Pilsen is a neighborhood just near the south side of UIC campus. We were so lucky to have a chance to attend the Pilsen Street Crawl event. There were three enthusiastic and funny teachers leading us on our adventure - Mrs. Kristina, Mrs. Sally and Mr. Matt. We walked to Pilsen with Matt and the others to the Anticonquita cafe. Mr. Matt introduced the Anticonquita cafe to us. The most special thing about this cafe is its beans. While other coffee shop chains are following a normal business model, this coffee shop is starting a new business model where farmers harvest and roast their beans to brew their coffee. Our next stop on our adventure was the Mexican-American community. Here we went vintage shopping. One of the vintage shop staff said, “The vintage clothing is unique and each clothing has a lot of history. Some designer brands can be found right here at these vintage shops.” Next, we went to a painting gallery full of art by Mexican artists. If you have a chance to go there, you will have a wonderful time watching Mexican style printmaking. There was also an exhibit guide there. But unfortunately we couldn’t take pictures. In summary, Pilsen incorporates art and culture into a town. If you are interested in vintage, gallery art, coffee shops or different cultural dishes, we strongly recommend the Pilsen neighborhood!

This article is written by Ping-Hsuan Chan (Austin) and Qingyu Wu (Garret) who are both studying English here at UIC Tutorium. Austin is passionate about art and history and wants to pursue an education in art in the future once he’s finished with his English studies. Garret wants to pursue a future in finance because he likes economics and wants to earn money.

Read and learn all about the fantastic people behind the scenes at the Tutorium. They work very hard to ensure your journey here is a great one. When you see them around campus, say hello. They would love to see you! 

Admissions and Academic Services Chair

Tell us a little about yourself. 

I came to Chicagoland in 2010 and have lived in Oak Park with my family since then. When I don’t work on campus or online, I hide in my garage with woodworking tools and make a lot of sawdust. In the early mornings, I usually go running, and late at night I either play PC games, read books, or write my own. I already published a long fantasy novel! I also like music, but only listen to it when I’m driving or cooking. I cook for my family every day.

What do you do here at the Tutorium?

I have taught at the Tutorium for 14 years in all levels of the Intensive English Program, but then answered a call for help from the administrative team of the Department. It is now almost a year that I have been working in Admissions (accepting students to study) and Academic Services (advising students, helping teachers), and it has been an incredible journey of learning what happens before students can sit in the class and start improving their English and academic skills. 

What do you love about your job?

Right now, I’m still in love with the process of learning something new. However, with every task, student problem, or simply a week in the office, I have turned these lessons into a new favorite—helping students and teachers with anything they need so that they can focus on their class and on their English. Nowadays, the most rewarding moments are when I pass a classroom full of students and see them working together and getting better at English, knowing that I helped them get into those chairs.

Where can students find you? 

Most probably in Addams Hall 105, in the Tutorium office. Come see me if you have a question or a problem.

What's one piece of advice you have for students?

When you leave your house in the morning, switch to English. Stick to English. Switch back to your language only when you are done for the day. That’s how I learned English.

We are halfway through the semester, and midterms are just around the corner. It seems like there are so many papers, projects, and homework that you can’t keep up with them all. You might be feeling a little overwhelmed and very tired. Sometimes, the life of a university student can be stressful. The good news is that you don’t have to walk this journey alone. UIC and its campus community are here for you. There are so many resources available. Here are just a few: 

To learn more about all the resources available to help you finish the semester strong, read more>>.

Course evaluations are coming up for all Term A classes. Every semester, the Tutorium does research to improve our program. We collect information from both teachers and students.  The course evaluations ask students 10 questions. You may also write comments, which we encourage you to do.

These questions are about the course, your work for the class, and the teacher. These surveys are anonymous. Your answers will not affect your grades.

After the semester, our Director and your teacher will look at your comments, and the Administrative staff will study the statistical information for the whole program. 

Thank you for helping us improve our program and participating in this evaluation system.

Tuesday, October 21st, 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM, Grant Hall Room 308
Come practice your English and learn more about American culture! This month’s conversation hour is all about preparing for winter and the fun fall/winter activities. Light lunch, popcorn, and snacks for you to enjoy. Bring a friend and plan to be at our next English conversation hour.

If you’re ever looking for something fun to do on campus, check out the UIC Today Events page. From sports events to Spark events, there’s always something going on right here at UIC. Grab a friend and find an event to attend! Don’t forget to write about your experience and submit your writing to the newsletter. We would love to hear from you!

Would you like to see a FREE concert? UIC's Symphonic Band is made up of students just like you. They perform written works in an ensemble. The student musicians get the opportunity to participate in a traditional ensemble experience, and you get to watch their hard work come together in this free concert!

Date: Thursday, October 16, at 7:30 pm

Location: L280 - Theatre, 1040 W Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60607

If you would like to attend, please remember you have to RSVP.

For more information on our Symphonic Band, please check this out!

The following section of the newsletter is written by Dr. Vit Vanicek, one of our teachers here at the Tutorium. With Vit's advice, you're sure to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

Midterms are finally here! Maybe you're nervous, maybe you're confident. The semester may have been easy and fun, but at the same time, you've been working hard and seen little improvement. But midterms can also be a blessing in disguise. To learn how read more>>.

The following section of the newsletter was written by one of our former administrators here at the Tutorium. 

Many universities use the same online application. It is called The Common App. This makes the application process faster for you. 

Watch this video and read the transcript for details on the common app.

Next Week: Midterm Break. No classes October 13 - 17, 2025

After the Break:

Also, you might have new classmates! A group of new students will join our program after the Midterm break. Please welcome these new students to your classes and share your knowledge of life at the Tutorium, UIC, and Chicago.

Email questions to tutorium@uic.edu.
Or contact us to schedule a virtual or in-person meeting.