St. John's Magazine for Summer 2023 - M1-13876

St.
St. J
John’s
ohn’s
NEW MEN’S
BASKETBALL HEAD
COACH RICK PITINO
Magazine
Magazine
Roots,
Local
Connections
Global Roots,
Local
ST. JOHN’S PEP BAND
STRIKES A CHORD ON
AND OFF CAMPUS
SECOND ANNUAL
ALUMNI GALA AND
REUNION WEEK Mimi Reid
Keeps Her
Eye on the Prize
summer 2023
global issue

GLOBAL ISSUE | SUMMER 2023, VOL. 2, NO. 2
Magazine â
3
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
8
AROUND THE CORNER, AROUND
THE GLOBE: ELAINE LILLI ’56UC
17
26 ANNUAL PRESIDENT’S DINNER
SAVE THE DATE
21
THANK YOU, DONORS
22
IN MEMORIAM: JOHN KENNEDY
BINGHAM ’80C (1958–2022)
”A MAN ON A MISSION“
26
DOUBLE ALUMNA AND CLARE BOOTH
LUCE SCHOLAR CHARTS A BRIGHT
FUTURE IN CYBERSECURITY
27
STUDENT SEES THE BEST OF ST. JOHN’S
STATEN ISLAND, QUEENS CAMPUSES
28
SPRING 2023 EVENTS
31
ALISSA D’VALE
32
ALUMNI EVENTS
45
LEAVE YOUR LEGACY:
THOMAS AND TONI JOYCE
46
THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
THANKS OUR VOLUNTEERS
48
Q&A WITH
MACIEK NOWAK, PH.D., DEAN,
THE PETER J. TOBIN
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
50
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
52
TOPPING-OFF CEREMONY
MARKS NEW PHASE AND MISSION
OF ST. VINCENT HEALTH
SCIENCES CENTER
56
KATHY MEEHAN
TRAILBLAZING ADMINISTRATOR
AND ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT ICON
RETIRES AFTER 48 YEARS
58
NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS
A GAME CHANGER
FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES
62
ALUMNI NEWS AND NOTES
IN THIS ISSUE
18
SECOND ANNUAL
ALUMNI GALA AND
REUNION WEEK
St. John’s
34
LOCAL ROOTS,
GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
40
STREET SMART,
WORLD WISE
4
GRADUATES LOOK
TO THE FUTURE
WHILE APPRECIATING
THE PAST
12
ST. JOHN’S PEP BAND
STRIKES A CHORD ON
AND OFF CAMPUS
60
RICK PITINO:
HALL OF FAME HEAD COACH
OF MEN’S BASKETBALL
54
EYE ON THE PRIZE:
POINT GUARD MIMI REID LED
THE RED STORM WHILE PURSUING
A DOCTORAL DEGREE

St. John’s
Magazine
GLOBAL ISSUE
SUMMER 2023, VOL. 2, NO. 2
Vice President for Advancement and
University Relations
Christian P. Vaupel, Ed.D.
Executive Editor
Brian Browne
Senior Editor
Andrew Miller
Editor
Stephanie M. Petrellese
Digital Editor
Linda Romano
Creative Director
Odaris M. Ithier-Olle
Writers
Meg Nugent Dwyer, James Stephen
Smith, and Steve Vivona
Photographers
Maria Keddis, Siobhan Mullan,
and Jad Nammour
Production Manager
Nicole Bertram-Secor
St. John’s Magazine is published
twice a year by the
Office of Marketing and Communications
St. John’s University
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
www.stjohns.edu
email: magazine@stjohns.edu
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To view St. John’s Magazine online:
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Dear Friend of St. John’s:
Released in 2015, Pope Francis’encyclical letter Laudato Si’: On Care For Our Common Home offers
a wide-ranging vision for people of goodwill to take action to better care for our common home.
The Pope speaks as a moral and spiritual guide, not as a scientist or a politician. This encyclical is
addressed to“every person living on the planet”and aims“to enter into dialogue with all people
about our common home.”
The phrase“think globally, act locally”has its roots in the environmental movement. It focuses on the belief that all people
should take action in their own communities to make a greater contribution to, and influence on, the larger planet. That
phrase is also applicable to the unwavering work and global outlook cultivated at the University—and is the focus of this
issue of St. John’s Magazine.
In the pages ahead, you will meet students, scholars, and alumni influenced by, and making an impact through, the local
and global reach of St. John’s. With 195,000+ alumni in every corner of the globe, the extensive reach of our University is
boundless, transcending boroughs and borders.
Our world is more connected than ever because of centuries of information sharing, technological advances, and an
increase in global partnerships and progress. With our main campus located in Queens, NY, or what is colloquially known
as“The World’s Borough,”St. John’s reflects the multicultural makeup of one of the most diverse counties in America. In
fact, according to the recent US Census, 47.2 percent of the Queens population was born outside the US. With 91 distinct
neighborhoods, Queens residents are said to speak 130 languages and represent more than 120 countries.
Our Queens campus is a microcosm of that diversity and the vibrant learning environment produced when different people
connect to live and learn together for a common cause. At St. John’s, more than 40 percent of undergraduates study abroad,
making us a national leader in international engagement. We are also proud to host more than 631 international students
from more than 96 countries.
Preparing students with a global education and sending them off into the world career-ready is the sum and substance of
the transformative educational experience at St. John’s. The recently concluded 153rd annual Commencement Exercises
was a celebration and validation of that life-changing work.
A globally minded ethos of servant leadership forms the backbone of our enduring Catholic and Vincentian mission, and
guides both our world view and how we envision, support, and nurture education and collaboration. Our mission-focused
volunteer opportunities abound for students who want to“plunge”into immersive learning experiences and volunteer
service opportunities at home or abroad. With local roots and global connections, we aim to uplift and inspire all that
intersect with St. John’s.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”These final words of Jesus to his disciples make clear that reaching the
nations has been a key part of God’s plan from the start. The word“disciple,”which is mathētēs in Greek, means“pupil,”but
also“follower.”Salvation was never meant to just stay in one place; rather, it was always meant for every nation, tribe, and
tongue. So, too, is the global mission of St. John’s.
I encourage you to join your alma mater in our local and international efforts and our shared mission to engage, inspire, and
elevate students who pursue a St. John’s education. Undoubtedly, your life has been enriched by your St. John’s experience
and we want to position the University to ensure that mission continuity.
Please be assured of my continued prayers for you, your families, and our beloved St. John’s!
Sincerely,
Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P.
President
A Message from
Our

n a picture-perfect Sunday with
glorious sunshine, St. John’s
University held its 153rd annual
Commencement Exercises on the Great Lawn
on May 21. More than 2,300 undergraduate
degrees were conferred at the ceremony for
students attending the Queens, Staten
Island, and Manhattan, NY, campuses,
and for those earning their degrees
through online coursework.
During his welcoming remarks, Rev. Brian J.
Shanley, O.P., President of St. John’s, asked
graduates,“What is the meaning of your life?”
He added,“We are uniquely gifted by God for a
purpose-driven life,”and encouraged graduates to
find that purpose.“And do not confuse your purpose
with your job. A meaningful job is part of a meaningful
life, but the meaning of your life is something deeper
and more important than your job.”
He added,“We find meaning in our lives in telling a story about
ourselves, and we live in communities that find meaning in
larger stories. We need to find redemptive stories that give us
hope to persevere and to grow. You have been exposed to many
narratives at St. John’s, and you need to keep searching for the
stories that will bring meaning to your lives.”
His Eminence Timothy
Cardinal Dolan, Ph.D. ’10HON,
Archbishop of New York, served
as Commencement speaker, and
was also presented with the Gold
Medal—the highest honor the
University can bestow upon
a nonalumnus.
Educated by the Vincentian
community himself, Cardinal Dolan
told graduates that both he and
they were in the community’s
debt.“They are a most radiant
jewel in the crown of Holy
Mother Church and in
Western civilization.”
“You are my professors this beautiful spring morning,”
he told graduates.“You are teaching me the
pivotal importance of an education.”In an age that
emphasizes earning, getting, action, and pleasure,
“you opted for a value less coveted, but surely more
enduring—time out for learning.”
Graduates, Cardinal Dolan stressed, were telling him they
cherish community.“You chose to learn from and with other
people. That’s a college community at its finest.”
—Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P.
You have been exposed to many
narratives at St. John’s, and you
need to keep searching for the
stories that will bring meaning
to your lives.
Graduates Lookto the
While Appreciating
the Past during
Future
ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE GLOBAL ISSUE 5

