Veterans Find Jobs via the CIA (Culinary Institute of America)

TRANSFER YOUR MILITARY KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING INTO YOUR NEXT CAREER in the FOOD INDUSTRY

With job opportunities in the foodservice industry continuing to grow, a culinary career is an ideal option for transitioning government service employees and their families to consider for the next stage in their lives. And with a CIA degree, you can be anything you dream of.

Our skills-oriented, specialized bachelor’s and associate degree programs in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts, and award winning faculty prepare you to step right into the industry. In addition, military transitioners and veterans will feel right at home at the CIA. They comprise 2% of our student body and bring much-valued diversity and life experience to campus. They are also perfectly positioned to take advantage of the CIA’s flexible entry system, with four enrollment seasons throughout the year from which to choose.

As you know, making a successful life change requires careful planning. We’re here to assist in that process. For more information, please call the Admissions department at 1-800-CULINARY or admissions@culinary.edu.

Salute to Veterans Caps off CIA’s 60th Anniversary Celebration

Under a sparkling blue sky, the carillon bell tolled God Bless America as students, staff, faculty, and alumni gathered to honor CIA veterans by dedicating the flagpole near the Conrad Hilton Library. There couldn’t have been a more fitting way to conclude the year-long series of celebrations at the Hyde Park campus marking the CIA’s 60th anniversary.

The CIA and Veterans…A Proud Tradition
Founded in 1946 by visionaries Frances Roth and Katharine Angell, the CIA provided culinary training to veterans returning from service in WWII. Indeed, the school’s first 50 students were veterans studying under the GI Bill. The goal of providing exemplary culinary skills training to veterans has endured and we can proudly say that thousands of veterans have graduated from the CIA—with over 600 earning their degrees in just the past two decades. Today, we have close to 100 veterans enrolled as CIA students or working as faculty or staff.

Dedication to Veterans Past and Present
After President Tim Ryan’s greeting, the United State Military Academy’s Color Guard formally opened the ceremony with the Andy Tabak ’48 and Kelly Kellypresentation of the colors in a display of impressive precision. Kelly Kelly, a current A.O.S. culinary arts student and U.S. Army veteran who served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Korea, spoke eloquently of her pride in serving her country and of how the GI Bill is providing the opportunity for her to pursue a career that indulges her passion for cooking. In a charming moment, veteran and CIA graduate Andy Tabak ’48 talked about getting his start as a cook in the Marine Corps and then taking advantage of the GI Bill to attend the CIA (then called the New Haven Restaurant Institute) as a member of its second class!

New Scholarship Recognizes Veterans at the CIA
The presentation of the first Salute to Veterans Scholarship was made to Virgil Ballew, Jr., a current B.P.S. student and six-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a sergeant. The $2,500 scholarship award will be presented annually to a student/veteran who maintains a 3.5 average or above, has completed their externship program, and has demonstrated financial need.

Dedication of the Flagpole
For the commemoration’s grand finale, President Ryan and Kelly Kelly unveiled a plaque at the base of the flagpole that will forever pay tribute to CIA veterans and all other veterans who fought to preserve our freedoms. The plaque reads…

"The Culinary Institute of America opened its doors in 1946 as the New Haven Restaurant Institute. A revolutionary concept in the education of foodservice professionals, the CIA was created to help returning World War II veterans become a new generation of American chefs. The CIA dedicates this flagpole as a tribute to our alumni veterans, and to all men and women who have fought to preserve the many freedoms we enjoy in the United States of America."

CIA To Be Featured As Education Option For Vets

A production crew from The American Veteran television program came to campus in October 2008 to tape interviews and footage for a four-minute segment about how the CIA is a viable education option for veterans under the new GI Bill.

The story is focusing on the CIA’s long and storied connection to the military and veterans, along with Andrew Laughlin (CIA 2008), an Iraq War veteran who earned his bachelor’s degree in November 2008.

The segment is scheduled to air in February 2009 on The American Veteran, a production of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The show has a potential audience of three million on satellite and cable channels, as well as some PBS stations. Check here for specific air date and time.

Annual Veterans Luncheon

The CIA holds an annual luncheon to honor veterans who are residents and outpatients at the Castle Point Veterans Administration Hospital in nearby Fishkill, NY.

Each year CIA students volunteer to cook, serve, and greet at this worthy and fulfilling event. In addition, staff and faculty purchase gifts for the vets and collect non-perishable food items for the food pantry at Castle Point.

The CIA has a long history of supporting veterans. In fact, the college was founded in 1946 specifically to assist World War II veterans in developing practical skills needed to re-enter the workforce.The CIA has a long history of supporting veterans. In fact, the college was founded in 1946 specifically to assist World War II veterans in developing practical skills needed to re-enter the workforce.