English Language and Culture Institute Receives Top Distinction

Published: 05/05/2020

The St. Charles Community College English Language and Culture Institute (ELCI) works hard to ensure non-native speakers have the opportunity to improve their reading, grammar, composition, and speaking skills every day.

In April, their dedication was rewarded. The ELCI received its five-year initial accreditation from the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA).

“SCC is the only community college in Missouri with this honor,” said Dr. Dawn K. Huffman, ELCI chair. “We're now one of only seven total CEA accredited programs in Missouri and only one of about 300 programs or institutions in the world.”

To obtain accreditation, SCC provided rigorous evidence of compliance with industry-accepted standards.

“We also demonstrated the constant ability to improve and excel in the intensive English field,” said Huffman. “Only those that demonstrate compliance and continuous improvement are recognized with accreditation.”

The accreditation benefits students by assuring that the program’s services and faculty meet the CEA standards, which were originally created by intensive English professionals. According to the CEA website, these standards allow the “program or institution to gauge its effectiveness against benchmarks set by the profession.” Furthermore, the reporting and reaccreditation required ensure that institutions remain dedicated to the standards and mission.

“We could not have achieved this recognition without the support of our administration and the contribution of several staff and faculty members,” Dr. Huffman said. “Because of the reporting requirements and CEA’s systematic review of standards, our work will continue. Our faculty and staff are always striving to meet best practices.”

When a program is accredited by CEA, students know that they will receive quality instruction, and organizations, companies, and governments that pay for students to learn English can also be assured that they are making a good investment.

“This accreditation is further proof that SCC is committed to cultural diversity on campus. We understand that our community benefits from the variety of perspectives these students provide,” said Huffman.  

Learn more about ELCI.