Army Veteran and CIA
Graduate also Advises Veteran Student Organization
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Hyde Park, NY – To help future foodservice and hospitality leaders
serving our nation make the transition from the military to college, The
Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
has a new member of its admissions staff dedicated to assisting veterans in
planning for their post-military careers.
Eric Jenkins, 47, enrolled at the CIA after serving in the
U.S. Army from 1984 to 2008. He earned his bachelor's degree in culinary arts
management earlier this year and will now help guide fellow service members and
veterans through the application process. From firsthand experience, the
retired Sergeant First Class can explain how to obtain Post-9/11 GI Bill and
Yellow Ribbon Program benefits to provide them with a bachelor's or associate
degree education at the CIA. Sgt.
Jenkins also serves as the staff advisor to the Veterans Association &
Auxiliary student organization on campus. He was president of the group as an
undergraduate.
An admissions counselor dedicated to veterans is needed at
the CIA, where 126 current
students have served on active duty in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
or Coast Guard.
"Veterans bring to their CIA
experience a more mature attitude, driven focus, attention to detail, and
natural leadership skills that are a direct result of the discipline they
receive during their military service," Sgt. Jenkins says. "This is a great
opportunity for our younger students, who should look to veterans as role models
within the classrooms and kitchens."
Jenkins is the second person to hold this position. Taylor Picone, a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard,
was called to active duty in 2012. He recently returned from a year-long
deployment in the Middle East and will now serve as the CIA's admissions counselor
for the Mid-Atlantic states.
The CIA's
commitment to America's service members goes back to the college's founding in
1946, when the first class of students consisted of World War II veterans studying
with the support of the original GI Bill. For more than six decades, the
college has worked closely with all branches of the U.S. military, providing
culinary training for active service members and college education for those
beginning their post-military professional careers. Information for veterans
interested in enrolling at the CIA
can be found at www.ciachef.edu/veterans.
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image
Eric Jenkins, a U.S. Army veteran and graduate of The
Culinary Institute of America, is the college's new admissions counselor for
veterans. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil
Mansfield)
View hi-res image >
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent,
not-for-profit college offering associate and bachelor's degrees with majors in
culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and culinary science, as well as
certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies. As the
world's premier culinary college, the CIA provides thought leadership in the
areas of health & wellness, sustainability, and world cuisines &
cultures through research and conferences. The CIA has a network of 45,000
alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz,
Anthony Bourdain, Roy Choi, Cat Cora, Dan Coudreaut, Steve Ells, Johnny Iuzzini,
Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The CIA also offers courses for
professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting services in support of
innovation for the foodservice and hospitality industry. The college has
campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore.
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