Rutherford, N.J. — Over the last three years, Felician University has partnered with Goya Foods as a provider of employee enrichment classes, enabling participants to develop professional leadership skills while learning the foundations of the English language. For Franco Luna, Manager of Receiving at Goya, this partnership was more than just a collaboration between two organizations, but an opportunity to fuel his passion for community service and self-improvement through education. 

Throughout his daily tasks, Luna took note of the many flyers for Felician’s ESL program and how he could receive tuition assistance through Goya. Knowing that he wanted to strengthen his English-speaking and grammatical skills, Luna enrolled in the program, where he would eventually develop enough speaking and writing competencies to take on more projects and tasks in his role. 

After completing three levels of the ESL classes, Luna landed an interview for a promotion. Though the interview was conducted entirely in English, he felt confident and well-prepared to express his qualifications for the role. 

Potential turned into reality when Luna received the news that he had been promoted to Manager of Receiving, where he leads a team in performing quality checks and inspections of goods shipped to and from the warehouse. He now encourages everyone, whether you’re a Goya employee, student, or prospective student, to never pass up the chance to invest in your personal and career goals. 

“I am very grateful for Goya’s partnership with Felician University, as this program truly changed my life,” said Luna. “I have been very hungry to succeed, and I’m always wanting to improve myself. I’ve been at Goya for 5-6 months, and English has been so essential when working with our partners.” 

Luna credited Dennis Graham, Director of the International Office, for his commitment to delivering lessons with the intention of leaving a lasting impact on every student. Without him, Luna said, he would not have been nearly as satisfied with his preparation to accept the promotion offer, which is a common theme shared by students at Felician and their faculty. Classes that are small and student-centered. 

Dr. Marcillo, Dean of the School of Business & Information Sciences stated, “We are proud to mark the third year of our transformative partnership with Goya Foods Inc. Through the School of Business and Information Sciences (SOBIS) at Felician University, we have developed a custom Workforce Development Program, covering everything from ESL to advanced negotiation, conflict resolution, etc., taught by industry experts. This success is a testament to Goya’s executive team, which truly values its employees and invests in their futures. At Felician, we share this vision. We are dedicated to helping students and corporate partners alike reach their highest potential, meeting the challenges of the future with informed minds and understanding hearts.”  

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Felician University is committed to supporting academic success at any stage of life. With over 2,700 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students enrolled across the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education, Felician provides diverse learning experiences that equip all students with the skills to meet the demands of today’s society. Over the past five years, Felician University has consistently ranked 3rd among private institutions in New Jersey for best value according to payscale.com and has been recognized as the #1 Safest College Campus in New Jersey according to niche.com. Our Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. We are proud to be designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the thirteenth year, a testament to our dedicated support of Veteran students. Our diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), with underrepresented students comprising more than half of the student population, reflects our inclusive and supportive environment. With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, our Franciscan values of respect for human dignity, compassion, and social justice are woven into the very foundation and development of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University is proudly sponsored by Felician Sisters International (FSI). For more information, please visit https://felician.edu.