The ELI Weekly
Commencement Ceremony
Friday, April 25, Rion Ballroom (Reitz Union), 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!
Out and About: Change of Perspective
by Maria Moncada Vergara, RW 30
Who would have thought that coming here to learn English would teach me so many lessons? This is just my second semester learning English at the ELI, but I think that I am not only learning a new language, but also about cultures, regions, and countries. I would be lying if I say that all these changes were easy for me.
I need to admit that I really miss my family. One day, I was graduating from High School, and the next day, I was in Florida to learn English (That was a little dramatic, but it is understandable). In addition, I didn’t know any English. I only learned in my school the verb to be, and that was all. It was easy to make friends that spoke my language, but I really wanted to meet people from countries outside the continent. That was different for me. I didn’t want to make a mistake while I was talking with them. However, I learned that making mistakes is the best way to learn. I made many mistakes in reading and writing when I began the semester, and now I am doing this writing for everyone to read.
I think that it was the best idea to study English in the United States because living around of only English- speaking help us practice our English and improve faster. In conclusion, I had a good and interesting beginning at the ELI. I learned to be patient and to try over and over again for improve more and more every day.
Last Day of Classes
Thursday, April 24, is the final day of ELI classes this Spring. Teachers will be submitting final grades and attendance reports at the end of the day on Wednesday, April 23. If you are absent on Thursday, your absence will not be counted for immigration, class grades, or any petition you have submitted. However, all absences on April 21, April 22, and April 23 still count!!! You should not miss class these days!
We hope all ELI students will attend class on Thursday, April 24. Your teachers and LAs have fun and interesting lessons and activities planned. However, we know many ELI students are making preparations to leave Gainesville so are very busy this last week. If you will not be attending class on Thursday, April 24, please inform your teacher by Tuesday, April 22. Your teachers and LAs need to know how many students to plan for.
All of your teachers and LAs will be at the ELI Commencement Ceremony on Friday, April 25. We hope you will be there, too!
Certificates and Grades
Semester certificates will be available immediately after the Commencement Ceremony at the Rion Ballroom, and grade reports will be available in my.ELI by Monday, April 28. 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, April 24, to fill out a form so someone else can pick it up for you.
Notes from the Office
People out: Daryl will be out of the office from April 30 to May 8. Christine will be out on April 28 and May 1. Please plan around these dates if you need to talk to Daryl or Christine.
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.
As a reminder, all people in the US on a visa should always have their I-94 with them. The I-94 is proof that you are a registered alien in the US and shows that you are here on a non-immigrant visa. You can access your I-94 at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/home. Contact Daryl if you cannot access your I-94.
Also, have access to copies of other important documents, like your I-20, visa, passport, letter from USCIS, or other government issued documents related to your status in the U.S.
Gatorlink: If you are not returning to the ELI in the Summer semester, you will not be able to access your ufl.edu email address, one.uf.edu, Canvas, or other Gatorlink service after May 25. You will need to download any emails, assignments, or information that you want to keep.
Summer C Check-in: Remember, you must check in using myELI between May 5th and May 9th, 2025. Even if you completed the Returning Student Survey, you must check in online in May to save your space. After you check in online, you will be able to get your schedule on Friday, May 16th. The Welcome Picnic is Saturday, May 17th, and all students must attend classes beginning on Monday, May 19th.
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. You must also pay any outstanding non-UF charges or fines you may have, like court fees, speeding fines, or parking tickets.
Financial Guarantees for Summer: Dear scholarship students, we hope to see you again in the Summer! This is an early reminder to request your new financial guarantee letter for the Summer 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.
CIP News
Complete CIP Passport
- Thank you for all your involvement in the CIP! Congratulations!
Abdullah Alsagri
Friends of the Library Book Sale
The Friends of the Library Bookhouse is full of bargain-priced books, vinyl records, puzzles, board games, artworks, comic books, DVDs, and more. Buy these great items during the Friends of the Library’s Spring Book Sale, April 26-30, at the Bookhouse, 430-B North Main St. in Gainesville. Profits from the sale help support the Alachua County Library District and community literacy projects around Alachua County. Most items are priced between .25 cents and $4. See more information here.
Photo of the Week: Volleyball
Birthdays!
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.