EMU’s Intensive English Program (IEP) celebrated the accomplishments of its two fall 2025 graduates at a ceremony in Martin Chapel on Wednesday, April 8.
The graduates, Alberto Mederos and Jany Carballo, completed Level 6, the highest level of classes offered at IEP. They received graduation certificates and stoles emblazoned with the flags of both their home country, Cuba, and the United States, along with hugs from their instructors. Each of the two graduates spoke during the ceremony.
The ceremony was followed by a potluck meal held in EMU’s Roselawn Building.
Mederos thanked his teachers for boosting his confidence, pushing him forward, and never letting him give up.
“Thank you so much for preparing us for life in this new country, the United States of America, where learning English is a vital necessity,” he said.
He shared a few words of advice for fellow students still in the program. “Never give up and keep pushing,” he said. “With resilience, determination, and effort, you can turn your own dreams into reality.”
Carballo credited her IEP instructors with believing in her, supporting her, and helping her regain motivation and self-confidence.
“This program is the best place to start when you are an immigrant learning a new language,” she said. “You made me feel safe, supported, and as part of the family.”
The path wasn’t easy, she said, with ups and downs and moments when she felt like giving up. But with the IEP’s help, she faced her fears and reached her first goal: building a foundation in English.
“I feel confident knocking on any door and looking for new opportunities,” she said. “Thank you for being my stepping stone to the next level of my life.”
In his address to the graduates, their families and friends, and others gathered for the ceremony, IEP Director Jeremy Samsoe reflected on the idiom “going back to square one.”
“It means to go back to the beginning of something,” he said, and oftentimes, the phrase is associated with some kind of failure. “Maybe you failed at a task, failed at a job, and now you must go back to square one.”
“For many of you here, being in a new country and starting a new life can feel a bit like being at square one—that you are completely starting over,” Samsoe said. “I like to remind students that you are not truly starting at square one. You are starting many new things, but you also bring with you many things: your language, your culture, your expertise.”
“For both of you, Jany and Alberto, this is like moving one more square,” he said. “It’s not the end of your education or your language learning, but it is a step forward. It is an accomplishment, one among many, that you will have in your life.”
The ceremony also included remarks from Harrisonburg Councilman Nasser Alsaadun MA ’17 (education).
The Iraqi-born educator, who came to the United States in 2008, became the first refugee councilmember in the city’s history when he was elected in the fall of 2024. He repeated something he’s often said—that IEP is the best program of its kind from Winchester to Charlottesville—and expressed deep gratitude for its impact on refugees and immigrants in the community.
“It does much more than teach English,” he said. “It opens doors, builds confidence, and creates opportunities.”
Alsaadun said he’s personally witnessed incredible journeys through the program. “I have seen students arrive with little or no English and, through hard work and determination, go on to pursue graduate degrees,” he said. “That kind of growth is inspiring. It shows resilience, talent, and a strong commitment to success.”
About the Intensive English Program
EMU’s Intensive English Program (IEP) helps English language learners from all around the world find their voice and build a better life for themselves. In a typical semester, IEP has 60 to 80 students representing 15 to 20 different countries.
For more info about EMU’s Intensive English Program, visit emu.edu/iep.
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