Bridge Education Group Announces Three New U.S. University Partnerships

Bridge Education Group has announced new partnerships with three universities in the United States. The partnerships include a new ESL Pathways center on the campus of Concordia University, St. Paul in Minnesota, to be opened in September 2017; a new auxiliary campus at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado; and a Network Partnership with Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. The addition of these three new partners brings Bridge’s total number of university partnerships in the U.S. to eight.

Bridge Education Group has announced new partnerships with three universities in the United States. The partnerships include a new ESL Pathways center on the campus of Concordia University, St. Paul, in Minnesota, to be opened in September 2017; a new auxiliary campus at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado; and a Network Partnership with Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. The addition of these three new partners brings Bridge’s total number of university partnerships in the U.S. to eight.

The three universities are joining Bridge’s existing higher education portfolio, which includes both ESL Pathways centers on campus as well as Network Partnerships. The latter partnership, which is the newest model offered by Bridge for U.S. universities, is tailored for institutions that may already have an Intensive English Program on campus, but wish to take advantage of Bridge’s extensive global agency network and international student recruitment services.

The new Bridge ESL Pathways center at Concordia University, St. Paul will begin enrolling students in September of 2017, and will prepare international students for university degree programs by focusing on linguistic, academic, and intercultural skills.

“The Concordia University, St. Paul campus community is so pleased to welcome the Bridge Pathways program to campus,” says Tiffanie Loeb Schneider, Director of International Student Services. “The quality language instruction provided by the Bridge Pathways program will set students up for academic success early on in their programs and beyond. We are really looking forward to this opportunity to further internationalization on campus,” says Schneider.

The auxiliary campus on Metropolitan State University of Denver is an extension of the Bridge Language Center in downtown Denver, Colorado. The agreement allows international students to obtain conditional admission to the university, and also includes a TOEFL and IELTS waiver for students who successfully complete the Bridge Academic English Program. “Our hope with this new partnership is to see an increase in the number of international students on our campus and greater diversity within our international student body,” says Leigh Eleazer, M.Ed., who is International Student Support Coordinator at MSU.

“Our partnership with Bridge English will allow students to matriculate into their academic programs with confidence, knowing that their English skills will be honed for the American classroom,” Eleazer says. She sees the benefits for both international and domestic students at MSU, adding, “We hope to see our domestic students engaging more frequently with our growing international population, developing intercultural competencies that will aid them in their future professions within the global workforce.”

The Network Partnership with Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, provides the university with access to global international student markets via the Bridge recruitment network, including students seeking either full or conditional admission. Students requiring ESL preparation will enroll at the university’s Intensive English Program on campus.

“Capital University is an excellent addition to our growing higher education portfolio,” says Lisa Rooney, Vice President for Institutional Relations at Bridge. “Located in one of the largest metropolitan hubs for international students in the U.S., the university prides itself on providing a very personalized educational experience for all students, which is in alignment with Bridge’s own educational philosophy.”

Rooney further commented that Bridge would continue to carefully expand its higher education portfolio, with the goal of seeking a balance in terms of geography, academic offerings, and affordability.

About Bridge Education Group, Inc. d/b/a Bridge (www.bridge.edu) 

Founded in 1986, Bridge is a world leader in language and education abroad. An international company with headquarters in Denver, Colorado, Bridge offers a wide spectrum of language related products and services, including language training and immersion programs, teacher training and development courses, language testing, translation and interpretation services, and cross-cultural education abroad programs.

©2016 Bridge Education Group, Inc. All rights reserved.