6 ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE GLOBAL ISSUE ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE GLOBAL ISSUE 7
St. John’s University is an institution that prides itself on tradition,
Cardinal Dolan offered. It is a tradition fostered by the Catholic
Church and inspired by the Vincentian legacy.“You are true
radicals in that you’ve returned to roots nurtured in the rich
soil of tradition, that go back to the truth as revealed by God,
especially in His son Jesus, the way, the truth, and the light.
Way to go, St. John’s Class of 2023!
Thanks for teaching me a lot of valuable lessons.”
The University also conferred honorary
doctoral degrees to Sr. Regina M. Bechtle,
S.C., Charism Resource Director, Sisters
of Charity of New York, and Pascal
Desroches ’86CBA, Senior Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer, AT&T, Inc.
Rachel Leviyev, also a Biology
major, completed her degree
in three years and is applying
to medical school. Pointing
to a group of friends, she said,
“These friends I’ve made will be
with me for a long time. This is
such a thrill. It’s very special.”
Rodrigo De Almeida, a Business
Administration major, pointed
to his first St. John’s Christmas
tree lighting in 2021 as his
favorite college memory.“I just
remember a great camaraderie
with my friends that night. We
were all together, making jokes,
laughing, having a great time. It was a great ceremony that put
us all in the holiday spirit.”On Commencement day, Rodrigo was
feeling nervous, but confident St. John’s put him on the right path.
Marketing major Matthew Bhonsly was most proud of starting
the University’s Motor Enthusiast organization.“It was a great
experience starting something from scratch that has grown
significantly from an eBoard of five people to more than 100
members. It’s great to leave a legacy behind.”
Anthony Lynch, an Accounting major with a minor in
Italian, commented on his unique combination of subject
concentrations. Pointing to a sash on his robe with the colors
of the Italian flag, Anthony wanted to explore that aspect of
his heritage by studying abroad.“I took advantage of the Rome,
Italy, campus and all it had to offer, immersing myself in the
language and culture as much as possible.”
“When we came back after the pandemic, my suitemates and
I would get takeout and eat family style for dinner, and that
was something I never did growing up,”said Isabella DiPalma,
a Philosophy major.“Today is bittersweet. I’m ready to move on,
but St. John’s has been a meaningful part of my life.”
On May 19, the University
conferred graduate degrees
to students in four of its
Schools and Colleges:
St. John’s College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences, The
Peter J. Tobin College of
Business, The Lesley H. and
William L. Collins College of
Professional Studies, and the
College of Pharmacy and
Health Sciences.
In a special separate ceremony, the University conferred an
honorary Doctor of Commercial Science
degree on Maurice“Hank”Greenberg, the
namesake of the Maurice R. Greenberg
School of Risk Management, Insurance
and Actuarial Science at St. John’s
University. He is the former Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of American
International Group who now serves as
Chairman of Starr Insurance Companies, a
global insurance and investment organization.
Student speaker Jethro Casie, graduating with his Business
Analytics degree, said the word“growth”perfectly sums up his
St. John’s experience.“The thing about growth,”he said,“is that
it’s hard at first, messy in the middle, yet so beautiful in the end.”
Another analogy Jethro put forth for the journey toward
Commencement was that of running.“When you’re running
up a hill, your body is in pain, your feet hurt, your arms are tired
from swinging back and forth, you start to feel pain in places you
didn’t know could hurt, and if that wasn’t enough, your mind
is asking you,‘Why are we
doing this?’”He added,“I
believe we all ran the
same race, but each
of us had a different
route to reach the
finish line.”
Several graduates
shared their
most treasured
memories of their
St. John’s experience.
Biology major Asim Khan
recalled that when he did
poorly on a test he would
play basketball with friends
in Taffner Field House.“Being
with them always lifted my
spirits on a bad day.”
On this special day he felt
accomplished, but tired.
“I’ve been waking up early
for the last five years. I was
hoping the ceremony
would be at noon,”he joked.
Jasmin Ibrocevic, a History major and a
student from the Staten Island campus,
always looked forward to his job at the
Office of Student Financial Services, where
he would go after his classes.“I had that
feeling of going from school to a job all in
one day. It was nice balancing the
two experiences—and
great practice for
the future.”
Anthropology major Keely
Bradley was thrilled to return
to campus after the COVID-19
lockdown.“It was really
rough having to isolate, and
when I got back I realized
how much I missed
my friends. I loved
seeing campus
slowly come
back to life and
being part of
residence life
again. I’m
sad today,
but ready
for the next
chapter.”
St. John’s
has been a
meaningful part
of my life.
—Isabella DiPalma
I’m sad today,
but ready for
the next chapter.
—Keely Bradley
It’s great to
leave a legacy
behind.
—Matthew Bhonsly

While my friends
and I had different
backgrounds and
came from various
parts of the region,
we were bound
together by that
common St. John’s
experience.
U
pon hearing that Elaine Lilli (née Andrews) ’56UC has
spent all her 89 years living in the cozy hamlet of West
Hempstead, NY, you may mistakenly believe that she has
not traveled far in life. But nothing could be further from
the truth for this globe-trotting octogenarian who embodies the
Catholic, Vincentian, metropolitan, and global characteristics of
St. John’s University. Throughout an extraordinary lifetime, she
has quietly made a world of difference in others’ lives.
Sitting in her well-appointed dining room, the spry great-grandmother and retired schoolteacher
casually references having recently returned from a trip to Antarctica. It is another continent
stamped in her lifelong passport that has seen her travel near and far, but always return to where
she began—and the early life lessons learned along the way. Joining her on many of the trips
have been friends of 71 years whom she first met at St. John’s.
Growing up on Long Island post-World War II, Elaine was a firsthand witness to the postwar
boom of population growth and suburban development when first- and second-generation
children of immigrants moved from urban centers. When it came time to attend college, Elaine
chose the proximity of St. John’s.
“My older brother had completed college and was serving in the Korean War; it was
important for me to stay close to home and my parents,”she says.“St. John’s was a
lot of fun.”
As is still common to the student experience, Elaine traveled by train to and from
campus, then located on Schermerhorn Street in Brooklyn, NY. She studied social studies
and English at University College, but also took all the required education courses to
prepare for a career in the classroom. It is a vocation that is never far from this lifelong
learner, who views the cultural awareness gained from travel as a lasting life lesson.
As a student, she enjoyed an active sorority experience and the social scene of New
York City in the 1950s, attending campus events and dances—and cheering for the
St. John’s Men’s Basketball team, even traveling to road games.
“St. John’s was always a tight-knit family,”she recalls.“I had a
great mix of friends, and while we had different backgrounds
and came from various parts of the region, we were bound
together by that common St. John’s experience.”
In the earliest days of the American Civil Rights Movement,
that shared St. John’s bond proved pivotal when traveling
with her girlfriends on overnight road trips as some Black
classmates risked being denied equal access to public
accommodations.“We made a pact to stick together, no
matter what,”Elaine reflects.“And we always did.”

