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People

English Language Center staff respond to individual needs for language and culture support so that our students can thrive in a U.S. academic environment.

an instructor speaks in front of a white board

Experts in English Language Teaching and Learning

ELC instructors and directors are applied linguists who focus on the real-world English-language needs of the Vanderbilt University community and who make scholarly contributions to our professional community.

Director's Welcome

On behalf of our entire staff, welcome to the VU English Language Center (ELC). The ELC has internationally-recognized English-language programs devoted to helping you become more fully integrated in our university community and meeting your academic potential. We strongly believe one aspect of academic success and cultural adaptation lies in language instruction when you first arrive and throughout your studies. Our center offers high academic standards, a stimulating learning environment, and excellent resources.

You are an integral part of this university community, and we are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals as well as relieve some of the stress and anxiety that comes from performing in English in a highly competitive academic setting. Whether you are facing challenges due to your language proficiency or are working toward mastering your command of English, we are here to support you.

Please take a look at our course offerings and see how we may assist you during your time with us at Vanderbilt University.

Staff

Internships

The ELC offers internship opportunities for Vanderbilt graduate, professional, and undergraduate students. To learn more about internship opportunities, see the Internships page. To inquire about internship opportunities, contact the ELC at elc@vanderbilt.edu.

Interns are integral to the ELC’s daily operations. 

Student Interns and Coaches

  • Henry Sui

    Headshot of Henry, a student coach at the English Language Center.

    Henry is an undergraduate student majoring in Economics and Public Policy. Originally from Toronto, Canada, he is passionate about supporting others in learning English by drawing on his own language-learning journey. In his free time, Henry enjoys playing badminton, drumming, and going to concerts with friends. He also loves keeping up with current events and reading political memoirs.

  • Loryn Smith

    Headshot of Loryn Smith, ELC coach

    Loryn Smith graduated from the University of Florida with her Bachelor of Health Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology at Vanderbilt. She is interested in language learning and development across the lifespan, as well as auditory processing. In her free time, Loryn enjoys going on long walks and reading.

  • Santiago Trujillo

    Santiago Trujillo - Headshot

    Santiago is a Master of Science in Finance student at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Originally from Colombia, he is passionate about connecting with people from all over the world and learning about different cultures. He enjoys studying the financial markets and hopes to break into financial advising post-graduation. Outside of school and work, he enjoys playing tennis, running, and hanging out with friends and family.

  • Xiaodi Shao

    Xiaodi is an undergraduate student at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Cognitive Studies and Computer Science.

  • Ningcong (George) Jiang

    headshot of Ningcong (George) JiangNingcong (George) Jiang is a senior undergraduate student at Vanderbilt. He is majoring in Mathematics and Economics, and minoring in Data Science and Computer Science. He is originally from Shanghai, China. With an international background, he is interested in learning different languages and cultures. In his free time, he enjoys travelling, playing Go, playing table tennis, and spending time with his friends and family.