Intensive English
Faculty Biographies
Andrew Bowman, Director of Intensive English
Prior to becoming the Director of the program in 2023, Mr. Andrew Bowman has been
IELC鈥檚 Learning Laboratory Coordinator since 1996. Originally an ESOL instructor in
Paraguay, Mr. Bowman began developing language-learning software in the early nineties
and eventually returned to Wichita where he was born and raised. A graduate of the
University of Kansas, Mr. Bowman also has Master鈥檚 Degree from Rutgers University.
Having lived abroad he knows the challenges international students face when starting
a new life while trying to learning a new language.
Aimee Leisy, ESL Specialist
Ms. Aimee Leisy has a B.A. in History and Spanish from Bethel College in North Newton,
Kansas, and a Master鈥檚 Degree in Literacy, Culture, and Language Education from the
University of Indiana at Bloomington. She has taught at the Intensive English Language
Center for over 15 years. Her other teaching experience includes teaching English
to middle school students in Texas and to adults in both Kansas and Texas. She taught
English at private language schools in both New Zealand and Mexico and at Instituto
Tecnol贸gico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, a well-known Mexican University.
Ms. Leisy speaks French, Italian, and fluent Spanish, having lived in Mexico for five
years. As a language learner herself, she enjoys finding effective and engaging ways
to help students improve their English proficiency.
Barbara Mazza Silhan, ESL Specialist
Mrs. Barbara Mazza Silhan has been teaching at the Intensive English Language Center
since 1983. Mrs. Silhan studied at Oklahoma State University for six years where she
received a bachelor's degree in history and a master's in teaching English as a Second
Language. Mrs. Silhan really enjoys her job because of her love of being in the classroom
and working with the students. She has always been fascinated with other countries
and their cultures, and believes that she learns as much from the students as they
learn from her.
Marsha Webb, ESL Specialist
Twenty-six years of teaching in a variety of settings (middle school, high school,
community college, and 29 years at the Intensive English Language Center) has Mrs.
Marsha Webb smiling about how lucky she is. Her love of teaching English combines
an avid interest in reading, discussion, world cultures, and young people. Also, with
five children of her own she is at home with university-age students and tends to
"mother" them as well. Her educational background includes an Associate of Arts degree,
a BSE from Emporia State University, a MEd from 萝莉社 University, and a TESOL
Teaching Certificate. With a striving for natural communication, varying methods of
teaching, and a focus on informality, learning in her classroom is intentionally fun!
Rima Haidar-Duncan, Instructor
Rima Haidar-Duncan grew up in Beirut, Lebanon and travelled extensively in Europe.
She went to American Evangelical school for girls (A.E.S.G) which was called later
B.E.S.G. Rima is polylingual and lived in the Greek cypress for a period of time during
the devastating war in Lebanon. At that time she travelled to Europe specifically
Germany and France, then she came back to Lebanon to finish her Bachelor鈥檚 degree
in Beirut specializing in teaching English Literature and languages. In 1985, She
left to the United States to pursue her higher Education and received her Master鈥檚
in Public Relations with special attention to corporate management from Boston University.
She worked for several years as a freelance researcher for Kuwait University under
the supervision of Dr. Behbehani. She has worked for several years as an archivist
in Assafir, a prominent Newspaper in Beirut. Rima has taught at Butler County Community
College for almost 19 years. She loves to cook Mediteranean food.