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Mascot Martin the pine marten Mascot Martin the pine marten
Mascot Martin the pine marten

Hi, I'm Martin!

I'm here to help, so if you have any questions, go ahead and ask me!

Mission, Vision and Values

Queen’s University recognizes the value of language education and founded QSoE in 1942, which makes QSoE one of the oldest continuously operating language schools of its kind in Canada. From imperial princes and rock stars to marriages and soap operas, QSoE has been a part of building connections between people in Kingston and beyond and has touched countless lives across the decades and around the world.

Mission

We nurture the English skills necessary for student success within our vibrant and welcoming university community.

Vision

To empower change leaders with the academic, linguistic, and intercultural tools to do good in the world.

Values

Student-Centred Ensure our planning, decisions, and actions keep students at the heart of everything we do
Inclusion Foster belonging and a commitment to equity from all
Integrity Align consistently, honestly and transparently to our principles
Reciprocity Provide service to local and wider global communities

Queen's University, Kingston, Canada

Study languages in Canada! Canada is the destination of choice for international students. Queen's sits in the safe and beautiful city of Kingston, Ontario, Canada, located by one of North America's Great Lakes -- Lake Ontario. Queen’s is situated on traditional Anishinaabe (Ah-nish-in-ah-bay) and Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-o-show-nee) territory. Kingston is a small city with an active student community and is convenient for travelling to Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Queen's University

Photo of building at Queen's University campus

Learn English at Queen’s University, a top university in Canada. Established in 1841, Queen’s University is one of Canada’s oldest universities. QSoE students are integrated into campus life, with full access to Queen’s University facilities: libraries, sports and recreation centres, and over 400 student clubs.

Kingston

Experience the safe, beautiful city of Kingston, Ontario. Our vibrant city is full of culture, history and more restaurants than you could ever eat at during your stay!

Canada

Canada offers welcoming and affordable educational opportunities for students from around the world. Canada is a top study destination because of its high-quality education institutions and the opportunity for work and/or immigration upon completion of studies.

Land Acknowledgement

When the first Europeans began to arrive in Southern Ontario in the early 1600s, the north shore of Lake Ontario and the area originally known as Katarokwi (Kingston) were a shifting home to both the Huron-Wendat Peoples and the Haudenosaunee (pronounced: Hoe-den-oh-‘show-nee) people of the Five Nations/Iroquois confederacy. These peoples spoke related Iroquoian languages. Beside these peoples lived the Anishinaabek (pronounced: A-nish-in-‘a-beg who speak the Anishinaabemowin language, which is a member of the Algonquian language family. To acknowledge this traditional territory is to recognize its longer history, one predating the establishment of the earliest European colonies.

Although students will visit QSoE to improve their English, it is important to acknowledge that this is not the native language of these lands.

Learn More

Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

QSoE is committed to fostering academic and linguistic success for our students while integrating equitable, inclusive and just practices that empower our learners with diverse lived experiences to thrive at Queen’s University. We strive to create a sense of belonging and community amongst that embodies an intersectionality of perspectives, backgrounds and identities all while empowering each individual to reach their full potential.

Our team

Our team includes people who speak many languages and have lived abroad, so we really understand and can support our students who are new to Canada. We value everyone, and together, we can create a strong service-oriented community that believes in giving back to others. Our instructors are experts in their field and put student success at the heart of everything they do in the classroom.

Click on a team member card to view the back!

  Not every member of the QSoE team is listed
Monte
Biggar 
Instructor      
Monte
Biggar
Hometown Hagersville, ON, CA
Hobbies Words, guitar, painting, games, hockey
Idiom All hat, no cattle.
Fun Fact I once had a job tending bar in a treehouse bar.
Kingston Tip Join Kingston MTB for cycling and skiing
Carly
D'Amico 
Business Development Manager      
Carly
D'Amico
Hometown Ottawa, ON, CA
Hobbies Drinking coffee, gardening, drinking more coffee
Idiom She's got the chops
Fun Fact I interviewed Merle Haggard.
Kingston Tip Visit Coffee Way Donuts for warm freshly baked donuts. Perfect for pairing with coffee :)
Karen
Burkett 
Director      
Karen
Burkett
Hometown Kingston, ON, CA
Hobbies Running, exercise, drumming, curling
Idiom Don't judge a book by its cover!
Fun Fact Lived in Japan for three years
Kingston Tip Selfie hot spot: Fort Henry hill!
Amie
Pilgrim 
Academic Manager      
Amie
Pilgrim
Hometown Perth Road Village, ON, CA
Hobbies Taking photos, hiking trails and spending time with friends and family
Idiom Never say never.
Fun Fact I practiced karate at the Honbu Dojo when I lived in Okinawa.
Kingston Tip Check out the trails at Lemoine Point Conservation Area.
Kelly
Goode 
Instructor      
Kelly
Goode
Hometown Cornwall, ON, CA
Hobbies Gardening, reading, listening to podcasts
Idiom You've bought the farm.
Fun Fact I have taught over 4,000 students since I've been at QSoE.
Kingston Tip Visit one of our beautiful public libraries!
Andrea
Wlodarczyk 
Administrative Assistant      
Andrea
Wlodarczyk
Hometown Warszawa, Poland
Hobbies Pottery, cooking, gardening, and travelling
Idiom Break a leg
Fun Fact I was a competitive dancer that went to nationals.
Kingston Tip There are lots of places to do fun things for free or cheap! Check out tennis courts, baseball diamonds, public pools, and skating arenas
Steven
McWilliams 
Educational Developer      
Steven
McWilliams
Hometown Hamilton, Scotland, UK
Hobbies Reading, Crossword Puzzles, Video Games
Idiom To play devil's advocate
Fun Fact I have visited more than 30 countries
Kingston Tip Kingston has lots of great restaurants! My go to is some Cambodian food at Pat's Restaurant.
Carrie-Anne
Barr 
Instructor      
Carrie-Anne
Barr
Hometown Westport, ON, CA
Hobbies Travelling, Gardening, Personal Development
Idiom Penny for your thoughts
Fun Fact Learning to breathe underwater while scuba diving in the colourful ocean was an incredible experience for me. I enjoy life under water every chance I can.
Kingston Tip Spend time on the shore of Lake Ontario in every season

Queen’s University Student Code of Conduct

Upon registering in a course or program of study offered by Queen’s University, and while a student remains registered, they have entered into a contractual relationship with the University. All students should be familiar with this code.

  Download the complete QSoE policy document

Key points are highlighted below:

  • Students shall abide by the published rules, regulations, and policies of the University or of any authorized rule-making body within the University.
  • Students shall abide by the provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada while in Canada. This includes laws pertaining to the use of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco and other mind-altering substances.
  • Students shall comply, and shall not interfere, with the directions of officials acting within the scope of their authority, including but not limited to, the Kingston Police, Queen’s Campus Security, and Queen’s Student Constables.

For more information, see the following documents: