Han Sun BSc Nursing HAN SUN China Chinese student finds many ways to learn English When Han Sun found her grades slipping in her first semester at the University of Windsor, she revaluated herself, adjusted the course and thrived academically and socially. Han is an international student from China who graduated from one of the top high schools in the country, the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University where excellent marks from middle school is critical. But by the first semester at Windsor, this excellent student was struggling academically. Han initially majored in Communications Studies because it is a subject she enjoyed while in high school. English, however, was a challenge for her. Instead of giving up, Han assessed her options and found her calling in Nursing. "I didn't want to learn business and nothing related to physics or engineering," said Han. "I heard about nursing and could probably find a good job and it is related to health." By second semester, Han who had switched to Nursing was taking required courses like biology and psychology and was earning impressive marks again. "It was really hard at first to read the text book when out of every 100 words I didn't understand 40 of them," explained Han. "I wanted to have a better future so I just kept reading the book and using my dictionary to understand all the words." Since then, everything changed quickly for Han Sun, particularly because of the Nursing communications lab where eight students spent four hours a week learning and practicing effective communications skills with a nursing professor. "It is part of the nursing training to understand people. I was pushed to talk, and I had the opportunity to talk in a group setting," said Han. "My professor really appreciated and understood people, she would wait for me to find my words and finish my sentence even when it took me a long time." One of the unique features of the Nursing program at the University of Windsor is that students in each academic year attend the same classes making it easier for them to connect and even form strong friendships. Most of Han's friends are nursing students and as much as she values friendship with fellow Chinese students, it was important for her to practice English at all times. "Learning English takes a long time and there is no bad way of learning the language you just need to push yourself," said Han. "I listen to the radio, try to watch T.V. and even if I can't talk to a friend, it is o.k., the more I listen and understand the more I know how to say things right." Although Han is no longer majoring in Communications Studies, she still believes in its powerful role. She went from feeling isolated by her inability to express herself to developing friendships with students from around the world. Even the two types of work experiences Han has had so far, tutoring math and transcribing doctors' notes at a local hospital, required strong communications skills. Han has one more year left in the Nursing program. After graduation, she plans to take the Registered Nurse (R.N) exams and then practice in Canada. In the meantime, Han would like to give back to the University of Windsor by volunteering at the International Student Centre where she can mentor new students who might be experiencing similar difficulties.