Consul General of Mexico in New York talks to Mexican ELI students at the College of Staten Island

New York, November 16, 2017

Consul General of Mexico in New York talks to Mexican ELI students at the College of Staten Island

Mexican students are at the English Language Institute of the College of Staten Island for a month funded by their government. The Consul General of Mexico in New York learned about the progress the students have had improving their language level and experience in New York City.

On November 16, the Consul General of Mexico in New York, Mr. Diego Gómez Pickering, visited the College of Staten Island (CSI)/The City University of New York (CUNY) and had a meeting with Mexican students who are at the English Language Institute (ELI) taking classes for a month to improve their language level. These Mexican students are at ELI for a month in a special program with English classes, conferences, and more with a scholarship funded by the Mexican government.

Consul Gómez spent the morning talking to ELI students asking about their academic backgrounds, English improvement, and future goals. “Being here at CSI and having been able to speak with the dozen of Mexican students that today are studying English, improving their English skills, through the 100,000 Proyecta program, funded by the Mexican government, is an extraordinary experience,” Gómez said.

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Students introduced themselves and talked about where they were from and which Mexican institution they studied in. Some of them shared they were from Los Mochis in Sinaloa, Matamoros in Tamaulipas, and Minatitlan in Veracruz, in majors such as engineering, business management, architecture, among others.

“Being here at CSI with the dozen of Mexican students that today are studying English, improving their English skills, is an extraordinary experience,” Gómez said.

The Consul General Gómez also had a chance to talk with the Deputy Director of the Center for Global Engagement of CSI, Ms. Barbara Clark, and the Director of the English Language Institute, Mr. Gonzalo Villena, who shared what CSI has accomplished in the international field and how the ELI program has participated for many years welcoming Mexican students in the scholarship program, Proyecta 100,000, funded by the Mexican government, which covers not only English classes for one month but also housing at a family homestay, academic activities such as conferences, workshops, lectures, Broadway shows, and a tour around Manhattan.

Students had the honor to meet the Consul General and talked about their English classes and experience living in New York. ELI student, Ricardo Ayala, commented he almost fell when he knew he got the scholarship. “When I learned I got the scholarship, I was actually returning from vacations. When the airplane landed and I read the email that I got the scholarship, I almost fell,” Ricardo expressed.

“The College of Staten Island, as part of the City University of New York, the CUNY system, is an excellent choice, especially at the English Language Institute to improve the English skills,” Consul Gómez concluded.

Ricardo is part of a group of Mexican students who joined the English Language Institute’s Fall term for the month of November. Today, they are part of a class with students from all over the world studying English, with countries such as Albania, Ecuador, Japan, Italy, Sri Lanka, Turkey, among others. The Intensive English Program (IEP) is the most important course of ELI which covers courses focused on grammar, reading and writing, speaking, and a special course which trains students for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The program has 18 hours per week and students have an intensive training to improve their English skills with very experienced teachers certified by the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

“When I learned I got the scholarship, I was actually returning from vacations. When the airplane landed and I read the email that I got the scholarship, I almost fell,” Ricardo expressed.

During the meeting with Consul General Gómez, which was held in English showing how much they had learned, the Consul also told ELI students the benefits and advantages of learning English, how much they could contribute to their community once they return to Mexico, and how well this was for their majors. “As Consul of Mexico in New York, I’m leaving convinced that the College of Staten Island, as part of the City University of New York, the CUNY system, is an excellent choice, especially at the English Language Institute to improve the English skills and to create a better future in New York, and between Mexico and the United States”, Consul Gómez concluded.

This important visit strengthened the relation the College of Staten Island and the English Language Institute have with the Consulate of Mexico in New York, as a means to support Mexican students at CSI and ELI, regarding the services that the Consulate offers to their national citizens. ELI highly expects to host future Mexican students in this scholarship program and welcomes more Mexican students who live in New York or Mexico and are interested in learning English.