ELI Newsletter Volume 10

Last week, the English Language Institute held what is quickly becoming one of our favorite annual traditions—the Annual ELI Cultural Fair. All of the ELI classes in the Sunday, Saturday, and Intensive English programs were invited to research a country or region and then open their classrooms to fellow students, faculty, staff, and guests to share what they had learned. The various countries and places represented included Australia, Japan, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, the Bronx, Tarrytown, and Sleepy Hollow, among others.

As always, every class went above and beyond, creating impressive PowerPoint presentations, informative posters, and vibrant displays. Classrooms were transformed with balloon arches, flags, photographs, and artifacts unique to each country or region. Students and teachers even donned traditional clothing representative of the cultures they were presenting, adding to the fun and festive atmosphere. Many classes also prepared traditional foods, including Ecuador’s famous encebollado soup, Japanese teas, and Australia’s well-known Lamington cakes.

While photographs can capture only a small part of the experience, we hope they convey the enthusiasm, pride, creativity, and hard work that made this year’s Cultural Fairs such a memorable celebration of the rich cultural diversity within the English Language Institute and the hard work that the students put in researching other cultures, collaborating, and, of course, practicing English. This has truly become one of the many highlights of the ELI calendar.

At the beginning of the year, the English Language Institute launched a new initiative entitled College Is Not a Dream—It Is a Plan. The series features both online and in-person presentations and panel discussions led by faculty and staff from SUNY Westchester Community College, showcasing the wide range of academic programs and career pathways available to the ELI students. The presentations are designed to inform, encourage, and support ELI students who are considering continuing their education at the college level.

To date, two highly successful events have taken place. The first featured Carmen L. Martínez-López, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Business and Professional Careers, and George Contreras, Dean of Health Sciences and Wellness. They shared valuable insights into the academic programs offered within their schools and the career opportunities available to graduates. Equally inspiring were their personal stories. Both speakers described the hard work and determination that enabled them to achieve their goals, reminding students that they too had once been learners with aspirations for higher education. Their messages resonated strongly with the audience and encouraged many ELI students to take the next steps toward achieving their own educational goals.

On April 10, the ELI hosted its second event, featuring three former ELI students—Jenny Roxas, Natalia Gil Perez, and Fjoralba Gojani—who are now pursuing degrees at SUNY Westchester Community College. Jenny is studying Cybersecurity, while Natalia and Fjoralba are enrolled in Business programs. They spoke candidly about their educational journeys, the challenges of studying in English as a language other than their own, and the strategies that helped them succeed. They emphasized that, although studying in English can be demanding, they have received tremendous support from both their professors and the College’s academic support services, which have played an important role in their success.

There is more exciting news from the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate program at the ELI. A recent TESOL graduate has just begun a Master’s degree in Teaching English at Pace University in Manhattan.

Ana Maria Herrera completed the TESOL Certificate Program in the Spring of 2025. Ana was a teacher in her home country and always dreamed of continuing her teaching career here in the United States. She first enrolled in the TESOL program as a way to begin that journey, and soon after decided to further advance her career by pursuing a master’s degree. She said that the TESOL program was an important stepping stone in helping her realize her goal of obtaining a master’s degree. 

We wish Ana continued success as she moves forward into this next stage of her professional journey.