During her senior year, she was introduced to Joe Lilli, a veteran
and St. John’s law student who generously drove her home one
late night after she missed the last train back to West Hempstead.
“I got a ride home and met my husband that night,”she laughs.
Recalling her St. John’s experience, she describes a supportive
campus environment and called out mentors Vincentian priests
Rev. Jose C. Pando, C.M., and Rev. Martin J. Sleasman, C.M., as
extraordinary examples of the enduring Vincentian charism.
Her graduating class—the class of 1956—
was the first to experience Commencement
at the newly established Queens, NY, campus.
She has returned to this campus often over the
years with her classmates, including a memorable overnight stay
in the residence halls for her 50th class anniversary in 2006.
“That was a fun weekend,”she says with a wide smile.
Upon graduating, she immediately
pursued a master’s degree while
teaching high school. She married,
and per existing policies at that time,
had to stop teaching as soon as she
learned she was pregnant.
“It was a different time,”she sighs.
“Back then, we couldn’t even wear
slacks in the classroom.”
More children would follow, and
she now enjoys the posterity of
six children and a growing
brood of grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
Inside and outside of the classroom—that she eventually
returned to after raising her children— Elaine always saw travel
as part of life’s lesson plan. When her children were young,
the family would go on boat trips along the eastern seaboard.
As her children grew older, global travel opened a new world
of adventures.
“What better way to experience different people, cultures, and
experiences than to witness it firsthand,”she says.
Joining her on many of these
excursions are some of her same
friends from St. John’s, including,
from left to right, Marie Wilson (née
DiPaola), Joan Dana (née Dobbs),
Margie Jones, and Joann Conklin
(née Nordquist). The friendly group
values time well spent together.
While clearly personifying the
metropolitan and global aspects of
a St. John’s education, it is Elaine’s
Catholic and Vincentian traits
that animate her dynamic and
busy lifestyle. As a student, she
experienced the importance of service
when, with her sorority sisters, she helped
host picnics for a local orphanage. Years
later, she would continue that spirit of
service as she privately sponsored the
education of international students in
Guatemala, some of whom are now
adults and still correspond with her via
social media.
HAPPY
travels
LONDON
TURKEY GREECE
PUERTO
RICO
MALTA
BRATISLAVA
GERMANY
ALASKA
A longtime Girl Scout leader, she believes it’s important to seek
out and create opportunities for young women. Her generous,
adventurous spirit is an inspiration to all those who know her,
particularly her grandchildren. “Grandma’s curiosity and love
of adventure have inspired me to travel and explore different
places and cultures. I have been fortunate to accompany her on
a few trips, and she has shown me that there is much to learn
and appreciate from the world around us,”her granddaughter
Emily Ann Kaminski expressed.
Widowed suddenly in her early 50s, she leaned on the support
system found in her family, her faith community at the parish
church of St. Thomas the Apostle, and in giving back to others—
an enduring trait.
When not traveling, she serves as
a longtime and regular volunteer
with Long Island Blood Services
and a Eucharistic Minister at
Mercy Hospital in Rockville
Centre, NY. While spending
summers in Hampton Bays, NY,
she also volunteers at St. Rosalie’s
Parish and at a local food pantry.
Timothy J. Binkis ’89CBA, a son-in-law and fellow graduate
of St. John’s, describes her this way:“My mother-in-law is an
incredible person. When people ask us how she is doing, they
are astonished to hear about all of her volunteer activities and
travels. She is an excellent role model for our entire family. We are
truly blessed to have her in our lives!”
Having traveled to five of the seven continents and countless
miles in between, Elaine is retrospective and frequently comes
back to where it all began.
“If not for St. John’s, I would never have met my husband, had
the career that I did, or made the lifelong friends that I still enjoy
today. I have a great family and live in a great neighborhood.
What a wonderful world!”
What better way to
experience different
people, cultures, and
experiences than to
witness it firsthand.
—Elaine Lilli
10 ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE GLOBAL ISSUE

For most students, the
Pep Band provides
an opportunity to
continue playing
music after high
school. It’s also a great
way to get involved
and meet people
on campus.
or more than 40 years,
an eclectic mix of
amateur musicians has
been providing a spirited
soundtrack to the St. John’s experience
for students, alumni, and friends of the
University. They are the horns, woodwinds,
brass, and percussionists of the St. John’s
University Pep Band—one of the University’s
most beloved student organizations.
On and Off Campus
St. John’s
Strikes a Chord
JOHNNIES DAY, MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
New Student Convocation
COMMITMENT IS KEY
Each year, potential instrumentalists are invited to a rehearsal
to perform with this elite troupe in an effort to ensure a
good musical fit. Once they become band members, they
are expected to attend up to 100 events each year, as well as
weekly rehearsals. Members receive a scholarship/grant toward
their tuition, as well as official St. John’s licensed gear and free
admission to all games.
“Above all, we look for students who can make
the commitment,” said Ms. White. “We do so
many events and it’s a lot of nights and weekends.
It can be tough for students to fit all that into
their already busy schedules.”
“Thankfully, the director knows that school comes first,”said
Safiyah Seelochan ’23C, a trumpet player who will earn her
master’s degree in 2024. Safiyah is also an Assistant Director of
the band.“I try to make myself as available as possible, but it can
get overwhelming if we have back-to-back games. Fortunately,
we have a really supportive community within the band.”
Despite the rigorous
schedule, students rarely
leave the band. In fact,
many student-musicians
will play all four years as
undergraduates, and then
stay with the band throughout their
graduate studies as well.
“We have students who started as first-year students and are
now in their fifth, sixth, or seventh year,”Ms. White explained.
“We even have a Ph.D. student in the band.”
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
As the name implies, the goal of a pep band is to“pep up”the
crowd—and the St. John’s Pep Band does just that. The band
performs at virtually every home game for men’s and women’s
basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball,
electrifying the crowd and filling the arena with energy. The
band can routinely be seen and heard on almost every major
broadcast of Red Storm Basketball games.
While the membership numbers fluctuate each year, the Pep
Band typically includes 25–30 student musicians. While their
majors are as diverse as their backgrounds, these students all
share a common love of music and performance.
“For most students, the Pep Band provides an opportunity to
continue playing music after high school,”explained Pep Band
Director Courtney White ’13C, ’14G, who played with the band
as both an undergraduate and graduate student.“It’s also a great
way to get involved and meet people on campus.”
Most have been playing an instrument for years, and many were
either first chair or section leaders of their high school bands.
Some have even received All-County or All-State accolades for
their talents.
—Courtney White
Pep Band Director

