Category: English Language Institute
Alumni Spotlight: Shathan Al Qassabi
August 26, 2026 Written by CAS Communication Staff | Photos courtesy of Shathan Al Qassabi
Do you wonder what it’s like to attend the English Language Institute (ELI)?
Alumni Spotlights celebrate the journeys of former ELI students and the lasting impact their experiences have had on their academic, professional and personal lives. Learn more about the journey of Shathan Al Qassabi, a current sophmore from Oman, who graduated from the ELI.
Where I Am From
Oman
Where I Am Now
I am a sophomore at UD studying finance.
Where I'm going
I’d like to start my own business and learn more languages.
How did the ELI help you adjust to life in the U.S.?
The ELI helped me get ready to socialize, interact with Americans and get to know American culture. Besides that, the main focus of the ELI is to improve your English, so, they provided programs, classes and different activities and events to give us opportunities to improve our language, socialize and talk with people here.
Were there older Omani undergraduate students who helped you transition to UD and/or the ELI?
Yeah, I knew a lot of people from Oman who were going there, so they gave me advice on how to pick my classes and my school (before I chose UD), how to set up my life here, and they showed me around. When you come to the U.S. from a different country, it's a new chapter. You have to set up your life and be independent.
Now that you’re a UD student with more experience living in America, do you help incoming Omani students when they arrive?
Yes, this is the second Omani cohort, I think, [since mine]. I would go talk with them, and basically answer all the same questions I would ask the older ones. I gave them advice, talked to them, got to know them and showed them how to be involved on campus and socialize with people.
Did you get involved on campus as an ELI student? What about now as an undergraduate student?
Not while at the ELI, but during my time here as an undergrad, yes. I joined the Blue Hen Esports program freshman year, and competed against different colleges. Right now, I’m in the Outing Club, and I serve on the executive board of the Omani Student Association as the treasurer. In that role, I interact with the board, plan events and take care of the organization alongside the president and vice president.
I hear that you want to become a Resident Assistant (RA). What made you decide to take on that position? (For readers, RAs are upperclassman students who live in a campus dorm, help peers adjust to school and enforce housing rules.)
I did not get to experience living in the dorms, which I think is a really good college experience to have. The dorms are a great way to meet people, make friends and get more involved. I'd love to create an environment in which people feel comfortable, confident and taken care of. I'm also a big believer in self-improvement, so I want to take my leadership and communication skills to another level.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time at the ELI?
Everyday things; I loved being in my classes, hanging out in the lounge, seeing other students coming out of their classes or coming into the ELI, talking, playing games with them, and watching sports together. One event I still remember was when a group of Korean teachers joined our e-gaming class and played with us. We ended up getting along great, and it was really fun.
Get involved by going to different events and making friends. Don't just stick to people in the ELI. That's how you're going to grow personally and improve your language.
