Over the summer, a new international program made its way to the Tarleton State University campus. The Language Company (TLC), an organization that seeks to provide English as a second language (ESL) classes along with educational, professional and personal development to international students, officially set up shop in Stephenville in July.

“The Language Company-Stephenville has been in the works for many years, as I understand it, mainly due to the hard work of Dr. Marilyn Robitaille and Dr. Jennifer Edwards,” said Jerry Balding, Director of The Language Company-Stephenville. “I first arrived on campus as of July 2014, and began recruiting and setting up the English as a second language center.”

TLC’s goal is to provide enrichment for international individuals, in the hope that they will continue pursuing an education in America.

“We want to provide ESL instruction to as many students as possible to help them reach their desired English proficiency level so that they may pursue either their academic or personal goals,” said Balding. “Most of our students come to us on an academic track with the desire to pursue an American education at an American university. It is our hope that through excellent instruction at our center and with the many friendships made on campus and in the community, that many of our international students will decide to make TSU their educational home in America.”

Students will be placed with families in Stephenville, who will provide them with transportation and food during their time at Tarleton.

“The responsiveness of the center’s customer service and the communities’ willingness to embrace the students are two of the major factors in us reaching our goals,” Balding said. “I have been publishing to prospective students that the only thing warmer than the Texas sun, is the welcome students will receive at TLC-Stephenville and at Tarleton State University. I am looking forward to making this a reality.”

Balding explained that the transition to American culture is often difficult for students, and that TLC aims to ease this transition by providing them with a solid support system.

“When I pick up our international students from the airport, I always tell them that they are now a part of two families; the one they just left, and now, also, the TLC-Stephenville family,” Balding said. “I explain that we will never cook as good as their mother, but that we will do everything in our power to equip them for success in their educational goals.”

Despite the challenges faced by international students, Balding added, they are still held to a high standard for success, and pushed to achieve that standard.

“I am… communicating two very important messages that I want all of our international students to experience while they are with us,” Balding explained. “The first is that they are accepted. Many of the students come from a vast array of different cultures and faiths and it is important for them to know immediately that they are accepted, bar none. Secondly, the students need to know that we have high expectations for all of them, even though many students come to us with very low English skills, and that our culture sees merit as the fairest and best factor for advancement.”

TLC is affiliated with Student Success and Multicultural Initiatives (SSMI) at Tarleton, under the advising of Robitaille and Edwards. Balding explained that his work with TLC stemmed from his love of international education, having lived overseas for 15 years.

“I was attracted to this position due to my 15 years of living overseas and I could identify with the struggling language learners,” Balding reminisced. “I applied, and thankfully I was accepted… Once I heard about TLC opening a new center at Tarleton State University, I was immediately attracted to the position because of the university and the prospect of moving my family out of the city. My family and I are now very happy to call Stephenville our new home and we have been overwhelmed by the welcome we have received.”

Balding said his position as director for the program has not inhibited him from pursuing his original passion, teaching.

“Although it was my desire to teach that first attracted me to this career path, I find that even working in administration as a director, I am never very far from a teaching experience,” Balding said. “At any given time, I could be either counseling with a student or assisting in the induction of a new employee. The great satisfaction about what I do, like many other great career paths, is that my satisfaction is gained by assisting others in achieving their goals. It gives great satisfaction to me to see former ESL students fully acclimated into the American culture, enrolled with the host university and diligently working towards their goals. What could be better?”