Ukrainian ELL Student’s Art on Display Around the U.S.

Irina Visnevcaia’s art about the war in Ukraine goes on tour.

Irina Visnevcaia came to Appleton to visit her daughter in early 2022 but has not been able to return home since the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine. Not knowing when she might return to her homeland, Irina enrolled in English Language Learning (ELL) classes at Fox Valley Technical College in the fall of 2022 and started her second semester in January.

Irina took four years of English in high school and an additional four years in college but credits the college’s ELL program for helping her the most. “The existence of this program to refugees, to people like me at no cost, is amazing,” Irina says.

Her time at FVTC has allowed Irina to share her culture with classmates and reignited her passion for art, something she is well-known for in Ukraine. In January, she and her daughter traveled to San Diego where Irina’s tapestry-style art is being displayed for several weeks at the Heart and Soul of Ukraine exhibition. Her art will also be displayed this summer in exhibits in Sacramento and Washington, DC.

FVTC Briefs

For the latest Fox Valley Technical College news, visit www.fvtc.edu/News.

• Student Brandon Fickbohm and instructor

Sally Schultz were honored by The DAISY Foundation, an organization highlighting the nursing profession. Brandon received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. Sally was named an Academic Clinical Instructor honoree.

• FVTC has been awarded almost $100,000 in state grant money for the Innovation Accelerator for Veterans

The program helps veterans who want to start their own businesses through training and technical support. This is the seventh consecutive year the college has received the grant.

• Enrollment numbers started strong for the spring 2023 semester. The college saw a 3% increase in the number of classes. Massage Therapy, Aesthetician, Medical Coding and Automotive-related programs started off the semester at or near full capacity.

• Instructors recently completed a site visit to prepare for a study abroad program in The Bahamas. Thanks to a $35,000 federal grant, students in Agriculture and Natural Resources will have the opportunity to travel to The Bahamas in January 2024. They’ll study agriculture, resource management and sustainability in this island country.

• Several new programs are launching in fall 2023, including associate degrees in:

- Master Aesthetician

- Family & Consumer Sciences Education Instruction

In addition, new technical diplomas include:

- Project Specialist

- Dairy Automation

- Hospitality Specialist

- Kitchen & Bath Design Assistant