An intensive immersion program in English-as-a-Second-Language instruction developed at Pepperdine University (California), a small liberal arts college, is described. The program was designed for limited-English-speaking foreign students who are at risk for academic failure without additional English language skills. Focus of this discussion is the importance of informal learning situations outside the classroom, in addition to classroom interaction, in the effectiveness of language learning. The program was initiated by the college's writing center and a task force that considered academic, social, and philosophical and pedagogical issues related to international students' progress. A comparison is made between the problem-solving process of the task force and the process of coping with the nearby firestorms of November 1993. The pilot program in summer 1989 is described, highlighting lessons learned about the value of informal learning situations. Efforts to enhance this aspect of the program, often by taking advantage of community events not previously scheduled, are illustrated through anecdotes and examined with reference to current language-learning theory. Measures of program success are found in an intercultural festival hosted by international students, increased retention and graduation rates, improved interoffice communication, decreased academic failure rate, and greater interest in study abroad. Contains six references. (MSE) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)