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Our Students

Students come to The Immigrant Learning Center from all corners of the world and all walks of life. They travel from 94 cities and towns around Greater Boston to Malden Center five days a week because they all share the burning desire to improve their lives, and the first step is learning English. Since opening in 1992, The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc. has helped nearly 13,000 immigrants and refugees from 122 countries learn English.

Karene
Karene
Karene

Karene

Karene had an advantage most of our students do not. In her native Haiti, she…
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Student Profile from Fiscal Year 2024

Students Served

752

Top Countries of Origin

Haiti, Brazil, China, Morocco,
El Salvador and 50 other countries

Top Cities of Residence

Malden, Everett, Medford, Revere,
Saugus and 50 other cities

Gender

59% female, 41% male

Median Age

53

Education

77% High School Diploma or Higher,
53% Attended Post-Secondary School

Achievements

When new students register they are evaluated to determine their incoming English proficiency, and they are asked to set one or more goals. English is a means to an end. By improving their English-language skills, students achieve goals such as finding a job, finding a better job, being promoted, entering a training program or college, buying a home, and becoming a U.S. citizen. Some even start their own businesses.

Meet Our Students

Jeffrey
Jeffrey
Jeffrey

Jeffrey

What do a social worker and an airline employee have in common? Believe it or…
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Zamy
Zamy and The ILC Teacher Rachel Spilecki
Zamy

Zamy

Meet Zamy, from Cape Verde. She has overcome many hurdles during her 10 years in…
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Wilbens
Wilbens
Wilbens

Wilbens

Here’s a special message to you from Wilbens, “ ILC is the best institution for…
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Naina
Naina
Naina

Naina

When Naina learned her husband’s job would take them from their home in Brazil to…
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Trung
Trung and Loan
Trung

Trung

In March we had a visit from an old friend. Former student Trung brought his…
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Maria Luz
Maria Luz
Maria Luz

Maria Luz

Immigrating to the U.S. is challenging under the best of circumstances, but it can be…
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Yveline
Yveline
Yveline

Yveline

When Yveline came to the United States, she spoke almost no English. She took pride…
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Rachida
Rachida
Rachida

Rachida

This Mother’s Day, as I celebrated the memory of my own mother, it occurred to…
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Xiaolan
Xiaolan
Xiaolan

Xiaolan

Like many new Americans, Xiaolan felt isolated when she first moved to the United States.…
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Martilinda
Martilinda
Martilinda

Martilinda

Martilinda came to the United States from Cape Verde for her 10-year-old son's sake. "I…
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Liliana
Liliana
Liliana

Liliana

Like many immigrants, our student Liliana had to start her career over when she immigrated…
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Marilou
Marilou and Cathy
Marilou

Marilou

Becoming a citizen is hard for anyone, but it can pose special challenges for new…
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The ILC Student Entrepreneurs

Immigrants are highly entrepreneurial. Research shows that immigrants start more than their share of businesses from Main Street to the Fortune 500. So it’s not surprising that The Immigrant Learning Center students are also business owners. We are proud to share a sample of businesses owned by former students.

Rodrigo de Souza
from Brazil
The ILC Student 2018

Saul Ortez
from El Salvador
The ILC Student 2013

Sandra Dominguez
from El Salvador
The ILC Student 1993 – 1994

Joel Marmolejos
from Dominican Republic
The ILC Student 2018

Phong Nguyen
from Vietnam
The ILC student 2010-2011

Maria Todorova
from Brazil
The ILC Student 2010 – 2014

Majd Khairallah
from Jordan
The ILC Student 2005 – 2007

Carl-Wolff Louis
from Haiti
The ILC Student 2023

Dr. Leon Spivak, DDS
from Russia
The ILC student 1993

Rachel Kangalu
from Tanzania
The ILC Student 2020 – 2021

Phong Nguyen
from Vietnam
The ILC student 2010-2011

Sandra Dominguez
from El Salvador
The ILC Student 1993 – 1994

Amani Ben Moftah
from Libya
The ILC Student 2020-2021