Alumni Quarterly 1980–81
Pep Band Started
St. John’s University has a long history of providing
exciting basketball action to fans who attend Redmen
games at Alumni Hall. But for the first time this year
the action has continued during time-outs and at
halftime as the crowd has been entertained by the
St. John’s University “Pep Band.”
In the past, a small band, consisting of mainly
high school students, would play at games. Now a
complement of 15 to 20 musicians drawn from all
schools of the Univer
sity have banded together to keep
the electricity in the air as they perform show tunes, big
band numbers, and the St. John’s University Fight Song.
The mostly brass group rehearses weekly under the
direction of Anthony LoBalbo, Assistant Professor of
Music in St. John’s College and composer of the official
St. John’s Univerrsity Fight Song.
Reaction to the band has been extremely favorable.
As the Rev. Robert J. Rivard, C.M., Moderator of
Athletics, said: “We have been receiving exceptional
expressions of praise for the band and commendations
on the great improvement over past groups that have
performed at games.”
The staff of the Alumni Quarterly wishes to thank and
commend all those who have made the Pep Band such
an exciting part of St. John’s University basketball.
â
â
The Dance Team and Pep Band have had a great working relationship for
many years. Our band is very talented, and we appreciate all they do to
increase our game day atmosphere.
—Christine McCarton, Head Coach, St. John’s Dance Team
OVER THE PAST
FIVE YEARS,
THE PEP BAND
HAS AMASSED
A REPERTOIRE
OF MORE THAN
100 SONGS. IN A
TYPICAL YEAR,
HOWEVER, THE
GROUP HAS
20–30 SONGS
REHEARSED
AND READY FOR
PERFORMANCE.
“Our Pep Band always brings so much energy to our games,”said
Joe Tartamella, Women’s Basketball Head Coach.“They do a great
job enhancing the game day atmosphere and it was a pleasure
to have them cheering us on at the NCAA Tournament this year.”
Over the past five years, Ms. White estimates that the Pep Band
has amassed a repertoire of more than 100 songs, ranging from
the St. John’s Fight Song, to“Olé, Olé, Olé”(at soccer games),
to Pep Band standards like“Seven Nation Army”and“The Final
Countdown,”to newer selections such as“Uprising”by Muse. In a
typical year, however, the group has 20–30 songs rehearsed and
ready for performance.
The band also provides
music for many of
the St. John’s Dance
Team’s performances,
complementing the
team’s moves with a live
soundtrack.“The Dance
Team and Pep Band have
had a great working
relationship for many
years,”explained Christine
McCarton, Head Coach
of St. John’s Dance Team.
“We collaborate on new
music each year to keep
the crowd engaged at our
basketball games. Our band is very talented, and we appreciate
all they do to increase our game day atmosphere.”
Recently, the Pep Band was asked to perform at select lacrosse
and softball games, where the weather can play a substantial
role in the band’s performance. In addition to sporting events,
the Pep Band also performs at special University functions such
as Open House, Relay For Life, and Accepted Student Day.
HITS AND MISSES
Not surprisingly, every student in the Pep Band has a favorite
song to play.
“My favorites would be a tie between Bruno Mars’s‘Runaway
Baby’and our arrangement of‘New York, New York,’”Safiyah
shared.“‘New York, New York’is just such an iconic song, and
whenever we play it, it means that the Johnnies won. It always
makes me smile.”
For drummer Lauren Huseman ’23C,
it’s“Cold Hearted”by Paula Abdul.“It’s
a fast-paced song, and as a drummer,
I like to rush the song and play it
even faster.”She added,“The most
difficult song for me to play is‘Thriller’
by Michael Jackson. The drum part
involves a good deal of improvisation,
which is nerve-wracking.”
Coincidentally,“Thriller”is junior
Elisha Dorsey’s favorite song to
play.“The hardest song for me is
‘The Pretender’by the Foo Fighters,”
he said.“As a drummer, there are so
many different combinations you
have to play at such a fast speed. It
took me a while to get it down pat.”
Similarly, band member each have songs they would skip
for one reason or another.“My least favorite song is‘Cheap
Thrills,’”Elijah offered,“because of how slow and straightforward
it is to play.”For similar reasons, Lauren is not a huge fan of
“High Hopes,”which she
describes as“too slow and
not very challenging.”
Safiyah, who plays trumpet,
finds“Through the Fire
and Flames”the most
challenging on their
set list.“It has a really
tough section in the
trumpet part that
says,‘Play as high and
as fast as possible,’”
she said.“It can be a
bit intimidating and
difficult to get through.”
TAKING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD
While most of the band’s performances take place on the
Queens, NY, campus, they are also regular performers at“The
World’s Most Famous Arena,”Madison Square Garden, where
they accompany Men’s Basketball for select regular-season
games, as well as the BIG EAST Tournament.
“We’ve probably played at the
Garden more than most bands
could dream of,”said Lauren.“I
think only Billy Joel has us beat.”
The band has also performed
at nearby UBS Arena, where the
Men’s Basketball team hosted
Kansas in 2021 and the Women’s
Basketball team took on UConn
earlier this year.
The Pep Band also accompanied
the women’s team on their trip to
Columbus, OH, this year for the
NCAA Tournament, which was
among Elijah’s favorite memories
of this past year.“It gave me a chance to get to know my
colleagues and have deeper connections with each other,”
he explained.
The trip to the tournament was also Safiyah’s favorite.“The energy was super high, and it was reflected
in both the team and in our support groups,”she said.“Getting to perform at such a meaningful game
was something really special and it was such a great memory!”
In 2017, the Pep Band performed on Fox & Friends during the BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament,
and in 2000, the band performed on Good Morning America during the program’s Subway Series Rally.
They have also performed several times at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, NY.
A LONG HISTORY
AND BRIGHT FUTURE
While a variety of musicians have
performed at basketball games
throughout the program’s storied
history, according to the Winter
1981 edition of St. John’s Alumni
Quarterly, the Pep Band officially
debuted during the 1980–81
school year:

th
a n n u a l
PRESIDENT’S DINNER
monday, october 30, 2023
6 p.m. Cocktail Reception
7 p.m. Dinner
New York Hilton Midtown
1335 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
Spirit of Service Award Honorees
John R. Bender ’87CBA
Mary Jane Helenek, R.Ph. ’82P, ’84GP, ’87MBA
Michael X. Mattone ’91L
Dr. Solly Walker ’57CBA, ’94HON (posthumously)
Please visit www.stjohns.edu/presidents-dinner for more information.
I’ve always loved
playing music and
being in a band. What I
cherish the most about
the experience is the
spirit we all shared by
using our talents to
bring a positive energy
everywhere we went.
—Dana Gouldthorpe
John J. Gallagher, Ed.D.
Dana and Kyle Gouldthorpe
While most members have gone onto careers unrelated to musical performance
after they graduated, some used their time with the Pep Band as a launch pad
toward a career in music and the arts. One such alumnus, John J. Gallagher, Ed.D.
’92CBA, is Director of Music and Fine Arts in the Longwood Central School District
in Middle Island, NY.
“I used my degree in communications to work in the field of marketing/
communications, but changed careers and returned to school to become a music
educator. My doctoral research focused on how music educators can publicize and
advocate for school music programs,”he explained.“Playing with the band courtside
at Alumni Hall and Madison Square Garden—and being featured at the NCAA
Tournament in Salt Lake City, UT—will always be among my fondest memories.” 
Since then, scores of musicians have been a part of the Pep Band, including
Assistant Registrar Dana Gouldthorpe ’10CPS, who played tenor saxophone with
the band for four years as a student and six more after she graduated.
“I’ve always loved playing music and being in a band,”she said.“What I cherish
the most about the experience is the spirit we all shared by using our talents to
bring a positive energy everywhere we went.”
Her twin brother, Kyle Gouldthorpe ’10TCB, a transfer student counselor at the
University, expressed a similar sentiment.“It was great to interact with the teams
and cheer them on and be there when they made a big play or scored,”the
trumpet player said.“I also made lasting friendships with band members, many
of whom I’m still in contact with to this day.”

“I get so energized about Reunion Week and anytime
we have a chance to gather together as a St. John’s
family,”said Mark A. Andrews, Director, Office of Alumni
Relations.“It is a glorious moment for each of us to bring
our individual passion for St. John’s University front and
center with great enthusiasm and to share that with
everyone else.”
“I am extremely grateful to St. John’s University
as it opened many doors for me,” said Weedens
E. Blanchard ’94SVC, ’97MBA, ’07PD, ’17Ed.D.,
during his welcoming remarks.
The gathering erupted in cheers and applause as soon as Dr.
Blanchard said he was“extremely delighted”to share that his son,
Noah Avery Blanchard, will enter St. John’s as a Cyber Security
Systems major for the Fall 2023 semester.“I am very proud that
my son will follow in the steps of his grandfather, his father, and
his two uncles to become a Johnnie.”
Dr. Blanchard is Teaching Fellows Program Director and
Manhattan Educational Program Director at Adelphi University.
At St. John’s University, this year marks his 20th anniversary
as Adjunct Assistant Professor with The School of Education
and The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional
Studies. Additionally, he is Copresident of the University’s 1990s
Black Alumni Collective, which boasts almost 450 members.
During the evening’s festivities, the Class of 1973 was honored
with a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of their
graduation from St. John’s.“This means so much to me because
I thoroughly enjoyed my four years at St. John’s,”said Rosanne
Buckley Hanratty ’73C.“The University helped me to grow
tremendously, partly by making available a few classes, including
those in African history and community organizing, that
changed my life.”
Alumni Gala
Second Annual
Reunion Week
are Celebrated at St. John’s University
and
jubilant crowd of nearly 200 alumni and friends from
St. John’s University gathered for an exciting evening of
dancing, dining, and great music at the second annual
Alumni Gala on Saturday, April 29, at the Inn at New Hyde
Park in New Hyde Park, NY. The sold-out event capped a
host of activities that brought Johnnies together from around the nation to
reconnect and reminisce during 2023 Reunion Week.

