The Beginning of Excel English Institute in Dallas
Four years ago, as owners of Excel English Institute, we (Cindy Gordon and Mallous “Lucy” Rohani) had no idea how our desire to own a school which teaches English to non-native speakers would impact so many lives, including our own.
As veteran ESL teachers, we have taught students from all over the world in the past two and a half decades, and we knew we wanted to take our experience and training to develop a program that was effective, fun and more than just language learning. We also wanted our program to provide our students with an experience that would foster friendships and an understanding of not only the American culture but the commonality that lies within every culture.
The Process
After two years of careful planning and piloting our program, we began the application process for accreditation from one of the most rigorous accrediting agencies, Commission on English Language Training Accreditation (CEA). It was a long and difficult task; but one that helped us to grow as business partners of our school and implementers of our English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
With every new milestone, we grew the school and added handpicked faculty members that we knew personally from previous experience. We worked together and consulted our faculty, who helped to improve and polish the teaching methodologies we use to teach the English skills as outlined in the program.
In April of 2017, 3 ½ years after our first class, we were granted accreditation, and soon after that we were certified by SEVIS to grant student visas to international students. These two milestones were of phenomenal importance for Excel because it meant we were swimming with the “big fish”. Our student body continued to grow through word of mouth and referrals, which meant we needed more space.
The Next Step Forward
Within the next month, Excel will move to a space 3X the size of the location it has been in since opening its doors in 2014. The new facility will allow more space for student centered activities and bigger classrooms, which will be equipped with technology and access to the internet for interactive lessons and hands on activities.
In the coming year, we plan to add to our class offerings with more elective classes and a new Business English Program. We hope to partner with area universities and establish relationships to assist our students to transition into college or university to move on with their educational and career goals once they have completed our program.
Excel founders, staff and faculty are truly grateful for a year of growth and expansion, for students who continue to amaze us with their commitment to learn, and for the relationships we have made with each other and our students. We look forward to another year filled with learning, laughter, and the love of connecting with people from all over the world.
