JEAN MARIE MEWEL MBALANDA

Experienced Library Assistant with a talent for building positive relationships and matching resources to educational needs. Possesses strong leadership skills, excels in team collaboration, and is committed to creating inclusive learning environments. Fluent in French, skilled in conflict resolution, and dedicated to enhancing academic success through meticulous resource management and innovative service enhancements. Mentor and founding member of the Mentorship program for Congolese students at Kalamazoo, providing guidance to new students in navigating the education system and improving English skills. Event coordinator of The Congolese Experience, overseeing the successful launch of the Congolese Students Association at WMU.

Fast learner.

When I arrived in the US in August 2022, I did not know how to speak English (French is my first language). I had taken some English classes before, but the English I experienced when I first arrived was significantly different from what I expected. So, I set a goal: quickly learn English and get my English Proficiency Certificate in 4 months (I wanted to start my engineering program as soon as possible). I studied for 3 days for the CELCIS grammar test and succeeded (they even put me in the Advanced Level). Then started the most difficult part (my journey at The Center for English Language and Culture for International Students: I had four months to level up my English skills, get out of there with my English Proficiency Certificate, and start my program at KVCC. I am a fast learner, so I was able to adapt quickly. Almost every day after my classes, I attended small group discussions. The first improvement I noticed was my listening skills. I had quickly adapted to people’s speed of speech. By that time, I could understand everything, but speaking came much later. I worked really hard to improve my speaking. In December 2022, I got my English Proficiency Certificate. This experience taught me persistence and hard work.

At the beginning of 2023, I realized that the biggest issue in my community was the difficulty Congolese students face adjusting to life in the U.S. I was in the same situation, so I know how difficult it is. I spoke about it to a small group of Congolese friends and told them that it was necessary to find a way to guide the newcomers for a certain period and help them start well in the United States. We discussed and came up with the idea of dividing students into small groups of 3 to 4 and assigning them a mentor. The idea was great, so we agreed. We met several times after that day to talk about how we should start and how to proceed. All these meetings took place between March and May.

The most difficult part was bringing everyone together simultaneously because everyone was busy with school assignments. Even using phone calls or other alternatives was difficult. After a few months, we started the mentorship program in August 2023. The goal was simple: to guide new students and help them practice their English even more.

We do not force people to become mentors. However, depending on their availability and willingness to help, we assign one mentor to a small group of new students for a specific time (2 to 3 months). Since then, we’ve helped more than 20 new Congolese students. The program is a success. As a community college student, I contribute by mentoring, organizing workshops, and improving these programs to support their success.

• English Proficiency Certificate
• Center for English Language and Culture for International Students/ WMU
• Research Paper: Characteristics of Effective Problem Solvers
• Aug 2022 - Dec 2022
• Kalamazoo, MI