SUNY Rockland Offers Nine Languages This Fall

SUNY Rockland Offers Nine Languages This Fall

Suffern, NY - SUNY Rockland is offering nine “living” languages this fall—among the most of any community college in New York State.

Arabic and Chinese are the most recently added languages that have just been approved by the State University of New York (SUNY) as meeting the Foreign Language General Education requirements.  RCC foreign language courses, including American Sign Language, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Russian and Spanish, currentlymeet the SUNY Gen Ed requirements, which are mandatory for students seeking a bachelor’s degree from a SUNY school.

Joanne Molinary-DeGaeta of Pomona enrolled at the College to improve her Spanish grammar. Shortly thereafter she was offered a job at the Haverstraw Middle School in 1994 to teach English and Spanish courses. At present, she teaches United States History to legal immigrants seeking citizenship. DeGaetta is currently an adjunct at the College teaching Effective Reading.

Mara-Lee Bierman, Professor of Spanish and Chair of Foreign Languages, said, “The ability to communicate effectively in another language maximizes career opportunities, enhances credentials, and affords relevant experience in competitive international markets. Studying a foreign language is an asset to students transferring to four-year colleges and to those who aspire to be involved in business, politics, diplomacy, law enforcement, translation, science, research, missionary and social work, art, marketing, entertainment, music, or journalism.”

For more information, contact Mara-Lee Bierman, Professor Chair, Foreign Languages, at (845) 574-4361, mbierman@sunyrockland.edu, or visit: www.sunyrockland.edu/go/foreign-languages/

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Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.