James Boney, PhD, has been a part of Adelphi International since it launched in 2016 and has helped many students from across the globe embrace Adelphi University programs, classroom development, and career opportunities. Boney and his team of advisors, faculty, and staff know their students come to Adelphi to experience the best of both worlds: a top-ranked cutting-edge university education combined with access to New York City, the cultural center of the world.
“The students know … how good of a school Adelphi University is, but more than anything, their excitement is wrapped around coming to New York City,” said Boney. “But they’re also coming to an idyllic American university campus, one with green grass, rose bushes, and red brick buildings with white pillars that looks like it came right out of a movie.”
The combination allows students to get used to the city at their own pace while having a safe and familiar home to which they can return. On campus, international students enjoy several clubs and social network-building activities when they are not studying, working, or preparing for a career.
“There are events, student programming, and student services that are exclusive to the Adelphi International population. During midterms, we have refresh sessions and game nights,” said Boney. “There’s a whole suite of student interactions and student programming that only exists for these students.”
An Education Inside the Classroom and Out
Boney says many international students at Adelphi University are natural New Yorkers. Sometimes he sees undergrads at the train station or exploring a borough or neighborhood far away from the Adelphi University dorms and food halls. With so much to explore, it’s easy to get distracted. Boney and his team are well-versed in helping students prioritize and stay on track.
“Right away we tell them that if you want to succeed, you’re going to have to recognize there is some work to be done here,” said Boney. “Our job is to make sure students have all the resources they need to succeed. We cannot take the tests for you, right? We cannot get you up out of bed, but what we can do is make sure that you feel supported along the way, and if you have questions, we have answers for you.”
The Support International Students Need
With so many happenings on campus and in New York, it is critical to ensure students don’t get overwhelmed. Boney and his team make sure that international students aren’t just doing well in school, but are also healthy and happy. He notes that wellness checks are especially important for international students in a new program and a new country, on their own for the first time. He notes that the Adelphi International staff and faculty have multiple touchpoints with students each day and have a good awareness of a student’s health and well-being.
“Our job is to make sure these students aren’t burning the candle at both ends. One way we do that is through faculty feedback. A professor may note a student doesn’t seem like themselves, then we reach out,” said Boney. “Sometimes the recruitment team will even hear from the family that a student is feeling homesick. We make sure to be there to help.”
Boney notes that students in the Adelphi International program have a dedicated support team including career and classroom advisors and counselors, instructors, and more. Bringing together Adelphi faculty and international faculty gives international students a holistic support system that helps them acclimate to university life, feel supported, and excel.
You know how there’s the Disney Channel and then there’s Disney Plus? There’s the regular Adelphi experience, and then there’s the Adelphi International experience. We’re like the Adelphi Plus for international students.” – James Boney, managing director, Adelphi International
Academics at Adelphi International
Adelphi features top-ranked programming in several different majors. The Robert B. Willumstad School of Business has one of the best business administration programs in the country, and with Manhattan and Wall Street just a quick train ride away, students can access employment and internship opportunities with global leaders in just about any industry.
In addition to business administration, more than 60 undergraduate and 20 graduate degrees are available to international students. Adelphi University’s acceptance rate averages more than 75%, and the university offers one of the top 50 best first-year experiences of any school in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Undergraduates can finish the Adelphi International program in as little as two semesters. After completion, they enroll at Adelphi University to continue their studies and earn the same bachelor’s degrees as domestic students. Students generally stay in the program for one semester at the graduate level. In addition to cultural and academic acclimation, the Adelphi International program helps students feel comfortable speaking and writing in English.
“For the majority of our students at the undergraduate level, they’re with us for two semesters, which is the equivalent of their first year,” said Boney. “And then they progress out of our program years two, three, or four, where they’re treated like any other Adelphi student. Some students are in the program longer, depending on their English proficiency.”
Post-COVID, Adelphi International Is Back
Despite being just a short train ride from Garden City to Manhattan, Adelphi University’s role as gateway university to New York City was hampered during the height of the pandemic, as both the school and the city established COVID protocols. Quarantines, remote classes, and social distancing made it difficult for many students to engage with the city and the university fully.
Boney is happy to report those times are over and, with many of the technology and service advances Adelphi has undertaken to combat the threat of COVID still available, campus life is better than ever.
“New York City is back. Adelphi University is back. The community is vibrant, things are happening, opportunities exist now in a way that they didn’t before,” said Boney. “Students are looking at colleges, but then they have the bonus of being a 45-minute Long Island Railroad train ride away from the world capital, New York City. They see they can get the best of both worlds.”
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