Dear IEP Students,

Welcome to the University of Central Arkansas and Conway to our new IEP students! We have 19 new students in IEP, and there are also 9 continuing students from the spring and summer semesters. I am very happy that all of you are here. I realize that you have a choice of where to go to school, and the IEP teachers and I are honored that you chose UCA.

I plan to write a letter for the Planet IEP website at least once a month. (If I don't, Mrs. Bowles will give me an F!) The purpose of my monthly letter is to update you about what's happening and to remind you of opportunities, important dates, and important things that you need to do. Not all of you are in my classes, and I don't always have a chance to communicate with you regularly. Please remember that you can drop by my office to talk to me about any concerns, problems, or questions that you have. If I am really busy, I will ask you to come back later, but I can usually make the time to talk for a few minutes at least. You can also make an appointment to talk to me in my office, send me an e-mail message (lynnr@mail.uca.edu), or call me on my office phone at 450-3671.

The first important date I want to tell you about is our IEP Picnic next week on Wednesday, Sept. 11. We will leave the campus at around 11:00 a.m. Everyone has Pronunciation, Conversation, & Public Speaking class at that time, and you will definitely have a chance to practice your conversational skills at the picnic. I urge all of you to try to meet at least 3 new friends at the picnic. More about this idea later.

The IEP will provide food for the picnic. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions--in other words, if there is something that you can't eat--please tell one of your teachers. We are planning to have hamburgers (beef), salad, chips, cookies, and soft drinks.

Your IEP teachers will provide transportation for the picnic. If you have a car and don't mind driving it to the picnic, please tell one of your teachers. We probably need a few extra cars. The picnic will be at Beaverfork Lake, which is about a 10-minute drive from the campus. If you have a class or need to go to work later in the afternoon, someone will bring you back to campus in time for your class or work.

Now, about making new friends . . . . I'm sure all of you recognize the date of the picnic--September 11. This is the one-year anniversary of the attacks in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania that killed so many people and shocked the world. You might think that we should not have our picnic on this day. It should be a day to honor the people who died and the people who worked to save them. It should be a day to hope and pray for peace in the world.

I agree with these statements. I also believe that all of us in IEP have a very special opportunity to help bring peace to the world in our small way. Peace has a chance to grow when people from different countries and cultures become friends. Peace has a chance to grow when people from different countries and cultures realize that they have a lot in common. Peace has a chance to grow when people from different countries and cultures understand that their differences are interesting, not bad or wrong.

So, enjoy the IEP Picnic and try to make some new friends . . . and maybe we can make some peace at the same time. Have a wonderful semester!

Sincerely,

Lynn Ramage Schaefer, Interim Coordinator
Intensive English Program
Department of World Languages, Literatures, & Cultures
Irby Hall #207J
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, AR 72035
tel: (501) 450-3671
fax: (501) 450-5185
LYNNR@mail.uca.edu