International students take the field for summer soccer

Students in the LEAP Intensive English Program play one soccer game each semester.

Fueled by the fervor of the World Cup, international students at Wright State University took part in a June 24 soccer game at Mulholland Field. The LEAP Intensive English Program organizes one soccer game each semester for its students.

“It’s really about the love of the sport,” said Mailinh Nguyen, LEAP instructor who has helped coordinate the soccer games.

Nguyen says that each semester, international students jump at the opportunity to play a few matches. “Our students don’t get excited about baseball, basketball or even the Olympics like the way they do soccer,” said Nguyen.

The soccer matches not only help to relieve the stress from studying, but they also give students a chance to practice their English. Like all sports, soccer requires intense communication.

The LEAP Program prepares international students for college classes at Wright State. With an intensive curriculum packed with courses in speaking, reading and writing, LEAP is a crash course in English for its students. Students come to LEAP for a variety of reasons. Some are here for a short time to improve their English language skills; others seek degrees from Wright State.

To learn more about the LEAP Intensive English Program or the activities organized for Wright State international students, contact Mailinh Nguyen at mailinh.nguyen@wright.edu.