Fall Semester is in Full Swing!

The 2024 fall semester at the Applied Language Institute has been off to an exciting (and busy) start!

Roo Fair

Before classes started on August 19th, the ALI attended the International Student Affairs Office Resource Fair on the University Walkway. We brought candies from around the world (and other goodies) to give out to students who stopped to chat with us at our table.

It was quite a hot day, but the ice cream truck provided by ISAO really helped cool everyone off. It was wonderful to see lots of students back on campus again!

Orientation

The following day, fall semester orientation took place. Our new graduate assistant, Anh, and Student Support Specialist, Chelsey, presented important information to our new incoming students and gave them a warm welcome!

It was wonderful getting to meet and chat with the students the ALI has been in contact with via email for months over lunch.

After lunch, the students went on a group tour of Volker campus. We are so happy to see students back on campus, it really livens the atmosphere!

We hope our fall 2024 cohort of students have a great time getting to know our campus and our city.

Welcome Party

It is tradition for the ALI to host a welcome party each semester to allow students of different levels to meet each other, as well as all our faculty and staff. All of our faculty, staff, visiting Fulbright Scholar, and a visiting partner were in attendance.

Our fall welcome party was full of laughs and joy! We spent the afternoon informing students of all the fun activities that are being organized to take place this semester that will enrich their time in Kansas City studying English.

Expect to see the highlights of all these upcoming activities later this semester. There are so many exciting events happening, such as Arirang Festival and another Poster Session!

After reviewing the important details of the semester, everyone in attendance broke into two tables for games. One table played a game of Jenga, and the blocks were marked with icebreaker questions. This helped everyone get to know each other. It was thrilling to see how some players tested the balance of the Jenga tower with risky pulls, and others were gentle and careful with their block pulls.

At the other table, an intense and boisterous game of Slapzi was underway. The intense shouts and radiant laughter illuminated the room and really helped to make everything comfortable.

The fall 2024 welcome party was an absolute blast and we hope friendships were forged in between the noise of the card slapping and tumbling blocks.

Kansas City Walking Tour

The first official student activity of the fall semester was a walking tour of Kansas City with Urban Hikes KC. International students from both the Applied Language Institute and others in academic programs gathered in a group to get a specialized tour of the city on foot.

The tour started at the Union Station, where students got to take in the atmosphere of pre-football season decorations and preparations, as well as the rich history of the city and it’s train station.

Then, the group took to the downtown streets and alleys to explore some of the murals scattered through the city. Eventually, they reached a stop for the streetcar and rode it all the way down to the City Market.

An the City Market, the students were treated to some popsicles from Palacana, a local ice cream shop that is highly treasured in Kansas City. The tour ended with a walk across the Town of Kansas Bridge.

The weather was lovely and students had a wonderful time exploring and learning about Kansas City, as well as getting the opportunity to spend time and make friends with their peers outside of the classroom.

“I’m glad to see people here at the ALI! They all make the department feel more lively!”

Overall, the semester has been off to joyous start. We are looking forward to the rest of the semester’s activities, and seeing our student’s linguistic abilities expand. Wish our fall 2024 students focus and clarity as they undertake their studies this semester!