Many of the guests needed no
coaxing after a sit-down, four-course
dinner to kick up their heels on the
dance floor while tunes filled the
room as they were spun by Anthony
Gelo ’00CPS, in his capacity as DJ for
the celebration. Mr. Gelo, owner of
Good Times Productions LLC, was
also DJ at the inaugural Alumni
Gala in 2022.
Guests also lined up outside a
photo booth set up adjacent to the dance floor for
individual and group shots they could take home as mementos.
Others poured through yearbooks for the Class of 1973, as
well as for the Classes of 1983 and 1998, which are respectively
celebrating 40 and 25 years since their commencements.
Joneil James ’03C, who was a mathematics teacher before
becoming a librarian for the New York Public Library, said of
her decision to attend the gala,“I want to meet other alumni,
network, and taste some really great food.”
Of her undergraduate years at St. John’s,
Ms. James said,“I had a very valuable
opportunity to meet and interact with
people of different nationalities and cultures.”
“This is an amazing night. My friends and I are
having a blast and we will be back next year,”
said Caitlin A. Cassidy‘21Ed,‘22GEd.
Martin“Marty”Moran ’52C has many fond
memories of the Vincentian priests who he
said greatly impacted and enhanced his college experience.“We
had Vincentians to the right of us and Vincentians to the left of
us when we attended the Lewis Avenue campus in Brooklyn, NY,”
said Mr. Moran. Noting he served during the Korean War as an
aviator with the US Navy, Mr. Moran recalled,“The priests kept in
touch with all of us who enlisted in the military service to let us
know where everyone was stationed and how they were doing.”
“Those priests stayed very close to us,”said Mr. Moran, a
member of the Lewis Avenue Alumni Association.
Although she is not an alumna of St. John’s, Kathleen Falk, Ph.D.,
nonetheless cherishes deep ties to the institution through the
memory of her late husband, Walter“Skip”Watts ’86Ph.D.
“I have a very long history with St. John’s,”said Dr.
Falk. She explained that during their first four years
of marriage, Dr. Watts was a student at St. John’s,
preparing for his career as a clinical psychologist.
“I was walking with our baby son in his stroller at my husband’s
Commencement exercises,”she recalled.
Throughout Reunion Week activities that preceded the gala,
Johnnies were treated to festivities, including sport outings,
brunches, and happy hours by various organizations connected
to St. John’s. This includes the Women Investor’s Club Wine and
Wealth sold-out dinner on April 24. Appreciation dinners were also
held for alumni volunteers and the St. John’s Board of Trustees.
A major highlight of the week was the
Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Spring
Social. Graduates of the past 10 years were
invited to reconnect with each other and
include their friends on Thursday, April 27,
at 230 Fifth rooftop bar in Manhattan.
Another popular event was the Hispanic/
Latinx Alumni Happy Hour. Hosted by the
Hispanic and Latinx Alumni Association
chapters on Friday, April 28, at Stout New
York City in Bryant Park, Manhattan, the goal of the
event was to reconnect and network with all
Johnnies, including current students, alumni,
faculty, administrators, and staff, as well as
meet the next generation of campus leaders.
In addition, Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P.,
President, St. John’s University, hosted a
dinner in recognition and appreciation of all
alumni volunteers.
Jeffry Wengroff ’73CBA, a member of the
St. John’s University Board of Governors and
one of the gala attendees, said of his alma
mater,“I would do anything for
St. John’s. This University installed my
moral compass.”
20 ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE
to everyone who donated in the 2022–23
academic year. Your gift helps ensure the
continued success of our students.
I would do anything for St. John’s. This University
installed my moral compass.
—Jeffrey Wengroff, Board of Governors Member

In Memoriam:
In Memoriam:
John
John
Kennedy
Kennedy
Bingham
Bingham’80C
’80C
(1958–2022)
(1958–2022)
aised in a large, loving“St. John’s family”from Rockville Centre,
NY, and molded by his early college experience that included
two terms as President of Student Government, Inc. (SGI), John
dedicated his life to advocating in far-flung regions of the globe for the promotion
and protection of the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees.
The Bingham family is testament to the old Irish blessing that reads,“May love
connect us, faith direct us, and God protect us.”The devout family had eight
children born in eight years, including two sets of twins. The Bingham family
included six boys and two girls—Claire ’77C, Charlie, John ’80C, Joe ’82SVC, Mary
’82C, Richard ’85CBA, Jimmy ’85C, and Bobby. All of them attended or graduated
from St. John’s, save for Bobby, who died tragically in an accident a month before
he was to enroll.
“Faith, family, and service to others were early lessons taught by our parents,”shared
Mary Bingham-Johnsen.“Our parents set the example for us, and we followed.”
Mary, like her brothers John and Jimmy, also served as President of Student
Government while attending St. John’s, and all the siblings were actively engaged
in campus life of the University, which was then a commuter school.
Like many Irish-Catholic families at the time, the larger-than-
life influence of an ordained relative—in this case, the charism
and commitment of Rev. John Kennedy Bingham, S.J., a
Jesuit missionary who spent 50 years overseas and was the
namesake of John—would prove providential.
While at the University, John was an active member of Beta
Epsilon Rho, a popular fraternity that also held sway in Student
Government. He was active in Greek life, helped organize a
dance marathon fundraiser to fight muscular dystrophy, and
was a popular student leader.
Now the Senior Vice President of Student Affairs at the
University of Miami, Patricia A. Whitely, Ed.D. ’80CBA was the
Vice President of SGI, serving with John.
“As a two-time elected President of SGI, John personified the Vincentian charisma
of service to the poor and marginalized,”Dr. Whitely recalled.“He was passionate,
engaged, and deeply committed to his work, and his leadership was always
impactful and profound. He truly brought the light and love of St. John’s to all who
were lucky to know and love him.”
Faith, family, and service
to others were early lessons
taught by our parents.
—Mary Bingham-Johnsen
JOHN
Written into St. John’s University’s
formal mission statement and codified
by the Board of Trustees in 1991 is
aspirational language that reflects the
global charge of the University.
“...In educating students we pledge
to foster those qualities needed
for our alumni to become effective
leaders and responsible citizens in a
vibrant city and dynamic world.”
For the late John Kennedy Bingham
’80C, that global world view—fueled
by an ever-present and bright burning
compassion for others that navigated
his professional career as a lawyer,
a migrant, and a human rights
defender—was sadly extinguished
with his sudden passing on
July 26, 2022.
STUDENT
GOVERNMENT, INC.

