How to join an English Conversation Hour: Just drop on by! You do not need to register for an English Conversation hour. And you don’t need to commit to coming every week. Come only to the sessions that work with your schedule. 

Eligibility: This program is available to the entire Cornell community. Undergraduates, graduate students, professional students, postdocs, visiting scholars, staff, and faculty are all welcome to join! 

Schedule: This semester’s schedule is available here: https://lrc.cornell.edu/conversation-hours

Do you not see an English Conversation Hour that works with your schedule? Gather a group, figure out a meeting time, and contact the Language Resource Center or ELSO and we will help you set up a new English Conversation Hour.

Volunteer to lead an English Conversation Hour: Are you interested in leading an English Conversation Hour? Complete a Volunteer Form. 

English Conversation Hours are offered across the week. See the current schedule here.

Nadia Sadati: I am a senior studying French and Business in the College of Arts & Sciences. Growing up in a multilingual household sparked my love for learning languages. I know from experience how tough it can be to adjust to a new environment with unfamiliar languages and cultures. That's why I volunteer--to help make that transition smoother and more welcoming. I'm excited for the chance to learn from each other and create meaningful connections as we get to know one another! Nadia is leading English Conversation Hours on Tuesdays, 3:00-4:00, via Zoom. 

Bill Fry: William (Bill) Fry is an Emeritus Professor of Plant Pathology.  He has had many roles during his career at Cornell: student, faculty member, department chairman, senior associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Dean of the University faculty, and Trustee.   He has lived outside the United States during two sabbatical leaves and was grateful to interact in a casual manner with colleagues and neighbors during those leaves. Those casual interactions were really interesting and enriched the experience of living outside the USA.  While at Cornell, he mentored many international graduate students and visiting fellows.  These persons (now colleagues) came from South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.  He has struggled to learn languages other than English. Bill is leading English Conversation Hours on Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 pm in the Plant Science Building (328A)

Paul Jensen: I’m a member of the staff at Mann Library, where I work on managing our collections of books and periodicals. I’ve been living in the Ithaca area for eight years, but I’m originally from New Jersey and have traveled across the country and overseas. In my free time, I enjoy photography and studying language. I volunteered with the English Language Support Office on campus last year, and this will be my first semester hosting a conversation hour at the LRC. Paul is leading English Conversation Hours on Wednesdays, 6:00-7:00 pm in G25 Stimson Hall.

Oluwapelumi Egunjobi: My name is Oluwapelumi (Precious) and I am a junior studying chemistry here at Cornell. I love language and learning about other cultures! I am currently learning French and Swahili, and I am fluent in Yoruba. I love dancing, so that’s what you’ll find me doing in my free time. Our group is a safe space to share ideas, learn from one another, and create our own culture! I am looking forward to meeting you! Oluwapelumi is co-leading English Conversation Hours with Elda Abayneh on Thursdays, 1:00-2:00 pm in G25 Stimson Hall.

Isabella Riano: I am a senior majoring in American Studies and Government and minoring in Migration Studies, Law & Society, and Latino Studies from Long Island, NY. I'm interested in pursuing immigration law and I have always been interested in learning more languages to help others. With both my parents being from Colombia, I grew up bilingual, speaking Spanish at home. After studying abroad last semester, I got a glimpse of how difficult it can be to be in a new environment with a new culture. Therefore I hope to create a safe and uplifting environment for all! I'm so excited to get to know each other more and support one another! Isabella is leading conversation hours on Thursdays from 4:30-5:30 pm in G25 Stimson Hall (no meetings on 10/17 or 11/7).

Serene Wang: Bilingual and bilingualism enthusiast. L2 chunker in Uris basement. (Translation: I love bilinguals and the phenomenon of bilingualism so much that I’m getting a PhD in psychology to study bilingualism and second language learning, chunking, and processing). Serene is leading English Conversation Hours on Fridays, 2:00-3:00 pm in G25 Stimson Hall (see schedule for meeting dates).

Katerina Dimitriadou-Shuster:  I grew up in Greece and lived in Scotland, UK before coming to the USA. I have lived in Ithaca for about 5 years, and I work at Cornell Library’s Department of Rare and Manuscript Collections. I have tried to learn several languages throughout the years, and I much appreciate the power of conversation on everyday topics. I enjoy traveling, cooking and eating food from different parts of the world and listening to world music. Katerina is leading English Conversation Hours on Fridays, 3:00-4:00 pm in G24A Stimson Hall and on Zoom.

Questions may be directed to ELSO Director Michelle Crow by clicking here or to the Language Resource Center.