By Alexander Dworkowitz
In Queens, many low-income students see their education end in high school. But a new college in Flushing is hoping to help many of those students.
The Interboro Institute, a Manhattan-based two-year business college which opened a center in Flushing last year, is seeking to enroll poor students, many of whom have struggled with education.
“Some of them come from families that weren’t as supportive as they should have been,” said Victor Flores, director of the Flushing center.
Nearly three-quarters of the student body at the school receive complete financial aid for the tuition of $3,900 per semester.
“This is an opportunity for these students to succeed in life,” said Flores.
The Interboro Institute has just celebrated the one-year anniversary of its Flushing center at 135-27 38th Ave. The student body has grown from just 14 to 340 in search of earning an associate’s degree.
Founded in 1888, Interboro’s main campus is located in Midtown Manhattan. The two-year business school offers degrees in business administration, office technology, paralegal studies, opticianry and security services and management.
In 1999, Educational Video Conferencing Inc., a company that promotes the use of video conferencing, bought Interboro with the intent of expanding operations beyond its Midtown Manhattan campus.
Interboro, which had far fewer students from Queens than Brooklyn and Manhattan, decided it should come to the borough. In January 2001, several Asian business leaders in Flushing invited Interboro to look into the area.
“They indicated a need for more training of people in that community,” said Stephen Adolphus, president of Interboro.
Two months later, Interboro opened the doors of its four-story site in downtown Flushing.
Adriana Mitznahuatl, who lives in Sunnyside, enrolled at Interboro’s Flushing center in September.
“It’s given me an opportunity to continue my education,” she said. “The professors are really good to me.”
Mitznahuatl said she hopes to go on to a four-year college after graduation and one day start her own company.
Like many students at the Flushing center, Mitznahuatl commutes to the school on the No. 7 subway line.
“All of the areas along the 7 line are thriving with blue collar and low-income people looking for a step up, and that’s who we serve,” Adolphus said.
Carolyn Velazquez, a student services generalist and former student at Interboro, said many of the students at the school were once in foster care and many others are single parents.
Velazquez said the administration, faculty and students maintained a relationship of respect.
“We project ourselves as professionals,” Velazquez said. “At the same time we’re very nurturing. I think they like that.”
As a business school, Interboro wanted to acquire as many computers as possible. The Flushing campus has three computer clusters with 62 computers.
The new owner of Interboro is a company that develops on-line classes. While the school hopes to develop such classes in the future, Flores said problems with Ethernet lines have prevented Interboro from offering on-line classes for the time being.
“It appears the idea is ahead of its time,” said Flores. “It’s definitely a goal.”
Nestor Baylan, who teaches mathematics and English at the institute, came to Flushing when the campus opened last year. Like Velazquez, Baylan praised the students, whom he described as more “civilized” than students at other schools at which he has taught.
Like most of the other 14 professors at the Flushing center, Baylan has had previous experience working in a two-year college.
“When I first came here, having five students was a gift from God,” Baylan said. “Now the place is swarming with people.
“When you see something grow over the years, you feel proud of it,” he added.
Interboro plans to continue to expand. The current Flushing building can hold more than 600 students. Down the road, the school may construct two more stories on the building, further increasing capacity, Flores said.
Interboro also is looking at moving into other boroughs, Flores said.
He wants to meet as many Queens residents as possible. He hopes that by introducing himself to the leaders of the various communities of Queens, he can find more students who can use Interboro as a first step to success.
“My goal is to go out and be partners to the community, to go to the local church, synagogue and mosque,” said Flores. “There’s definitely a need for us.”
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 141.
