Dear HEIS Community,

We are happy to present you all with this month’s newsletter, which could not be published without all the work from our editor, Maria Ammar, and all the fabulous contributors. Much thanks to each of you.

TESOL 2016 marked the organization’s 50th convention, and this past convention most assuredly underscored the professionalization and commitment we bring to our field as well as the contributions we make to the TESOL literature.

Thank you to all who joined us for our annual meeting. Part of the meeting was a focus on topics that we want to develop and add to the Seattle, Washington TESOL 2017 convention program: “Engage, Enrich, Empower.” Some ideas that were brought forth for our academic session: Models to support matriculated students and university faculty in working with the multilingual student, writing centers and their work with the multilingual student, challenges/model programs for our generation 1.5 students, as well as topics on multilingual students and special needs at the university level. We also spent some time on possible InterSection connections, such as with ESPIS to connect the matriculating language learner to field-specific faculty; with EEIS to discuss college readiness; and with PAIS around topics such as teaching load, credit-bearing classes, and full-time positions.

Some final words of note: Thank you to outgoing Co-chairs Abby Franchitti and Leo Schmitt, and a warm welcome to Chair-Elect Kevin Martin. Sarah Springsteen is our social media manager, keeping us connected with the #HEIStesol2017. Follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, and keep us posted with your ideas.

Please consider volunteering with TESOL, and consider running for office—it’s a fantastic way to stay involved with our field.

Wishing each of you the best,

Katherine Earley and Yogesh Sinha

Co-chairs, TESOL Higher Education Interest Section

Katherine Earley is director of the Intensive English as a Second Language Program at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA.

Yogesh Sinha teaches in the Middle East as an assistant professor in the Faculty of Language Studies at Sohar University, Oman.