New program director for BUSCA helps students learn English

By Anthony Medoro
Collegian Reporter
December 6, 2006

When traveling down the second floor corridor in Olney Hall one might notice a sign with the acronym BUSCA written across the top of it, a program which most La Salle students are unfamiliar with.

Following the sign will lead one down the hall to the office of the newdirector of the program, Sister Suzanne Niesser, who is continuing to make improvements to BUSCA almost every day.

BUSCA, which stands for Bilingual Undergraduate Studies for Collegiate Advancement, is a program that gives Spanish-speaking students the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree. After completing the program several students go on to receive their bachelor’s degree as well.

“BUSCA is really a unique program which no other university offers. It’s what brought me to La Salle University,” Niesser said.

She also promotes BUSCA in schools throughout the region and teaches two undergraduate Spanish classes.

Students begin BUSCA by taking one 12 credit course which lasts the entire semester. It is a highly intensive English course geared for learning English for academic purposes. The remaining courses are also all taught in English, which wasn’t the case until a couple years ago.

“Initially a lot of our classes were taught in Spanish,” Niesser said. “But we found it much harder for students to go on to earn their bachelor’s degree unless they had been fully prepared to speak English.”

BUSCA is an extremely difficult program for most students. Almost all of them work full-time during the day and attend night class four nights a week. Students range from 16-58 years of age. “The students face all the problems immigrants face in a new culture,” Niesser said. “Many of them have families to support as well.”

Currently in the United States only about 57 percent of Latinos graduate from high school. Of those enrolled in the BUSCA program about 50 percent are high school graduates.

“We want both,” she said. “Whoever wants an education is welcome.”

There are also several scholarships and financial aid available for prospective students. If a student fulfills all the initial requirements for the program they are able to study for free.

“We are always trying to look for more funding,” she said.

About 105 students are currently enrolled in BUSCA.

“We would like to generate more undergraduates. In the future-our goal is to have an intensive week in the summer for incoming freshman to better prepare them for the University,” she said.

Niesser had been with the program for two and half years as a motivational counselor before being named director.

“Being counselor was a great opportunity for me to really identify with the students and tell them about the importance of education, which helps me as director,” she said.

Niesser, who grew up in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia, received a bachelor’s degree at Chestnut Hill College. She also earned a Master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College, and another Master’s in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University.

BUSCA entered its 14th year here at La Salle this fall. “All of our teachers really work together to keep the students here,” she said.

medoroa1@lasalle.edu