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’s 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’s 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’s 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 Tecnológico 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 Wichita State 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’s 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’s 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.