The English Language Support Office (ELSO) is Cornell University’s writing, speaking, and language support program for multilingual graduate and professional students.
ELSO is here for you, whether you are seeking to communicate more effectively through oral communication, working your way through a thesis or dissertation, figuring out how to effectively and ethically use a chatbot (e.g. ChatGPT, Copilot) or preparing for the job search. As part of the Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines, all of our programs are offered at no additional charge to you. Below are descriptions of our major programs.
ELSO Courses on Writing, Speaking, and the Job Search: ELSO’s seven-week courses (1 credit, pass/fail) are small, highly interactive, and tailored to focus on the writing and speaking challenges of graduate school. These courses are self-selected by students who want to excel as writers, speakers, and English users.
ELSO Tutoring on Writing, Presentations, and Pronunciation: This tutoring program is designed to meet your immediate needs, whether you are working on a paper, preparing for a conference or interview, or striving for clearer communication through effective pronunciation. You can book in-person or online (synchronous or asynchronous) 45-minute appointments with our graduate tutors.
ELSO Friday Workshop Series: Our 90-minute interactive workshops focus on key strategies and resources relevant to speaking and writing in graduate school. This semester’s workshop topics including socializing and networking, preparing for the career fair, and writing with generative AI.
Would you like to learn more about these programs? Plan to attend an online ELSO Info Session. These sessions are designed to provide information on ELSO programs and provide guidance to students who have questions about which programs or courses would most effectively meet their needs. Each of these Info Sessions starts with a brief overview of ELSO programs, followed by a time for you to ask questions. This fall, we are offering three Info Sessions:
August 16 (4:00-5:00 pm EST) (led by Nathan Lindberg)
August 20 (9:00-10:00 am EST) (led by Michelle Crow)
August 23 (2:00-3:00 pm EST) (led by Melissa Myers)
Zoom links for these sessions will be shared through the ELSO listserv.
We also hope to meet you in person at orientations. Come find us at these resource fairs:
Grad Connect: A Resource Fair for Graduate and Professional Degree Students: August 22. 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, Barton Hall
Orientation for International Graduate and Professional Students: August 24, 1:00-3:30 pm, Statler Auditorium
Email us with any questions at elso@cornell.edu.
Once again, welcome to Cornell! We look forward to being part of your degree journey and Cornell experience.
Michelle Crow, ELSO Director and Senior Lecturer
Nathan Lindberg, ELSO Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the ELSO Writing and Presenting Tutoring Service
Melissa Myers, ELSO Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the ELSO Pronunciation Tutoring Service
