reading passages► Career coursesCareer courses

Orientation to Self and CareerOrientation to Self and Career Orientation to Health SciencesOrientation to Health Sciences Connect with Health Careers Center Connect with Health Careers Center

(tour, (tour, research, information sessions)research, information sessions)

How U of M Commanding How U of M Commanding English Program Supports English Program Supports

Career Development continuedCareer Development continued

► Looking beyond medicineLooking beyond medicine What does a degree in Global Studies do, for example?What does a degree in Global Studies do, for example? Making connections to less obvious career pathsMaking connections to less obvious career paths ““What’s the good of that?”What’s the good of that?”

► What do former students know?What do former students know? Student panel: process of deciding on a majorStudent panel: process of deciding on a major What majors seem to work for students in our programWhat majors seem to work for students in our program

How U of M Commanding How U of M Commanding English Program Supports English Program Supports

Career Development continuedCareer Development continued► Developmental and strength-based advisingDevelopmental and strength-based advising

Help students understand that choosing a major Help students understand that choosing a major or career path is a processor career path is a process

Help students identify individual strengths and Help students identify individual strengths and show how those strengths can be used in many show how those strengths can be used in many different areasdifferent areas

Help students communicate with and educate Help students communicate with and educate family members on career development and family members on career development and college processcollege process

Have an awareness of cultural implications Have an awareness of cultural implications Understand needs of individual students Understand needs of individual students

(Maslow’s hierarchy)(Maslow’s hierarchy)

The End!The End!

THANK YOU!