News and Events
The 2019 English-Speaking Union Annual Conference
National News
The 2019 English-Speaking Union Annual Conference, hosted by the ESU Washington D.C. Branch, brought members from all over the country to the Nation's capital for a weekend of camaraderie and planning for the ESU's next 100 years. The Cosmos Club, venue for most of the November 1-3 weekend, provided an accommodating environs for the sessions and meals. This year's conference focused on renewed Branch involvement and a new branding initiative in conjunction with planning for the 2020 centennial celebrations.
BUSINESS SESSIONS
Business sessions included a meeting of the National Board of Directors as well as plenary sessions on the Centennial celebrations and the branding update. Multiple Branch-led breakout sessions on topics including communication, the National Shakespeare Competition, and fundraising, among others, followed the official 2019 English-Speaking Union Annual General Meeting on Sunday, November 3, 2019.
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ARNIC Thanksgiving
National News
On November 19th, the English Speaking Union's Andrew Romay New Immigrant Center (ARNIC) hosted its annual traditional American Thanksgiving celebration. This event affords ARNIC members the opportunity to experience and actively participate in a major U.S. holiday, all while enjoying the joyful company of their peers and teachers. ARNIC is a free ESU program that facilitates the integration of recently arrived immigrants through English language classes, conversation tutoring and professional development opportunities.
Each year for Thanksgiving, the staff of the ESU transforms the Garden Lounge into a festively adorned dining area that exudes the warmth of the season in sights, smells and tastes. The celebration is catered to provide members with all the trimmings of a traditional American Thanksgiving meal, from turkey to pumpkin pie.
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New York Junior League workshop for ARNIC Members
National News
The English Speaking Union's Andrew Romay New Immigrant Center (ARNIC), founded in 2012, is a program that provides new immigrants a space where they can develop their English language fluency, learn about American culture, network and find professional development opportunities in the U.S.
ARNIC partners with various organizations that offer professional development opportunities to our program participants. These workshops equip ARNIC members with the skills, knowledge and resources to succeed in a variety of sectors within the U.S. workforce.
One especially active partner organization is the New York Junior League (NYJL), one of the oldest and largest women's non-profit organizations in New York City. The NYJL is committed to serving individuals of all genders and from all backgrounds, with new immigrant populations being a principal focus.
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Report from Luard Morse Scholar Kyana Washington
National News
My last term at The University of Oxford was so indescribably amazing that it has been hard to properly reflect on the experience. I guess reflection is hardest when you don't want something to be over. Being in Oxford was an experience that I will never forget and one that has changed me forever. I learned so much from the inspiring students and scholars who made this term both challenging and delightful.
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Reflection from TLab Scholar Deidre Donovan
National News
In 1995, I went to Stratford-upon-Avon for the very first time. It was late July, and I was participating in the Roehampton Institute International Summer School, in association with the Shakespeare Institute and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. I was the lucky teacher who won the Treadwell Scholarship that year from the English-Speaking Union (New York Branch), which meant that I had all my expenses paid for my Stratford trip, including tuition, theater trips, meals, and more. It was a dream come true. I stayed at a bed-and-breakfast charmingly named "All's Well that End's Well" and attended lectures at the King Edward VI School on Church Street (a.k.a. as "Shakespeare's School"). Professor Stanley Wells (he would receive his knighthood in 2016) gave the opening lecture to our group. Indeed, I still can remember the hush in the classroom as he spoke about Shakespeare like an old friend and gave us a preview of our agenda. What was in store sounded amazing—and it proved to be a life-changing experience for me. When I returned to teaching that fall in my inner-city classroom in Brooklyn, I had much to share with my students. And as the school year progressed, I could see that they not only were engaged in each Shakespeare play I introduced, they were hungry for more.
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ARNIC Class of 2019 Graduation
National News
– June 13, 2019
For the newest Andrew Romay New Immigrant Center (ARNIC) graduates, June 13 was an especially memorable occasion as they attended a graduation ceremony at the Harvard Club of New York. The ARNIC Class of 2019 was exceptionally diverse and included nearly 120 graduates from more than 40 countries.
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Immigrant Heritage Month
National News
June is Immigrant Heritage Month. We stand with immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers and recognize their contributions to building strong, diverse and cohesive communities.
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Career Day/Networking Night
National News
April was a busy month for ARNIC members, who had the opportunity to participate in two unique career-readiness events.
At our third annual Career Day, sponsored by Flushing Bank, members honed their interviewing skills as they took part in mock interviews with bank staff. Members also received personalized resume review and general interviewing tips from the Flushing Bank human resources team.
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The Literacy Review
National News
We were thrilled in April to learn that a piece of writing by ARNIC member Maddalena Maltese had been selected for publication in Volume 17 of The Literacy Review. Published by the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study, The Literacy Review is an annual journal of writing from adult literacy programs throughout New York City. Being featured is quite the honor. Although more than 350 students submitted work for consideration, only 77 pieces were selected to appear in this year's volume.
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2019 National Shakespeare Competition
National News
April 30, 2019 — New York City: April 29th may have been a normal Monday for most high school students, but for Maria Guardino Schreiner from Hawken School it will be a day to remember forever. Maria, student of Julia A. Griffin, won the 36th Annual National Shakespeare Competition on William Shakespeare's birthday while competing against 50 students from around the US on stage at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center Theater. The event is the culmination of a year-long competition hosted by the English-Speaking Union (ESU).
Maria received a full scholarship to attend the Midsummer Conservatory Program at the British American Drama Academy (BADA) in Oxford, England as the first place award for performing as Rosalind from Shakespeare's As You Like It and reciting Sonnet 29 in the final round of competition.
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