President/Owner - Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rajarathnam S. Aluri. I go by Raj as my first name to make it easy for everyone. I grew up in India as one of seven children in my family. I completed my undergraduate studies in economics, political science, and public administration, and earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 1973 from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. I did further studies at the same university and received a Master's degree (M.A.) in Political Science in May of 1976.

In September of 1976, I came to the United States as an international student to pursue further studies in International Relations at the University of South Carolina (USC) in Columbia, South Carolina. Here I received my second Master of Arts degree in International Studies in 1979, and a third Master's degree in Media Arts (M.M.A.) in 1982. I went on for further study and received a doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) degree from USC in 1987.

As you can tell by now, I loved being a student, especially a foreign student in the U.S.A.--from 1976 to 1987. But I know from personal experience some of the struggles and adjustments international students must undergo when they first arrive in the U.S.A. Most of the students coming from other countries to the U.S.A., need assistance from the day they arrive, from reception at the airport to finding a place to live, getting the telephone and electricity connected to the rental apartment, finding out where to shop for the necessities of life and how to get there, where to find social and emotional support, as well as the general orientation to a new country.

I know what you will go through when you first arrive in America for English language study at Agape English Language Institute, because many years ago I came here as a student just like you. Therefore, my staff and I are prepared to help you in every possible way we can from the day you arrive until you leave our program.

In addition to providing high-quality instruction in English, we will do our best to provide the other support services that are necessary to make your life here smooth and enjoyable.

Program Director - In 2001, some of my friends talked me into going to Haiti with them for a week to help open a medical clinic. It was a wonderful adventure, and since then I have been traveling. I've been to several countries in Europe and South America. I decided to teach myself Spanish several years ago. It was then that I realized that I had a knack for understanding languages and teaching them. I began to teach ESL and basic Spanish as a volunteer while living in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 2007 I moved to Guadalajara for year where I received a certificate at International Teacher Training Organization to teach English as a second language. I taught in Mexico for a year. I then discovered Agape in Columbia, and decided to move here to be closer to family. Teaching at Agape has been a great experience. There is such a positive attitude among teachers and students which makes a Agape a pleasant place to teach and learn.

In 2010 I moved from a teaching position into management as the Program Director of Agape. I very much enjoy the challenging opportunity to strive towards excellence in English teaching by overseeing our schools.

Administrative Assistant -

Instructor - Hola! Ni hao! Hi! I have been teaching English to international adults since 2007. For three years, I taught university English majors in the icy, snowy, fascinating city of Changchun, China. In August 2010, I started teaching at Agape. I have a B.A. in journalism, an M.A. in English and a TESOL Certificate from Oxford Seminars. I speak some Chinese and, having married a wonderful man from Barcelona in September 2011, I am now working on my Spanish.

My favorite part of teaching at Agape is the diversity of the students. Students come to Agape from Asia, the Middle East, South America, Europe and Africa. In one small class, we can have college students, business professionals and even grandmothers. But what Agape students have in common is a passion for learning and using real-life English. As we practice English, we share our cultures and our lives.

Instructor - I began working at Agape in August of 2007. In 1983, I graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Economics, after which I completed a Masters degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from Georgia State University. I taught English in Japan for three years, before graduating from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS with a Masters degree in Biblical Studies. While in Mississippi, I taught English at Mississippi College in Clinton. In 1991, I married Curtis DuBose, and after graduation we moved to Africa. I taught English in Malawi and Uganda while my husband taught in seminaries there. In 2006, we returned to the USA, where Curtis is a pastor and I am a teacher of English. We have two sons and two daughters.

Instructor - Hello to all!

My name is Tiffany. I have been teaching for 7 years, and have enjoyed every bit of it. Part of that teaching was in South Carolina in the Public School setting and a little bit of that time was teaching over seas in Peru, South America. I have learned and grown from my experiences! I was born and raised in South Carolina, a true southerner (if there is such a thing)- which includes liking grits and eggs (when my father makes it)!! If you haven't ever tried it, you need to! :) Speaking of "true", I am a true follower of Christ as well.

Dance was my minor in college; therefore, I enjoy it a lot. I also like running, hanging out with friends and family, cooking, reading, studying the Bible, teaching, and watching funny YouTube videos! I also like learning new things about every culture. This is something I really enjoy about teaching at Agape English Language Institute!