“As a college student, he was a young man
of action and compassion, and his many
talents were already evident. John was an
excellent organizer and listener, and his sense
of fairness drew people to him. For all of his
accomplishments, John maintained a very
humble personality,”shared classmate Kathleen
“Kitty”Prager ’78C.
After graduating from St. John’s, John secured
a job at Kidder, Peabody & Co. and was rapidly
climbing the corporate ladder while pursuing
a law degree at Fordham School of Law at
night. He had found professional success, and
with a job on Wall Street, and a job title of Vice
President, he was well on his way.
It was the 1980s, and the financial services industry at the time
was characterized by the Hollywood movie Wall Street and the
catchphrase,“Greed is good.”True to his intelligence, integrity,
courage and moral character, John identified and sounded the
alarm on an insider trading scandal. True to his faith, his selfless
character, and his bright burning compassion to serve others,
John would write his own Hollywood ending when he suddenly
gave up everything, quit his job, and announced that he was
headed to Thailand to work as a $248-a-month Catholic Church
volunteer with his uncle, the Jesuit missionary, to assist refugees
from Cambodia’s“Killing Fields.”
“I was scared to death, but I just felt myself being drawn”to
Cambodia, he would tell Newsday, his hometown newspaper,
during a 2002 interview.
John spent the next eight years teaching human
rights and criminal justice in a refugee camp
of 240,000 Cambodians in Thailand, and later
business law at the university in Phnom Penh.
While doing so he coauthored two books, Free
Market Contract Law and an English-Cambodian
Law Dictionary.
While toiling in the refugee camp, he met and
fell in love with another volunteer, Agnès Dupré
la Tour, who would become his wife and mother
to four sons: John, Thomas, Jérémy, and Matthias.
After eight years
in the camp, John
returned to Long
Island, where he
went to work
for the Catholic
Church and
became a major
figure advocating
for the rights of
Hispanic immigrants. At Catholic Charities, he
served as director of the departments of Immigrant and Refugee
Services and later Capital Projects and Law. He was also Chair of
the Board of the New York Immigration Coalition.
In 2005, he joined the Vatican-supported International Catholic
Migration Commission (ICMC) as Head of Policy Director in Geneva,
where he worked until 2018. After leaving the ICMC in 2018, he
continued as an independent consultant and expert on global
migration policy and governance, and continued to advise and
serve as the Geneva Representative of the NGO Committee on
Migration, which has consultative status with the United Nations.
As an extraordinary leader for immigration rights and refugee
services, he had a wide network, but always remained grounded
and most at home with his family.
John literally gave
away his suits and
headed off to a life
of service, ultimately
advocating for
immigration policy
reform on a
global stage.
—Salvatore Barcia, R.Ph.
L TO R: DIASPORA & DEVELOPMENT ROUNDTABLE,
INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC MIGRATION COMMISSION,
CIVIL SOCIETY PREP MEETING FOR HLD, AND PUERTA
VALLARTA CLOSING OF CIVIL SOCIETY DAY
The Bingham family will hold a
one-year anniversary celebration in
memory of John on Tuesday, July
25, 2023. A memorial gathering will
be held from 4 to 8 p.m. (with words
in loving memory at 6:30 p.m.) at
St. Agnes Cathedral Parish Service
Center, 99 North Village Avenue,
Rockville Centre, NY. Hors d’oeuvres
and beverages will be served.
Please RSVP on or before July 15 to
marybinghamjohnsen@gmail.com.
On Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at
3 p.m., a one-year anniversary
memorial Mass of the Resurrection
will be held at St. Agnes Cathedral,
29 Quealy Place, Rockville Centre,
NY. ALL ARE WELCOME!
His deep love for family was
a powerful statement to the
monument of generosity
and selflessness that was
John Bingham.
—John D. Bingham
JONES BEACH, LONG ISLAND
“John was always a man on a mission,”shared Salvatore Barcia, R.Ph. ’79P, ’86GP, a
classmate and fraternity brother.“He put the global mission of St. John’s into action
and his decision to volunteer in the Cambodian refugee camps reminds me of
Jesus’gospel encounter with the rich young man. Unlike the young man,
who could not eschew his wealth to follow Jesus, John literally gave
away his suits and headed off to a life of service, ultimately advocating
for immigration policy reform on a global stage.”
“My three brothers, Thomas, Jérémy, Matthias, and I had
the privilege of growing up in the footsteps of this
extraordinary role model, who gave his life to fight
for the destitute of the world at the highest summits
of international diplomacy, while somehow always
being available to cook up a Thai dish for the family,
to give a hand on one of his boys’essays, or to take
care of his beloved garden,”reflected his son, John.
“He also served as a pillar for the wider Bingham family,
following up on each of his six siblings and their spouses,
his 14 nieces and nephews, and their young children,
with diligence and a rare sense of community—and all
that from France through (endless but much appreciated)
phone calls,”John continued.“His deep love for family was
a powerful statement to the monument of generosity and
selflessness that was John Bingham.”
When he passed, the news of his death spread around the world: from France and
beyond to Vatican City, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh, Korea, the Philippines, and
back to where it all began in Rockville Centre, NY, and to the extended global alumni
family of St. John’s. His mission over, the legacy of John Kennedy Bingham endures.
WITH MATTHIAS,
HIS FOURTH SON,
AFTER A SOCCER GAME
IN NY, WITH SON JOHN
SERVING AS TRANSLATOR

in Cybersecurity
Through experience,
I learned how my
skills and interests
lined up with the
contribution I
wanted to make
to society.
competition held at New York
University. That same year, she
became a“Red Knight”or Student
Lab Control Officer, helping maintain
CCPS lab operations and serving the
student community for two years.
“The clubs and open labs gave me the freedom to learn from my
peers, make mistakes, and essentially grow my confidence as my
skills increased,”Ms. LaMalva stressed.“Your professors are one of
your greatest assets, but your colleagues can also teach you some
important tricks of the trade. I applied what I learned in class in
the clubs, my own personal projects, and professional roles.”
Ms. LaMalva was awarded a prestigious Clare Booth Luce
Fellowship during her graduate studies at St. John’s. The
program is dedicated to increasing the participation of women
in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering at every level of
higher education. As a Luce Scholar she represented St. John’s
University at the Future of Information and Communication
Conference in March, 2023, and the Women in Cybersecurity
Conferences in 2022 and 2023.
During her years at St. John’s, Ms. LaMalva made excellent
use of industry connections, securing several internships that
eventually led to a full-time position in her industry. In 2018,
she interned with the advertising agency Havas as a Help Desk
Intern, where she was responsible for responding to hundreds
of cyber threats. She returned the following year as a full-time
Help Desk Technician. Last November, after serving as an intern,
Ms. LaMalva accepted a full-time position as Security Engineer at
AppFolio, Inc., a cloud-based software company devoted to the
real estate industry.
Q
ueens, NY, native Grace LaMalva ’21CCPS, ’23MS came
to St. John’s University wanting to surround herself with
the diversity embodied by her home borough.
“Queens is one of the most diverse places in the world,”she
stressed.“I am fortunate to have grown up and received an
education in a place where I was exposed to so many ways
of life. Also, being close to boroughs like Manhattan and
Brooklyn, NY—that are rich with history, culture, and
art—was a priceless addition.”
Ms. LaMalva recently graduated from
St. John’s with her master’s degree in Cyber and
Information Security, a burgeoning field that
has become a central programming focus in
The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College
of Professional Studies (CCPS).
The College strives to offer a curriculum that
goes beyond national standards, Ms. LaMalva
noted.“The course content given to students
provides them with excellent foundational
knowledge of the different areas of a given field.”
The arts and sciences both utilize creative problem solving, she
observed.“Through experience, I learned how my skills and
interests lined up with the contribution I wanted to make to
society. Learning about my teachers’careers and who they are as
human beings helped frame my ideal future, what I want my life
to look like, and the type of person I would like to be.”
While at St. John’s, Ms. LaMalva
was a member of the
Computer Science Society,
the Cybersecurity Club,
St. John’s University AI [Artificial
Intelligence], and Women
in Science, all of which were
eventually consolidated into
the University’s official student
chapter of the Association for
Computing Machinery. She
has successfully represented
St. John’s numerous times in
competitions and conferences.
Attending events known as hackathons, she has taken several
awards, including“Best Hack using New York City local APIs
[Application Programming Interfaces]”at the 2018 hackNY
S
taten Island, NY, resident Gabriella Alcamo ’23Ed knew
that to maximize her time at St. John’s University, she had
to gain new and different experiences to enhance those
presented to her at the University’s Staten Island campus.
So while pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree in Childhood
Education, Grades 1-6, part of a five-year, dual-degree program,
she made sure to travel from that nearby campus to the Queens,
NY, campus for classes, service opportunities,
extracurricular events, and more.
Student Sees the Bestof
St. John’s
Queens Campuses
“So I went to basketball games,”Gabriella
continued,“and I went to St. Thomas More
Church. I’m happy I made the effort, because
while I loved my class sizes on Staten Island and
was able to really connect to my professors,
having access to the Queens campus and seeing
all the opportunity that is there was wonderful.”
Gabriella completed the undergraduate
portion of her dual-degree program on
May 21, becoming one of 2,377 St. John’s
undergraduates, and one of 175 from the Staten
Island campus, to receive their diplomas. She
will return to the Staten Island campus in August
to complete her Master of Science degree in
Childhood Education, specializing in Students
with Disabilities, Grades 1–6.
It is a fitting graduate school degree path for a
student who has always been mindful of the less
fortunate. While an undergraduate, Gabriella
was a member of the President’s Society,
the Catholic Scholars program, and the
sorority Phi Eta Chi, and participated
in Midnight Runs, University Service
Day, and more. She was also an active
fundraiser for charitable causes in the
Staten Island area, including Rise Against
Hunger and Michael’s Cause, to benefit those
stricken with a form of muscular dystrophy.
Dedicated to her Catholic faith, Gabriella was active in Campus
Ministry at both campuses, and will continue to be next year
as a graduate assistant to Rev. Tri M. Duong, C.M. ’00C, Director,
Campus Ministry, for the Staten Island campus. Among her
duties will be shuttling a new generation of Staten Island-based
Catholic Scholars to Queens for monthly meetings and retreats.
“I’m learning to drive the van now,”Gabriella joked, while noting
how instrumental the University’s commitment to St. Vincent de
Paul’s mission was in her decision to enroll at St. John’s.
“That she was willing to come to Queens regularly shows just
how much love she has for the University beyond the Staten
Island campus,”Fr. Duong said.“That love is very genuine, and
she applies it to everything she does.”
Victoria Santangelo ’98C, ’01GEd, ’11G, Associate Vice President
for University Ministry, agreed.
“Gab brought the mission to life in every aspect of her
involvement,”Ms. Santangelo said.“Whether she was doing
service, working with Student Government, Inc. or the Office
of Fraternity and Sorority Life, or connecting to Mass and the
Catholic Scholars, she always reminded everyone about the
importance of the Vincentian charism.”
Such qualities will undoubtedly help Gabriella in her eventual
transition to full-time teacher. After serving as a student-teacher
at P.S. 39 in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, NY, in 2022–23,
Gabriella will be a substitute teacher there this year.
“With student-teaching, you’re shadowing an experienced
teacher,”Gabriella explained.“But with subbing, you actually
apply what you’ve learned from the teacher that you followed,
to see what works and what doesn’t work when you have your
own classroom.”
With substitue
teaching, you
actually apply what
you’ve learned from
the teacher that you
followed, to see what
works and what
doesn’t work when
you have your
own classroom.
Double Alumna and Clare
Booth Luce Scholar Chartsa
QUEENS STATEN ISLAND

