SUNY New Paltz and Culinary Institute of America partner to support international students’ language skills

The Haggerty English Language Program at SUNY New Paltz will collaborate with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to help international students meet English language proficiency standards and enroll at the CIA.

Through this new partnership, qualified international applicants to the Culinary Institute of America can enroll in the Haggerty English Language Program, which has provided intensive language instruction in the Hudson Valley for more than 40 years.

“The benefits to students are numerous,” says Jason Serrano, ESL student advisor at SUNY New Paltz. “Not every student has had many years of quality English instruction in their home country, but they want to learn. They also know the value of studying in America at an institution like SUNY New Paltz or the CIA and want to come here. This provides them with the opportunity to get their English to a level where they can be truly successful.”

This is the first time the Haggerty English Language Program is offering a pathway to international students from a neighboring institution. It’s an ideal arrangement for these aspiring CIA enrollees – the College’s proximity to the Culinary Institute of America (located just across the river in Hyde Park) will enable them to visit, tour, and meet faculty and staff there before they begin their academic programs.

Once these international students finish the Haggerty program at SUNY New Paltz, they will be able to matriculate and begin their full-time academic studies across the Hudson River at the CIA.

“The International Admissions Team and The Culinary Institute of America at large are very excited to partner with SUNY New Paltz to offer our students an opportunity for high quality English language study right here in the Hudson Valley,” said Stephen Sobierajski, associate director of international admissions at the CIA. “I believe this is a great chance for students to not only improve their English proficiency at a renowned institution, but to experience the cuisine, culture and diversity offered by our locality, and all while living just minutes away from their future home at the world’s premier culinary college.”

Visit the Haggerty English Language Program at SUNY New Paltz to learn more about language instruction and immersion opportunities for international students.