Mexican students joined the English Language Institute Fall term

Mexican students joined the English Language Institute Fall term

Mexican government offered scholarships to study English in the USA. The College of Staten Island was chosen among other universities to host students for one month with English classes, academic activities and field trips.

A group of nine Mexican students arrived last October 30 in New York to study at the English Language Institute (ELI) of the College of Staten Island (CSI)/The City University of New York (CUNY) with English classes, conferences, academic activities, and field trips. They received a warm welcome session from Deputy Director, Ms. Barbara Clark, and ELI Director, Mr. Gonzalo Villena, both from the Center for Global Engagement of CSI.

The students learned about their one-month program with an orientation that explained about their stay in New York and at CSI. Ms. Clark talked about topics related to their visa status, safety issues, transportation, among other important topics that will let the students have a great time in New York City. The orientation also brought information of their daily activities and academic duties. They took an English placement test before starting classes, which will cover grammar, reading, writing, and speaking skills plus TOEFL workshop training.

Fun program

During their program, they will have weekly meetings with the CSI International Student Club, films and fun activities during the International Education Week, and information sessions. The English program will also let them practice their language skills during the Culture Day event, where they will have the chance to speak in English about Mexico.

The students learned about their one-month program with an orientation that explained about their stay in New York and at CSI.

Students will not only study English but also have fun. They will have a tour around Manhattan in hop-on hop-off buses where they will see famous tourist attractions such as the Empire State Building, Times Square, the World Trade Center, among others, plus a Broadway show.

Scholarship from Mexico

Participants come from different cities in Mexico. The Mexican government offered more than one thousand scholarships to study in the United States with full coverage. Students selected had to show high academic grades in

“I applied for this government scholarship and, fortunately, I got it to improve my English level,” Cielo expressed.

their own institutions in order to get the scholarship called Student Training Program Proyecta 100,000 United States 2017 coordinated through the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexican Agency of International Development Cooperation. Students will live with host families during the entire program, which will let them learn about their culture during Thanksgiving and family activities.

Great expectations

Aurora Soto from Sinaloa, Mexico expressed her expectations while in New York. “We are so thankful for this opportunity and we invite all of you to study here because it’s a great experience,” Aurora said.

Cielo Valdez, also from Sinaloa, mentioned after the orientation she was fortunate to be at CSI. “I applied for this government scholarship and, fortunately, I got it to improve my English level,” Cielo expressed.

This will show a great mix of more than 12 nationalities in the classrooms since this Fall term ELI has students from all over the world.

Lynette Ochoa, originally from Los Mochis in Sinaloa, was excited to be at CSI and enjoyed her campus tour. “I hope you can come here and know this campus. It is really, really, really beautiful. You have to come here, you have to know it,” Lynette said.

Fall term

Students will join the ELI Fall term that usually runs from August to December. Mexican students will have a great opportunity to meet international students who are also learning English at ELI. This will show a great mix of more than 12 nationalities in the classrooms since this Fall term ELI has students from all over the world such as Albania, China, Ecuador, Italy, Japan, Korea, Macedonia, Peru, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, and Vietnam, among others.

The English Language Institute at the College of Staten Island welcomes once again these students and wishes the best of fun. ELI has been nominated as host sponsor of this program for the third year in a row which shows the confidence international institutions have in ELI, since it has welcomed different groups with government scholarships and grants as well as English as Second Language (ESL) customized and faculty-led programs. ELI is a member of the EnglishUSA association, which shows the high standard institutions such as the ELI has to have in ESL programs.

ELI offers semester and summer terms during its Intensive English Program at the largest CUNY campus in the city, with 204 acres full of modern facilities, ESL training teachers, and English-related activities. ELI is part of the Center for Global Engagement of CSI, international area of the College, focused on offering the best English program in New York City, with a genuine program that includes the most famous English test to apply for an academic degree called TOEFL, in which ELI teachers have an exclusive test-preparation course. Founded in 1976, the Center for Global Engagement has developed its English program customized for international students who want to learn English in New York and in the USA, for local students, and especially for foreign governments that want to bring their students to learn English for academic and/or business purposes.

Students interested in applying to ELI may find it really easily online filling out an application form and start classes at any time of the year.