JOHNNIES DAY
INSURANCE LEADER OF THE YEAR
ALAN D. SCHNITZER, HONOREE
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
PENN STATION
CARNESECCA ARENA
BLACK HISTORY
MONTH
BLACK AND WHITE BALL
BLESSING OF
THE COUPLES
STUDENT ADVOCACY DAY, ALBANY, NY
WOMEN OF
ST. JOHN’S
WHITE COAT
CONVOCATION
R.C.I.A.
BAPTISM
CONFIRMATION
BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
RESEARCH MONTH
MEN’S TENNIS BIG EAST CHAMPIONS
2023
SCAN QR CODES TO READ COMPLETE STORIES.

Thanks to many generous supporters,
Alissa D’Vale received scholarships to
attend St. John’s University and take
advantage of the donor-supported
opportunities and programs that
helped her prepare for a career in
public administration. She has gratefully
continued the mission with her generous
support of time and talent to help other
students along the way.
Our donors should be proud that Alissa
joined with hundreds of her peers and
walked with honors at Commencement!
Please continue to help our students by
making a gift today.
As a first-generation student, I can’t
emphasize enough how important it was
to find a welcoming community at
St. John’s University.”
—Alissa D’Vale, Government and Politics major,
Class of 2023; President’s Society member;
Ozanam Scholar; and mentor in the R.I.S.E.
(Reach, Inspire, Succeed, and Empower)
and E.P.I.C. (Establish relationships,
Promote possibilities, Impact direction,
and Confirm next steps) programs
OZANAM SCHOLARS
ACCEPTED
STUDENT DAY
FAMILY DINNER
SENIOR NIGHT
STORMIN’LOUD
PHARMACY GALA

JULY
Saturday, July 1 RSVP Date for Alumni Spain Trip
Thursday, July 6 Alumni Professional Development Series:“In-Person vs. Virtual
Interview”Webinar
Monday, July 10 Johnnies Golf Classic, The Village Club
Wednesday, July 12 LI Ducks Game
July 13–14 Summer on the East End with The McCallen Society
AUGUST
Tuesday, August 8 Great Lawn Summer Concert featuring the Queens
Symphony Orchestra
Tuesday, August 8 Loughlin Society Reception
Saturday, August 12 Alumni BBQ
Tuesday, August 22 Atlanta Chapter Summer Social: Atlanta Braves vs. NY Mets
Wednesday, August 23 New York Boulders Baseball Game
Saturday, August 26 Tampa Chapter: Tampa Bay Rays vs. NY Yankees
TBD US Open
SEPTEMBER
Coming in September McCallen Society Jammin’Johnnies, Tai Chi, and Gentle Yoga
Coming in September Pickleball Johnnies (PBJs)
Wednesday, September 6 Washington, DC; Maryland; and Virginia (DMV) Chapter:
NY Mets vs. Washington Nationals
Thursday, September 7 Women Investor’s Club:“Understanding Investment Banking”
Thursday, September 14 Annual McCallen Society Recognition Mass and Luncheon
Thursday, September 14 Alumni Professional Development Series:“Cracking the
Collaboration Code”Webinar
Sunday, September 17 Warwick Valley Country Club Alumni Reception
Saturday, September 23 University Service Day
Tuesday, September 26 St. John’s Giving Day
Tuesday, September 26 Vincentian Convocation
Wednesday, September 27 Staten Island Alumni Golf
Outing and Dinner
OCTOBER
TBD American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
October 6–14 Alumni Travel Program: Spain
Friday, October 20 Red Storm Tip-Off
October 26–29 Queens and Staten Island Homecoming Weekend
www.stjohns.edu/Homecoming
Monday, October 30
NOVEMBER
1870 Court Tailgates Join us for the basketball season!
Wednesday, November 8 Annual Retirees’Mass and Luncheon
November 16, 17, and 19 Charleston Classic, Men’s Basketball
DECEMBER
Monday, December 4 Winter Carnival
TBD Christmas at St. John’s
Loughlin Society Reception
GOLD Drinks
after Dark
YOUR CLASSMATES
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU!
Visit
www.stjohns/newsandnotes
to share memories and
milestone events.
WANT TO HAVE YOUR OWN EVENT AT ST. JOHN’S?
Alumni receive a 15 percent discount on space rentals. Please call the
Office of Conference Services at 718-990-7300 for more information.
Events
Alumni
Events
VISIT WWW.STJOHNS.EDU/ALUMNIEVENTS FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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MERCATOR’S PROJECTION
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BOUNDARIES AND POPULATION
National Capital
3,000,000 and over
500,000 to 3,000,000
Less than 500,000
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11:00 AM 12:00 NOON 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 00:00 MID 01:00 AM 02:00 AM 03:00 AM 04:00 AM 05:00 AM 06:00 AM 07:00 AM 08:00 AM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM
Roots,
Local
Connections
Global Roots,
Gilman Scholarship Opens
Affordable Paths to Study Abroad
Pharm.D. candidate Arya Singh readily recalls a trove
of memories from her travels abroad in Paris, France;
Rome, Italy; and Limerick, Ireland, during the Spring 2023
semester as a recipient of the US Department of State’s
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
She eagerly embraced her daily walks to the Eiffel Tower
during her time in the City of Light and a cooking class
in Rome helped her to unlock the mysteries of Italian
culinary culture. But the most prized take-away for Arya,
who was part of St. John’s Western Europe Pharmacy
program from January 17 until May 12, was rooted in
her visits to the countries’ local pharmacies, health-care
museum exhibits, and historical sites, such as the pharmacy Santa Maria della Scala.
“The Gilman program prepared me to become a better medical professional for the future,”
explained the aspiring pharmacist,“because it helped me to become well versed in pharmaceutics
in a more universal sense—beyond a cultural sphere within the borders of America.”
Arya is one of several students at St. John’s University to be deemed a Spring 2023 Gilman scholar.
Named for the late New York Congressman Benjamin A. Gilman, a former Republican chair of
the US House of Representatives’Committee on International Relations, the highly competitive
program is administered by the Institute for International Education on behalf of the Department
of State. It is geared to accomplished students with limited financial means or those who have
been historically underrepresented in study abroad programs.
They include first-generation college students, ethnic minority students and those with
disabilities, students attending historically Black colleges and universities or other minority-serving
institutions, those attending community colleges, rural students, and students from US states with
less study abroad participation.
“My time abroad helped me to
understand that we truly do live in
a global society, and it helped me
to realize that I could continue my
studies abroad,”said Alianna Guerra,
an English major at St. John’s College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences who spent
16 weeks in Rome as a Gilman scholar
as part of the Rome Semester study
abroad program.“I have started to look
into graduate school options abroad,
especially in Rome, as the experiences
that I had there were some of the best
of my life.”
“Some of the most memorable moments from my journey were seeing all of the
monuments that the cities in Italy had to offer,”Alianna added.“I especially fell in
love with the Pantheon and the Colosseum. I would say my favorite moments
would include all the late-night gelato runs that would end with me sitting next
to these centuries-old monuments while I talked for hours with my friends.”
PHARMACY SANTA
MARIA DELLA SCALA
“With this award, St. John’s Gilman scholars are able
to develop global knowledge, new perspectives,
and skills to better prepare them for their careers
in an increasingly interconnected world,”said Anna
Torres, Coordinator of Study Abroad Academics and
Scholarships in the Office of International Education
at St. John’s. Ms. Torres and Bianca Sylvain, Assistant
Director of Outbound Student Services, guided the
students through the rigorous application process
for the Gilman scholarship.
“Through their study abroad experiences, St. John’s
Gilman scholars have grown both personally and
academically—making them stand out and be
better prepared to pursue and assume professional
roles as true global citizens,”Ms. Torres added.
—Arya Singh
The Gilman program
prepared me to
become well versed
in pharmaceutics
in a more universal
sense.
DEPARTURES
New York City is just one of the remarkable places the St. John’s
community calls home. With a campus in Rome, as well as locations in
Paris and Limerick, and academic offerings and service opportunities
spread around the world…WE WELCOME THE WORLD AT ST. JOHN’S!
We invite students to explore all that we have to offer at home and
abroad through our engagement with international partners and global
academic programs.

