The ELI Weekly
Scholarship Winners
Congratulations to the recipients of the ELI scholarships for the Fall 2025 semester!
Dr. Jayne C. Harder Memorial Scholarship:
Fabiola Colmenares Bermudez
Dr. J.C. Casagrande Peace Scholarship:
Anghelo Ita Durand
1st Runner-up:
Lu Huang
Our Florida Springs
Ask some local Gainesville residents about the best place to go on a hot and humid summer day, and they are likely to answer, “the springs.” Though Florida is famous for its coastline, the state’s natural springs are its true hidden treasure. In fact, Florida has the largest collection of freshwater springs on earth. Geologists estimate that there are over 1,000 springs in Florida, and they are still discovering new ones. In fact, 27 new springs were identified last year in the Florida panhandle!
A natural spring sits atop an exit for water that is bubbling up from below the ground. In northern and central Florida, this water is cool because it is in close contact with the bedrock, a solid layer of rock beneath the earth’s surface. With year-long temperatures of 68 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 23 degrees Celsius), the cool, clear waters of the springs grant a refreshing environment for recreational activities like swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. But the springs do more than provide us with fun! Our natural springs are an important part of the ecosystem. They create ideal habitats for gopher tortoises, alligators, river otters, and our beloved Forida manatees.
Have you ever heard the term first magnitude springs? First magnitude is a special designation for springs that discharge more than 65 million gallons of water per day! Florida has 27 first magnitude springs, two of which are in our area: Ichetucknee Springs in Ft. White and Silver Springs near Ocala. The Gainesville brewery First Magnitude Brewing Co. is named for these big, powerful springs.
Which of Florida’s 1,000+ springs have you visited? Would you like to visit some more?
Check out 15 Magical Secret Spots And Hidden Gems In Florida – Florida Trippers to get some inspiration!
Weekend Event
Saturday, August 2nd– End of Semester BBQ at Lake Wauburg – 11:45am – 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/20F0C4BA9A823A02-57545166-endofsemester
CIP Weekday Activities
CIP Photo of the Week: St. Augustine
Other CIP Reminders
Conversation Partners
Want to meet with a fluent English speaker and make a new friend? Sign up for a CP! If you choose to sign up, you must meet with your partner for one hour a week. It can take up to two weeks to get a partner from when you sign up. Please sign up here!
Please email Joey at conversationpartners@eli.ufl.edu for any issues, questions or concerns or visit her in the CIP Office during office hours.
CIP Passports
Don’t forget to get your CIP Passport hole punched from the activity leaders at the event (not after). We don’t hole punch passports after the event. Redeem your completed passport for a small gift, a photo for the ELI Instagram, and your name published in the ELI weekly!
Need a new CIP Passport? Stop by the CIP Office!
Find the Pineapple
Remember the CIP Pineapple is hidden in a new place every Monday in the CIP office. Stop by and find it for hole punches!
Notes from the Office
Notes on Men’s Bathroom: The custodial staff has made numerous complaints about the state of the men’s bathroom on our floor (2nd floor). In fact, some days the men’s room gets so dirty the staff actually close the bathroom. Please help keep all the bathrooms clean by keeping everything where it needs to go. As a reminder, there is absolutely no smoking or vaping allowed in the bathrooms. Many people need to use the Matherly Hall bathrooms every day—let’s keep them clean and available!
People out: Daryl will be out of the office July 28 and July 30. Please plan around these dates if you need to talk to Daryl.
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.
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.
Commencement Update: The room for our ELI Commencement ceremony has changed. It will take place in the Innovation Rooms A and B, Reitz Union, at 10am on Friday, August 8th.
Last Day of Classes for Summer Semester
Thursday, August 7, is the final day of ELI classes this Fall. Teachers will be submitting final grades and attendance reports at the end of the day on Wednesday, August 6. If you are absent on Thursday, your absence will not be counted for immigration, class grades, or any petition you have submitted. Because all absences on August 4, August 5, and August 6 still count, you should not miss class these days.
We hope all ELI students will attend class on Thursday, August 7. Your teachers and LAs have fun and interesting lessons and activities planned. However, we know many ELI students are preparing to leave Gainesville, so are very busy the last week. If you will not be attending class on Thursday, August 7, please inform your teacher by Tuesday, August 5. 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, August 8. We hope you will be there, too!
Important Dates for Fall C 2025
Fall C Check-in: Remember, you must check in using myELI between August 18 and August 22, 2025. Even if you completed the Returning Student Survey, you must check in online to save your space. All students must attend classes beginning on Tuesday, September 2.
Fall C 2025 dates:
- August 18 – August 22: Returning students must check in online in myELI
- August 26: NEW STUDENT Welcome and Registration (returning students are not required to attend)
- August 30: Welcome Picnic
- September 2: Classes begin. Your teachers will start taking attendance on this day
- September 29: Instructor Workday – No classes, but the ELI office will be open
- October 17: UF Homecoming Holiday – No classes and the ELI office will be closed
- October 27: Instructor Workday – No classes, but the ELI office will be open
- November 11: Veteran’s Day Holiday – No classes and the ELI office will be closed
- November 24 – November 28: Thanksgiving Break – No classes and the ELI office will be closed
- December 4: Final day of classes
- December 5: ELI Commencement Ceremony
Birthdays
| Students | Staff | ||
| None this week | Todd Allen | July 29 | |
| Patricia Moon | July 31 | ||
Happy Birthday! |
Manners and Culture
Q: In my country, it’s common to call someone by their family name, but somebody told me not to do that here in the U.S. Why not?
A: You were given some good advice! In the U.S., people are usually called by their first name (given name). We don’t usually call people by their last name unless we add a title before it, like Mr. or Ms. or a professional title, like Dr. or Prof.
If you only call people by their last name, they might think you are being rude and treating them disrespectfully. However, I should note that it does happen sometimes. We can see people calling each other by last names in movies or shows, particularly those involving the police or military roles. It usually seen as a sign of aggression or authority over someone.
Grammar
Q: When do I use ‘the people’ vs. ‘people’
A: Great question. It depends if you are talking about all people or specific people.
For example:
The people in my grammar class are so friendly. (specific people)
People spend hours scrolling through social media. (all people, people in general)
Can you see the same rule in these examples?
- People think their mom’s cooking is the best in the world.
- The people who I met at the ELI have become my best friends.
Joke of the Week
Q: What gets wetter the more it dries?
A towel!
Request from the Editor
| Thank you to everyone who sent me paragraphs to publish and jokes to entertain! |