I have a Chinese international student who lives with me and attends high school in the states. She is precious. I have learned a lot about the Chinese culture since she has been with me! I also have an adorable dog who can do tricks, such as HUG, shake, sit, run REALLY fast, speak (but not on command), dance, and jump REALLY high!

Well, there is much more, but I was told to write a small blurb! :) Have a blessed day!

Local Director, Greenville - For as a long as I can remember, I have loved learning about other cultures and I have loved teaching. After graduating from high school, I became a student at North Greenville University. I majored in Elementary Education and continued to develop my passion for teaching. One of my roommates during college was an international student. We had a lot of fun learning about each other’s different cultures. During one summer session, I traveled to the Philippines and spent two months learning another language and teaching English. This experience changed my life and I knew beginning that summer I would be involved in learning about other languages and cultures. I also obtained my Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate during my college years.

In the fall of my senior year, my brothers invited 15 international students to our house during Fall Break. One of those international students was named Rene Pizzati and he was from Honduras, Central America. We met for the first time that weekend and just a few months later, we married. Being married to an International has given me new perspective into learning English as a Second Language. I have seen firsthand the difficulties and the triumphs. We have a lot of fun in our home blending two cultures. We have a daughter, Gabby, who was born here in the United States, and a son, Owen, who was born in Honduras.

When we first married, I had the opportunity to teach English and some basic Spanish classes in the public schools. After two years, we moved to Honduras where we lived for five and half years. During those years, I went to language school and had to learn even more Spanish. My experience in language school gave me even more compassion and understanding for those learning a new language. I had various roles in Honduras including orphanage director, teacher, and church planter. I also had the opportunity to be involved in starting a bilingual school that taught both English and Spanish in the town where we lived which allowed me a unique experience to research curriculums and teaching techniques. We returned to the states in January of 2011 and I began teaching at Agape. I love interacting with the students and teachers. We all learn a lot from each other.

Director, Greenville - I am originally from the Charlotte, NC area. I moved to Greenville seven years ago to teach Spanish and fell in love with the Greenville area. The people are very friendly here, and Greenville is a beautiful city to live in. After teaching Spanish at a local high school for two years, I began working with international students at Greenville Technical College. I served as the project director for international exchange programs and assisted students in fulfilling all of their program requirements including academics, community service, cultural presentations, and internships. In this position, I realized I have a passion for working with international students and learning about new cultures. I recently began serving as the Greenville Director for Agape English Language Institute. This has been a great experience for me, and Agape is a great place to work and learn. The teachers here are amazing and will help you improve your English rapidly. I look forward to meeting more students from all around the world and helping them to have a great experience at Agape!

Instructor - I grew up mostly in the Midwest but have lived overseas for a total of 16 years in different countries in Europe and Asia. I have an undergraduate degree in social studies and education and a Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). I’ve taught for more than 20 years in public and private schools in the US and abroad and have worked with students at elementary, middle school, high school, and college levels. I love getting to know people from many different countries and cultures, so teaching at AELI is a dream come true for me in many ways. My husband, John, is also a teacher, and since moving to Columbia this summer we have enjoyed the beautiful scenery and warm hospitality we’ve found here.

Instructor - Though I've bounced around from state to state and country to country, I claim the Carolinas as my roots. After graduating from high school in North Carolina, I attended Lee University where I pursued a degree in English Education and TESOL.

I started my teaching career by teaching English to Spanish-speakers. I've since taught middle school language arts, high school ESL and language arts, and ESL/EFL to ALL ages. In August of 2009, I moved to Kurdistan, Iraq, where I spent two years teaching English, and in March of 2012, I moved to Columbia, SC, to teach at AELI.

I enjoy teaching because I love helping people communicate better! My favorite moments are the "light bulb" moments, when students who have been struggling with a concept finally "get it."

I'm a newlywed! My husband (Jason) and I got married in October of 2012. I like playing games, reading, making big messes in the kitchen while I'm baking, and driving Jason crazy by looking up the “spoilers” to every potentially scary TV show and movie we watch together.

Instructor - Although I grew up in Florida, I attended universities in Florida, Kentucky, and Chicago, IL, to complete my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education. My student teaching requirements were completed in Ankara, Turkey, where I got my first taste of international living. I fell in love with the culture and spent the next 6 years of my life teaching the children of doctors in Yemen, where I learned the beautiful Arabic language. After acquiring my Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TEFL), I began working at Agape in July, 2011, where I enjoy hosting Game Nights once a term.