New York's Hudson
Valley: A Well-Rounded Educational
Experience
Where can you find the natural beauty
of mountains, rivers, lakes and forests,
all less than an hour’s drive
from the world capital of business
and entertainment? Only in the scenic
Hudson Valley, northwest of New York
City.
Students from around the world flock
to the colleges of the Hudson Valley,
where they enjoy easy access to the
educational, cultural and entertainment
resources of New York City, as well
as to the rich recreational opportunities
offered by state parks, the Catskill
Mountains and the majestic Hudson
River. Skiing, hiking, boating and
cycling are among the most popular
and easily accessible activities enjoyed
by international students and as local
residents. The ‘Gunks’
in Minnewaska State Park attracts
rock-climbers from around the world.
The Hudson Valley is home to numerous
colleges of the State University of
New York (SUNY), a 64-campus system
that is one of the largest and finest
higher education systems in the world.
The Hudson Valley colleges offer the
advantage of safe, scenic campuses
located in attractive suburban areas.
SUNY Rockland Community College, for
example, was just designated the safest
community college campus, 1997-2000,
in the tri-state region of New York-Pennsylvania-Connecticut,
in a recent study of crime on and
near campus released by the US Department
of Education.
Location, Location, Location!
Students wishing to enrich their
studies can easily travel to the city
by car or public transportation, to
visit world-renowned museums and sights
such as the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the
Museum of Natural History, the New
York Public Library at Fifth Avenue,
the World Trade Center, and the Empire
State Building, as well as hundreds
of galleries, historic sites and more.
And of course, New York is the entertainment
capital of the world, with Broadway
shows, musical concerts, nightlife,
thousands of restaurants, top-flight
sports events and the ultimate in
shopping. Most Hudson Valley colleges
take advantage of their proximity
to New York City by offering organized
trips to galleries, opera and sporting
events for their students, and by
incorporating the resources of the
city into the regular curriculum.
The cosmopolitan milieu of New York
enables students from any part of
the world to feel at home. Whether
you are from Asia, Europe or anywhere
else, you will find people from your
native land and ethnic neighborhoods,
with grocery stores stocked with native
foods and restaurants serving familiar
dishes. The exciting diversity of
the city allows international students
to ‘explore the world’
just by traveling a few subway stops
around the city’s multi-faceted
communities.
Community Colleges: An Ideal Beginning
Thousands of international students
choose to begin their education at
one of the thirty SUNY community colleges,
of which several are located in the
Hudson Valley, including SUNY Rockland,
Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, Westchester
and Hudson Valley Community Colleges.
Each of these colleges offers the
‘community college advantage’
- small classes, caring, attentive
faculty, and easy transferability
to four-year schools, all at very
affordable prices.
The close affiliation of the community
colleges with the four-year SUNY schools
through special transfer agreements
means that students can transfer smoothly
to the college of their choice. In
addition, the community colleges maintain
these transfer agreements, also called
articulation agreements, with many
of the finest private colleges.
Programs for International Students
Community colleges are known for
their commitment to student success,
with small faculty-to-student ratios
and special attention to the needs
of the individual. Most community
colleges offer extensive ESL programs,
as well as courses that help students
to bolster the skills they will need
to succeed in their collegiate studies.
International students who need assistance
with reading, writing and speaking
English will find programs tailored
to their individual level.
Community colleges also demonstrate
their commitment to student success
through academic advisement, tutoring,
career services, job placement, counseling
and crisis intervention, disability
services and more. As an international
student, you will find college personnel
trained to help you with your unique
needs, including immigration regulations,
visa arrangements, housing and acculturation
to your new environment.
High-Quality Education
Community college graduates obtain
an outstanding education at a fraction
of the cost charged by private or
four-year public colleges. In addition
to affordable fees, most students
receive some form of financial assistance
in grants, loans and work-study programs.
Just as local students and their parents
find the community colleges an affordable
alternative, a growing number of international
students are opting to spend their
first two years at a community college
before transferring to a four-year
school.
Non-Traditional Learning Opportunities
Education is no longer bound to the
classroom. Students can opt for distance
learning, online classes and internships.
Students earn credit while studying
outside the traditional classroom
in a mode that satisfies individual
learning styles and busy schedules.
The SUNY colleges have the special
advantage of access to the SUNY Learning
Network, which offers over a thousand
courses online. Through internships
in a wide range of fields, students
gain first-hand experience in settings
such as health care facilities, television
stations and corporate offices. Again,
the proximity to New York City has
allowed students to enjoy internships
at world-renowned media outlets, hospitals
and businesses.
Outstanding Programs and Facilities
The community colleges of the Hudson
Valley offer a wide range of degree
and certificate programs in the humanities,
social sciences, arts, technologies,
business, health professions, mathematics
and sciences. Outside the classroom,
students become involved in recreational,
cultural and community activities,
including student organizations and
clubs, student government, student
publications, athletic teams and intramural
competitions.
Education for the New Millennium
The educational opportunities of
New York’s Hudson’s Valley
will prepare you for a successful
future in a technologically advanced
world. And, while achieving your educational
and career goals, you will enjoy and
benefit from one of the most unique,
beautiful and strategically-situated
regions of the United States: New
York State’s Hudson Valley.
Author
Zipora Reitman
Rockland Community College
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