On June 2, 2026, English for Speakers of Other Languages hosted the inaugural ESOL Graduation and Awards ceremony. Students were greeted by teachers and RB when they arrived. The ceremony began with a heartfelt speech honoring ESOL students from the ESOL Department Chair, Dr. Susan Das. 

Getting to this advanced level in a language you did not grow up with is incredibly complex and challenging. This is not easy stuff. Learning advanced language is like learning calculus in math. But what makes your achievement even more remarkable is how you did it in the midst of already busy lives. Our ACC ESOL students don’t just study. Many have full or part-time jobs. Many are parents or have other significant family responsibilities. All of them navigate the daily adjustments and challenges of living life in a new country. You stayed up late, you woke up early, and you kept going. So remember: you didn’t just pass your classes—you conquered a massive challenge. You should be deeply proud of your hard work.

Following Dr. Das’ speech, graduation certificates were presented to students who completed Writing 4, Grammar 4 and Reading and Vocabulary 4. Students who advanced to Composition 1 with NCBE support classes were also awarded graduation certificates. Next, award winners were honored with certificates and words of affirmation and support from the teachers who nominated them. The ceremony ended with a speech from Dr. Antonio Ramirez, Liberal Arts Dean, about the positive ripple effect of language learners within their families, communities and throughout the world. After the ceremony, students had the opportunity to engage with Austin Community College Recruitment, Orientation, and Continuing Education Trades to discuss future possibilities beyond ESOL.

The full list of graduates and award winners and nominees is below. Certificates are available for pick up at the ESOL office for those that were unable to attend.

 

 

ESOL is proud of you! Congratulations! 

 

ESOL Fall 2025 Graduates

Ericka Alfaro Cortez

Ahmed Aljumaili

Birikti Andeberhan

Yeimy Arevalo

Nivedha Gayathri Arunachalam Chandrakala

Sungik Choi

Emma Cremonesi Manifacio

Sandi Cruz-Jaramillo

Laurenn Duque

Sima Gholamzadeh

Xiomara Gonzalez

Lisa Guimond

Jade Hernandez Avila

Nabaa Hussein

Youngjun Kang

Ibrahim Karar

Suha Kavakli

Ammar Khirbit

Ki Kim

Daria Kotova

Nguyen Le Minh Nhut

Yating Lu

Celeste Macias

Yenifer Maldonado

Laura Ortiz

Julimar Otero

Kseniia Pastukhova

Palloma Queiroz

Juanita Rosas

Nargis Salihi

Suher Siraj

Phuong Thao Vu

Nitu Yadav

Kidist Yarde

 

ESOL Spring 2026 Graduates

Marcos Acanda

David Albiter

Sirin Aljandali

Silvia Arevalos

Marianne Borja

Antonio Briones

Maria Chacon

Wanchi Chuang

Laura Cisneros

Jinan Didelot

Maryam Farhamandpour

Danna Garcia

Evelyn Henrriquez Ortega

Sunghyun Im

Rasha Jnahe

Maria Kanahan

Alena Kostyuk

Nitu Kumari

Binita Lamichhane

Thao Le

Xiao Liu

Kuo Shen Lu

Daniella Martin

Blanca Martinez

Sara Montes

Thach Nguyen

Gia Nguyen

Toan Thang Nguyen

Malbelys Paez Rojas

Nataliia Pimenta

Miriam Robles Figueroa

David Sino Tenkue

Nataliia Slokhyniak

Olha Zhovnir

 

ESOL NCBE Graduates

Guillermo Borda

Mohand Ameziane Fouchane

Evgeniia Gorbunova

Abdallah Ismail

Krystal Le

Yating Lu

Fnu Djouohou Nguesseu

Matiullah Noori

Oksana Sakhniuk

Andy Spitzer

Azeb Tesfay

An Tran

Francis Romial Tsafack

Mina Zahrouni

 

ESOL Community Builder Award

Vinh Duy Nguyen – Winner

Sonia Duran

Paloma Espinoza

Weihui (Aiden) Gong

Antonela Serrano

Nouara Taladjadi

 

Most Improved Student

Nallely Alvarado – Winner

Claudia Estrada

Egem Garip

Ana Junqueira Goulart

Aminata Songoro

 

Grammar Student of the Year

Djanira Rodrigues Dos Santos – Winner

Geraldine Bonamy

Elena Petrova

Carolina Sosa

Tchisa Tambwe

 

Oral Communication Student of the Year

Aynagozel Berdinyazova – Winner

Jenna Cho

Alanna Dos Santos Dorta

Figen Ozmen

Isabel Pannaci de Barrios

 

Reading and Vocabulary Student of the Year

Yosmar Lopez – Winner

Laurenn Duque

Danna Garcia

Maria Kanahan

Veronique Mekieyou

Geiry Alvarado Morales

Elnaz Naderi

 

Writing Student of the Year

Analien Del Haya – Winner

Esra Sahin Sonmez