Overview

“Who Am I? Who Will I Become” is project of New City Community Press and the English Language Institute(eli.syr.edu) at Syracuse University focused on the insights and experiences of international students, students who are simultaneously developing English language skills and academic research skills in the current turbulent context of the United States.

Who Am I? Who will I Become? 

 

You are currently in one of the most fascinating periods of your life. 

 

You are experiencing and trying to navigate different ideas of education, community, culture – often all at once.

 

And you are not alone in this experience. Beyond your immediate classmates, more and more college students are traveling abroad for their education. Like you, they are attempting to understand how to navigate their new countries. They are trying to figure out how to hold onto the values of their old country in these new situations. 

 

We believe that your unique experiences can speak to others. We believe that what you are learning can help others students as they enter new classrooms, colleges, and communities. 

 

For the next several weeks, we are hoping you will take part in a book project by New City Community Press. The goal of the book is to record the experiences and insights of students who have travelled abroad for their education. Students who often have to learn a new language and a new system of education. Students who despite all sorts of difficulties also succeed. And as with other New City Community Press publications, this book will be read by people in the United States, South America, Europe, and the Middle East. (To learn more about New City Community Press, visit: newcitycommunitypress.com)

 

To take part in this project, all you will have to do is to respond to a series of prompts shared with you by your teacher. The prompts will invite you to think about your own life, your life as a student, and as a member of a family or citizen of a country. Some of the prompts will ask you to write. Some will ask you to draw. You might even decide to respond to some with photography or art. 

 

We are hoping you will bring your full creative self to this work. 

 

Once you respond to the prompt, your teacher or someone in ELI might read it and offer some suggestions. When you feel your response expresses your full viewpoint, your work will be read by myself and my editors. We will then work with you to finish your piece for publication. We will also make sure you receive a free copy of the book when it is published. 

 

 

We hope you will take part in this project. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Steve Parks

Founder/Editor, New City Community Press

 

Assistant Editors, New City Community Press

Zach Barlow

Rafaela Evans

Destiny Reyes