At the end of October, Kansas City’s streetcar extension opened—connecting UMKC to the rest of downtown Kansas City with miles of track on a fare-free system of transit. The expansion of this public transportation has created so much possibility for UMKC students, especially ALI students, who no longer have to rely entirely on transportation by car, bus or walking to access the highlights of Kansas City’s landscape and community.
The extension was highly celebrated by the city and UMKC, with events taking place through the weekend and on UMKC’s Volker Campus. Read more about the grand opening here.
We are hopeful that the streetcar will enrich our visiting students’ experiences on our campus, as they now will be able to access an array of dining, shopping and entertainment options to supplement their academic experience. We also hope that the installation of the streetcar will encourage and grow student engagement with ALI events. We have lots of ideas for the future, especially with the re-vamping of our Conversation Club, where students are paired with a local volunteer to foster connection, friendship, and practice their English speaking.
Since the grand opening, we have been able to take a few short ventures on the streetcar as a group. In November, we had our semesterly visit to the ice rink at Crown Center. Our students had a great time de-stressing by playing on the ice for an afternoon.
The week of Thanksgiving, we also rode the streetcar with a group of students all the way to the River Market for a get-together lunch. While many students travel or return home for the holidays, we know that sometimes this is not feasible for our students during the brief one-week break. We invite those who stay behind to share a meal and their time with us:
This new year at the Applied Language Institute, we look forward to continuously being on the move. With upcoming short-term programs, the World Cup in the summer, and Kansas City at our doorstep–there is a lot for the ALI and its students to explore and experience.
This October,
our Director was also on the move. Jeremy visited Japan and Taiwan for the purpose of student recruitment and strengthening relationships with our various partners.
In Kurashiki, Japan, Jeremy reunited with participants of our Spring 2025 short-term program with Kurashiki City College. They expressed their satisfaction with the early-childhood program and their wish to continue it for as long as possible, as well as presented Jeremy with a certificate of appreciation. We look forward to continuing to foster our partnership with Kurashiki City College.
During this trip, Jeremy also visited Tainan, Taiwan for the first time. He was able to meet with the National University of Tainan, Tainan City Hall and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST), with whom UMKC has a longstanding partnership with and hopes to progress even further.
Jeremy also visited Ibaraki University in Mito, Japan:
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