The Center for Global Engagement
The Center of Global Engagement promotes the internationalization of academic life at the College of Staten Island in order to foster an awareness of the interdependence of nations, the value of diversity, and the importance of international understanding. The Center promotes internationalization across the campus through innovative programming in study abroad, specialized programs, support for exchange students and scholars, the English Language Institute, advisement to faculty on international activities, and on-campus programming that brings the larger world to the CSI community.
Staff
Director's Office
Dr. Stephen Ferst stephen.ferst@csi.cuny.edu
Executive Director
Dr. Stephen Ferst serves as the Executive Director and is charged with providing the overall direction for the Center and campus internationalization. He has worked in international education for over 25 years in multiple roles in study abroad, international student and scholar services, and strategic planning. Dr. Ferst has studied, lived, and worked abroad in Israel and England and has travelled to over 50 countries. Among his favorite cities in the world are Sydney, Delhi, and small town of Lewes, England - particularly on November 5th. He prefers to spend his spare time riding a bicycle and recalls fondly riding up the 21 switchbacks of Alpe D’Huez before settling in to watch the Tour de France riders tackle the famed climb.
Winnie Brophy winnie.brophy@csi.cuny.edu
Director of Special Programs and Initiatives
Winnie Brophy is the director of Special Programs and Initiatives in the Center, where she manages arrangements for international visitors, special projects and international programming. She is also a chapter coordinator of the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars at the College. Winnie had served as the coordinator of the Pluralism and Diversity Program simultaneously where she developed and implemented diversity programs for the campus community. She received her B.S. in Geography and M.A. in Urban Education in Connecticut. Her mission is to broaden our students’ perspectives and increase their understanding and appreciation of diversity here at the College of Staten Island and in the world.
Melanie Thompson, College Assistant melanie.thompson@csi.cuny.edu
English Language Institute (ELI)
Christian Perticone
ELI Director
Christian Perticone is the Director of the Center's English Language Institute. He takes personal responsibility for the support, safety, and success of our international students studying English at CSI. He entered this field when he taught EFL in Madrid, Spain. Since then, he has held teaching and administrative positions across New York City, including several with NYS TESOL, where he is currently the VP Outreach. He earned his TESOL Certification at Teachers College, his MFA from Arizona State University, and his BA from the University of Rochester. He believes that his time studying abroad as a student in Spain and Italy changed the trajectory of his life, and he hopes that the ELI will have a similar impact on its students.
Study Abroad
Gonzalo Villena gonzalo.villena@csi.cuny.edu
Director - Study Abroad
Gonzalo Villena has served as ELI Director at the College of Staten Island and has been in charge of the academics and promotion of the English programs at the Center. He has worked in international education for 15 years and 17 years dedicated to the field of language teaching and training. Gonzalo has been the Executive Director at another international area in a university with branches in Peru, Paraguay, and the United States, traveling to more than 25 countries around the world. He holds a Master's degree in Education from the TEC de Monterrey (Mexico). His mission is to make students enjoy the world while studying abroad!
John Dunleavy john.dunleavy@csi.cuny.edu
Study Abroad Advisor
John Dunleavy has worked with the Center for Global Engagement since 2010. He has over thirteen years of experience in international education with four of those years spent teaching and living in Guayaquil, Ecuador, a city he originally fell in love with through a CSI study abroad program. Having helped many of his Ecuadorian students achieve their dreams of studying abroad, he is committed to helping CSI students do the same.
Faculty Advisory Committee
William Bernhardt, Department of English
Katie Cumiskey, Department of Psychology
Jane Marcus Delgado, Political Science & Global Affairs
Erlan Feria, Engineering and Environmental Science
David Gerstner, Department of Media Culture
Peter Kabachnik, Political Science & global Affairs
Andrew Lambert, Department of Philosophy
Catherine Lavender, Department of History
Beth Livensperger, Performing & Creative Arts
Lisa Manne, Department of Biology
Gerry Milligan, World Languages and Literatures
PrabudhRam Misra, Department of Mathematics
Nuria Morgado, World Languages and Literatures
Halil Ege Ozen, Political Science & global Affairs
Reece Peck, Department of Media Culture
Sarah Pollack, World Languages and Literatures
Mark Aaron Polger, Department of the Library
George Sanchez, Performing & Creative Arts
Dan Zhang, Chazanoff School of Business
Contact Information
The Center for Global Engagement
Office Hours
The Center for Global Engagement is available
Monday through Friday
9 am - 5 pm
and virtually.