Volunteer program provides enriching experience By Jennifer Kordela, Senior Staff WriterThe International Student Tutor Mentor Program, which has existedfor 20 years, is providing volunteers with an enlightening experienceto assist students from around the world.
"The program is designed to help the international students withtheir academic skills, to improve their English and to help themlearn the American culture," ISTM program director Gigie Price said.
The program is helping foreign students adjust to the UnitedStates socially, culturally and academically, according to Gigie andLarry Price, who is also a program director for ISTM. It has becomeessential for some students seeking to attain professional careersand to improve their English skills.
"I cannot survive without a tutor," art junior Tomo Uesugi said.
Uesugi said he thinks the program is great because it caterstoward the individual's needs, incorporates culture and helps improvehis English in both pronunciation and writing. Uesugi is originallyfrom Japan and is in his first semester at San Diego State, aftertransferring from Grossmont College.
"I really enjoy talking to American people who are willing to talkto international students," he said.
The students are very motivated, said Gigie Price. Some of themare exchange students and the cream of the crop from their homeuniversities, she said.
"They're very accomplished," she said. "They are like sponges.They want to absorb everything they can."
The program currently has about 200 students a year. There havebeen about 50 new students in the last three weeks, the highestnumber of enrollment yet. To accommodate the students, there arepresently about 80 to 85 tutors involved in the program. The tutorsspend two hours a week with their matched student(s).
"We really need tutors," Larry Price said. "Tutors get enormoussatisfaction out of (the program).
"It's a way of giving without spending a lot of time."
Larry Price said the tutors are representing the United Statesbecause, when the students go back, this is what they know of theU.S.
"It's been a wonderful experience," mentor Ken Larcombe said. "Iwas looking for something to do - something that was worthwhile&- to help out."
Larcombe has been involved in the program for 12 years, he said.He prefers to tutor just one student at a time, but has taken on asmany as five at one point. He works with the students until they goback home. Sometimes it may be as short as one semester, or as longas two years, he said.
Larcombe and his wife have been very hospitable to the studentsand quite dedicated to the program, according to Gigie Price.
"The student I have now, she wants to see the city and doesn'thave a car," he said. "So we'll give her a tour one day."
Larcombe is currently working with two students. One is originallyfrom Taiwan and is studying literature and the other is from Peru andstudying geography, both at SDSU.
Mentor Evelyn Simmons is also satisfied with her experience. Thementors and students are matched according to their preferences.Simmons said she wanted to help someone with English, after meetingwith the Prices.
"I think I learned as much as I taught," she said.
For more information contact the International Student Center orGigie and Larry Price at sdsuistmp@sbcglobal.net.
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