Elizabeth Paris
  • Criminal Justice
  • Class of 2019
  • Trafalgar, IN

Elizabeth Paris Participates in Bob Jones University Language Halls

2017 Jun 19

Elizabeth Paris, a Senior majoring in Communication , participated in the first-ever Language Halls program at Bob Jones University during the 2016-2017 academic year.

Paris, a resident of Trafalgar, joined one of the Chinese-, French-, and Spanish-only discipleship groups in the BJU residence halls. Paris signed a language commitment in a ceremony last August, committing to maintain the language integrity of the group for the entire academic year in order to fully benefit from the experience.

"If done right, immersion is an excellent method for improving language proficiency," says Dr. Jeremy Patterson, chair of the Division of Modern Language and Literature at BJU. "Adding this option for our students both increases the value of a BJU education, which already offers courses in four modern languages as well as community and study abroad opportunities, and also contributes to making BJU a leader in Christian higher education."

The purpose of this voluntary program is to add the possibility of daily immersion to the experience of language students at BJU. BJU's Student Life and Discipleship placed groups of students in residence hall discipleship groups according to the language they are studying. Group leaders and strategically placed native speakers help maintain a no-English zone in the language-specific halls. Though students should have a certain level of ability in their language, they do not have to be language majors or minors - or currently enrolled in a language course - in order to participate.