The ELI Weekly
Commencement Ceremony
Friday, December 6, University Auditorium, 10:00am-noon
Congratulations on making it to the end of the semester! We hope you learned more English, made some wonderful friends and had some fun this semester. You should all be very proud of yourselves, and we’d like to celebrate your accomplishments at our Commencement Ceremony on Friday. At the ceremony, we will recognize our scholarship and award winners and reflect on this semester at the ELI.
Please invite your family and friends to join us for Commencement and help celebrate. All of your teachers and language assistants and ELI administration will be there too!
End of Semester BBQ at Lake Wauburg
There are no regular CIP activities this week, so join the CIP for one last event!
Thursday December 5th – 11:45am to 4:00pm
All are welcome to celebrate the end of the semester at our BBQ. Come get free food and kayak or canoe on beautiful Lake Wauburg, North Shore. Play sports, swim and jump off the dock, socialize, and enjoy Florida nature with friends for our very last event of the semester. Meet at Norman Parking Garage.
Please note, no smoking or vaping is allowed anywhere at this location, even if you are outside.
Entrance to the park is free with your Gator1 ID and mentioning the event with the ELI at the entrance gate. Boating has a small fee.
You must sign up to attend this activity, even if you plan on driving yourself. We need to make sure we know how much food to provide. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA9A823A02-53446808-endofsemester
Other CIP Announcements
Pictures for the Slideshow: Do you have good pictures of the activities, classes, or fun things you have done around Florida with your ELI friends? Send them to Tate by email or Whatsapp so she can possibly feature some of them in the slideshow at commencement! (tquinones@eli.ufl.edu)
CIP Passport: Don’t forget to get your CIP Passport hole punched from the activity leaders AT the event (not after). Redeem your completed passport for a small gift and photo for the ELI Instagram! Remember the CIP Pineapple is hidden in a new place every Monday in the CIP office. Stop by and find it this last week for hole punches!
Last Day of Classes
Wednesday, December 4th, is the final day of ELI classes this Fall. Teachers will be submitting final grades and attendance reports on Wednesday, December 4th. We will not have classes on Thursday, December 5th so that everyone can attend the End-of-Semester BBQ. Remember, all absences on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th still count. You should not miss class these days!
All of your teachers and LAs will be at the ELI Commencement Ceremony on Friday, December 6th. We hope you will be there, too!
Certificates and Grades
Semester certificates will be available immediately after the Commencement Ceremony at the University Auditorium, and grade reports will be available in my.ELI by Monday, December 9th. Certificates can also be picked up in the ELI Main Office after Commencement when the office opens at 2:00pm. If you would like a friend or family member to pick up your certificate for you, please stop by the ELI office by Thursday, December 5th, to fill out a form so someone else can pick it up for you.
Leaving the ELI
If you are leaving the ELI, we hope you will share your experiences with your friends and family. Also, please keep your email updated with us. When the ELI travels internationally for conferences and events, we invite alumni to join us.
If you are interested in acting as an ELI Ambassador to assist future Gators in your country apply to the ELI, please let Lia Brenneman know (lia@ufl.edu, MAT 220A). If you are interested in becoming an Educational Consultant for the ELI, ask Lia for details. You are the best source of information about the ELI and Gainesville for new students. We appreciate our alumni!
If you want to stay active with English study in your country, please contact our friends at EducationUSA (https://educationusa.state.gov/find-advising-center). They have centers all over the world where they advise students about studying in the USA. It is a great place for you to network, practice English, and help other students learn about your experience studying in Florida.
Notes from the Office
Test of UF Alert: On Tuesday, December 3rd, UF will test the emergency alert system. At around 10:20am UF will send text alerts, phone alerts, and use the loudspeakers to announce the alert. You won’t need to do anything, just don’t be worried or surprised. To check to be sure you are signed up correctly for UF Alerts you can log into ONE.UF. Your current details are in the “UF Alerts” section of your Directory Profile page. You should also have the GatorSafe App downloaded.
Class photo: We will take a class photo on Wednesday, December 4th at 1:45pm (between Listening/Speaking hours) on the front steps of Tigert Hall.
ELI Main Office Reduced Hours: The ELI main office will have reduced hours during the semester break. Please refer to the following schedule if you need to get in touch with us.
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December 6: The main office will open at 2pm after commencement.
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December 9 – December 13: The ELI main office will be open from 9am – 4pm.
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December 16 – December 20: The ELI main office will be open from 10am – 3pm.
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December 23 – January 3: The ELI main office will be closed.
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January 6: Regular office hours begin.
Spring C 2025 Returning Student Check-In: All returning students must check in online using my.ELI between January 6th – 10th, 2025. Check-in guarantees you a place in the class. If you do not check in on time, you might not have a place in class, and you will have to a pay late fee. If your plans have changed for the spring, you should email Daryl at studyenglish@eli.ufl.edu .
Charges Due: Every ELI student should log in to ONE.uf.edu and look at the “Campus Finances (Bursar)” tile to see if you owe any fees to the university. For example, you may need to pay for services you received at the Student Health Care Center or printing in a library. If you have a scholarship, it will not pay these charges.
Check your I-20s: If you are traveling during the break (for example, leaving the US and coming back), make sure your I-20 is signed. Also check the expiration date. You can make an appointment with Daryl to sign your I-20 or to renew your I-20 before it expires.
Financial Guarantees for Spring: Dear scholarship students, we hope to see you again in the Spring! This is an early reminder to request your new financial guarantee letter for the Spring semester, if you plan to return. If you need an enrollment letter or if you have any questions, please email Tara Mace at fiscal@eli.ufl.edu.
Apartment Leases: As the semester draws to a close, keep in mind that your lease might be ending soon. It is important to know the exact date that your apartment lease ends so you can make plans. If you’re not sure when it ends, ask your apartment office.
If you need help finding a hotel to stay in short-term (you should ask your friends first!), someone to take over your lease, or a new apartment, talk to Christine in Matherly 223.
Gatorlink: If you are not returning to the ELI in the Spring semester, you will not be able to access your ufl.edu email address, one.uf.edu, Canvas, or other Gatorlink service after January 6th. You will need to download any emails, assignments, or information that you want to keep.
Photo of the Week: International Mixer
Birthdays!
Notes from the Editor
Thanks to all the people who have sent stories, photos, and questions to the ELI Weekly this semester. We have all enjoyed your participation!