Office of International Education: Inbound Programs

Christina Quartararo, Executive Director

Christina Quartararo has been working with international students as a teacher and administrator since 2003. She has taught ESL to diverse groups of students in both colleges and universities and community-based programs and has managed a variety of short-term and grant-funded programs for international students and visitors.  She holds a B.A. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from Stony Brook University and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Queens College, City University of New York.

Sue Peterson, Associate Director

Sue Peterson has worked in the TESOL field for over twenty years and has been an ESL teacher, program administrator, workshop leader, textbook author, curriculum developer, and teacher trainer. In addition to the United States, her work has taken her to Mexico and China. She served for four years as the editor of New York State TESOL’s online newsletter, Dialogue and is the co-author of Prism: Listening and Speaking, Intro published by Cambridge University Press and Writing Power Book 3 and Book 4, published by Pearson Education.  She holds an M.A. in TESOL from Hunter College, City University of New York. Her interests include materials writing, curriculum design, and technology.

Karen Gilmartin, Assistant Director

Karen Gilmartin has been working with international students since 1996. In 1997 she moved to Inuyama, Japan to work with the Ministry of Education and that city’s Native English Teacher curriculum writing team. Upon her return to the States, she went to work as a language school director. Over the past ten years, Karen has presented workshops and poster sessions at national and local professional conferences. Other assignments in the international education field include immigration and government regulation compliance officer; teacher trainer; and speech and accent reduction coach. She has traveled extensively and worked in several overseas locations including Malaysia, Israel, and Hong Kong.

Camille Embus Perez, Coordinator

Camille has been at St. John’s University since 2011, working as both an instructor and administrator for the English Language Institute and as an adjunct professor for the credit ESL program. Before working at St. John’s, she taught in West Africa as an elementary teacher for 2 1/2 years, which is where her passion for working in the ESL field began. She holds a B.S in Elementary Education from The University of Tennessee and an M.S. in TESOL from St. John’s University.

Eugenie Smiddy, Coordinator

Genie has been at St. John’s University since 2014, first as an instructor and then in her current role as an administrator at the Manhattan campus. Before coming to St. John’s, she tutored undergraduate and graduate students in academic writing at the Hunter College Writing Center prior to becoming one of its supervisors, while also teaching freshman composition and introduction to literature courses. Her work at Hunter prompted her desire to become more thoroughly involved in higher education, specifically to assist ESL students in developing their academic language abilities. She holds a B.A. in Art History and an M.A. in TESOL from Hunter College.

Tiecher Adams, International Education Office Assistant

Tiecher Adams has been working at St. John’s University since 2004. She began working at the Intensive English Program (IEP), and was instrumental in the transition from that program to The Language Connection in 2010.  Tiecher works closely with administrators and faculty and provides support and assistance to students at all stages—from application through completion of their program. She holds a B.S. in Toxicology from St. John’s University.

Manhattan

Students who study on the Manhattan campus may choose to live in private residences, homestays, or apartment rentals near the Manhattan campus.

All off-campus housing options listed below are near public transportation. The commute to the Manhattan campus is approximately 20-40 minutes.

Homestays

Students live in a private home or apartment with a New York City or New Jersey family. This type of accommodation is called a ‘homestay.’  Many students prefer home stays because they live with a New York City or New Jersey family. Homestays usually cost less than private residences.

• Aunt Elsie’s Homestay

85 Raritan Avenue, Suite 500D Highland Park, NJ 08904

Phone Number: (201) 499-7847

Mobile Number: (732) 789-0779

www.auntelsiehomestay.com

[email protected]

• Cost: $900-1100 per month
• Meals Included: The host family will provide meals; breakfast and dinner during the week and on weekends, three meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Application Fee: Waived for students in The Language Connection

• American Homestay Network

Rachel Schwarcz: [email protected]

Mobile Number: 817-690-4544

(http://www.homestaynetwork.com/student/overview/)

• Cost: $283-$349 per week with a 4-week minimum
• Throughout New York City boroughs and in nearby New Jersey
• Options with AHN include single rooms, 1 or 2 meals a day in private homes and residences that are a short bus or train ride away.
• Application fee:  $300

Private Residences

Private residences offer dormitory-style living for New York City university students. Each private residence offers single or double rooms with fridges, 24-hour security, and special features. Special features may include communal kitchens, lounge areas, laundry, linens, Wifi, gym, and computers.

Private residences do not offer meals, but there are kitchens. Students can purchase food and cook their meals or purchase meals cheaply at any of the numerous nearby restaurants or delicatessens.

• Educational Housing Service (EHS) Private Residences in Manhattan and Brooklyn (studenthousing.org)
  EHS offers, short-term, semester or year-long housing; reservations needed in advance. Students pay all fees.
  • Phone: 800-297-4694
  • Costs: studenthousing.org/book/2014-2015-school-year

• Apartment Rental

  Cityspade

  Contact: [email protected].

  “CitySpade is a next-generation brokerage firm founded in 2015. Based in New York City, CitySpade consists of a group of energetic millennials who share the same passion for improving people's urban living.”

  cityspade.com

  ○ Address: 78 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

  ○ Phone: (917) 921-0570

Queens

University housing is available on the Queens campus. Accommodations include single, double, triple, or quad rooms. There are traditional dormitory-style residence and dining halls or apartment-style living quarters with individual kitchens.Click here for photos and details about housing on the Queens campus.

OTHER NON-UNIVERSITY HOUSING

Additional information about non-univerisity housing can be found here.