Giving Back: Public Health Student Becomes English Conversation Group Facilitator

August 30, 2023

Traveling the world during his time in the military, Antonio Herrera ’24 understood what it meant to be somewhere and not speak the native language. So when he heard about the English Conversation Group through the Center for International Services, he knew he wanted to assist others who were in the same situation that he had once been in.

“I wanted to engage with this program not only to connect with the community and do something I was interested in,” Herrera says. “But even more over that, I wanted to do something that could genuinely help other students.”

The Center for International Services hosts several programs to assist students to get the most out of their experience at the University by connecting with fellow students, building intercultural understanding and celebrating the richly diverse student body.

One of its signature programs, the English Conversation Group, founded in 1987 by staff member Riet Dekleermaeker, promotes friendship and understanding between English-speaking group facilitators and international students, scholars and spouses. It provides participants an opportunity to practice and improve their English language skills through informal conversations—and a chance for both international students and facilitators to connect and learn from each other.

Herrera has been involved with the military since 2012, enlisting in the U.S. Air Force and then transferring to the U.S. Army before separating from active duty to pursue a public health degree in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

During his time in the military, Herrera traveled all over Europe and Asia, making friends who helped him learn different languages; he discovered a love for languages, culture and traveling.

While he was in Japan and Korea, he would often encounter individuals who did not speak English and remembered how difficult that was at times.

“I didn’t want students to come here, especially non-English speaking students, and feel like they didn’t have someone that is here for them to talk to,” Herrera says. “Being involved with the English Conversation Group is my personal way to give back and support those students, having an idea of what they are going through.”

Herrera’s current group of students are from China and Korea. There is no real structure to the weekly conversations they have at the Center for International Services on Walnut Place, but rather Herrera lets the group ask questions about the University, the English language or perhaps issues or challenges they might be facing.

“I want them to talk about what they’re interested in or run through simple scenarios they are having issues with; maybe it’s doing a presentation in class or reading certain types of literature for certain studies. Every session is very, very different,” says Herrera, who will be commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps next year after graduation.

Interested in becoming a facilitator like Herrera? Easily apply online through a form. International students, scholars or spouses interested in joining the English Conversation Group can use a separate online form to apply. For questions about the English Conversation Group, call 315.443.2457 or email international@syr.edu.

By Christine Grabowski