Gilman scholar
Dakota Ashton,
who is majoring in
Legal Studies at The
Lesley H. and William
L. Collins College of
Professional Studies,
was in Paris from
February 25 until
March 4 as part of a
short-term program
called“Litigation
Practice in Paris,”
during which she
examined the differences between the American and French
litigation systems.“Receiving this scholarship enhanced my
academic career by allowing me to challenge my prior knowledge
of the American legal system and apply it internationally,”said
Dakota, who plans to become a lawyer.
“I have always dreamed about advocating for those who are
misrepresented and have not always been given a voice in society,
especially in marginalized communities,”she added.“Lawyers must
work with clients of different backgrounds and values, and my visit
to Paris opened me up to this in a new way.”
Pharm.D. candidate Jenny Liu was particularly struck by the
kindness of strangers during her travels as part of the St. John’s
Western Europe Pharmacy program, as well as her visits to
Belgium, England, Spain, and Switzerland.“I am forever thankful to
local citizens for showing me and my travel companions around
and lending a hand when we needed help with essentials such
as figuring out directions to places we were visiting,”she recalled.
“It really made me feel more connected to the community and,
therefore, made the places we visited more memorable.”
Arya offered an additional observation that was echoed by her
fellow Gilman scholars.“I learned plenty about independence
and adaptability. Traveling in a relatively large group with my
classmates taught me to become more flexible with plans and
expectations. I learned to think fast on my feet.”
— Dakota Ashton
Receiving this scholarship
enhanced my academic
career by allowing
me to challenge my
prior knowledge of the
American legal system and
apply it internationally.
First-Year Students Get a
Taste of the World with
a Global Passport
ENGLAND
BELGIUM
SPAIN
SWITZERLAND
“Students taking part in Global
Passport have a tremendous
opportunity to engage with
St. John’s global mission right
from day one of their college
career, making either our Paris,
France, location or Rome, Italy,
campus their temporary
St. John’s‘home away from home,’”said Greg Bruhn,
Director of Outbound Programs within the Office of
International Education at the University.
“Not only do they get to visit historic sites, engage
with the local cultures, and become familiar
with these incredible European capitals, they
come away with a sense of self-confidence and
independence in the world—which will take them
far during their time with us and well beyond,”
Mr. Bruhn said.“They will also make friends and
memories for life.”
GLOBAL
PASSPORT
“For many students, it’s really their first step
toward engaging in further international
experiences, including our semester
programs abroad, since the unfamiliar is
now familiar,”according to Mr. Bruhn.“They
feel much more comfortable returning
to Paris or Rome for a semester, because
they’ll already be familiar with the campus,
the neighborhood, and the St. John’s
teams abroad that will welcome them.”
The Global Program attracts about 270
students per year, said Mr. Bruhn.
Students in Global
Passport have a
tremendous opportunity
to engage with St. John’s
global mission from
day one of their college
career, making either
Paris or Rome their
temporary ‘home away
from home.’
—Greg Bruhn
ROME, ITALY
PARIS, FRANCE
T
H
E
G
O
B
ALPROGRAMATT
R
A
C
T
S
A
B
O
U
T
270
S
T
U
D
ENTS PER YEAR.
Participants in the program, which is also available
to transfer students, pay a subsidized fee of
$750, as well as airfare. The program fee includes
on-campus accommodations, a welcome and
farewell dinner, a partial meal plan, Metro passes,
and course-based excursions throughout Paris or
Rome, as well as international health insurance.
Students start by enrolling in a Passport course
that enables them to fulfill one of their regular
first-year requirements. The course takes place in
New York during the fall or spring semester, and
includes content to help them prepare for their
time in Paris or Rome. When the term ends, in
January or May, students continue their studies
by immersing themselves in Paris or Rome for
seven days, along with their classmates and
professor, to culminate their semester’s work
together. The students receive one extra credit,
which represents their academic work in Europe.
he Global Passport program—a rare gem—offers incoming students a chance to
“internationalize” their academic experience during their very first year at St. John’s.
It is specifically designed for new college students to gain exposure to cultures outside
of the United States.

38 ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE GLOBAL ISSUE ST. JOHN’S MAGAZINE GLOBAL ISSUE 39
Childhood Education, Grades 1–6, major
I wanted to be a part of the Global Passport program, in part, because of its reasonable
cost. Additionally, many close friends who participated in the program said how deeply it
impacted them. One of my biggest joys was riding
scooters with my classmates around Rome, as well as
spending an evening visiting the Trevi Fountain and
seeing the Colosseum.
Another very impactful experience for me was visiting
a refugee center and listening to the story told by one
of the refugees about why he had to flee his country.
I was a little nervous to go abroad, but now
understand that I am more mature and independent
than I thought. This trip has inspired me to plan visits to more countries.
Management major, French minor
Ever since I was in elementary school, I have always been fascinated
by Paris and Parisian life. I admired the museums, monuments, language,
and culture, and aspired to be a part of it one day. Once I joined the
St. John’s community and learned that I had the opportunity to travel to
Europe, I planned a trip to Paris. Having studied French when I was a younger
helped compel me to go. Similarly, the ability to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine independently,
safely, and affordably made the Global Passport program all the more intriguing to me.
One of my favorite moments from this trip to Paris was
meeting the students from the University Gustave Eiffel.
It was so rewarding to interact with people of a similar
age from a foreign country and to learn about the life of
teenagers and university students like me. It gave me
the opportunity to break through my comfort zone and
branch out of my usual social circle—it was one of the
most rewarding moments of the trip.
English major
I came to St. John’s because I wanted to broaden my environment and the Global Passport
program has only furthered that. I wanted the adventure of moving to Queens, NY, being away
from home, and experiencing life as an adult. I needed to get out and go out, and I needed to
explore. Going to Paris was an extension of that need.
I adored the planned activities Global Passport program, but the most
important thing I did in Paris was spontaneously attend a concert by myself.
Traveling the Metro transport system on my own; navigating through security
guards with my basic, French vocabulary; and dancing to bossa-nova-indie-
pop music is what will stick with me the most. I have always considered
myself to be an extrovert, but after my concert experience, I’ve begun to
appreciate solitude in ways that I haven’t before. I was not alone on this
trip by any means. I was with a great class of great people whom I loved
talking to and traveling with, but some of the most impactful moments
I experienced in Paris were the times I was by myself.
OWEN TAYLOR
Paris, France
ALEXIS SHOVER
Rome, Italy
GIOVANNA WEST-SOTO
Rome, Italy
Health and Human Services major
I chose St. John’s University to pursue my undergraduate degree because
of the Global Passport program. This seven-day program served as a test
to determine if I would be able to handle studying abroad for an entire,
four-month-long semester. I learned that I can absolutely thrive for much
longer than a week of studying in a country that is unknown to me.
One of my favorite experiences was visiting the
Colosseum at night with my classmates. This trip
helped me to break through my shell and be open
to any opportunity to discover new places—simply
because of the potential of that experience to change
my life. I learned it is easy to befriend people you
never knew before, even while traveling abroad. I
was worried about making new friends during this
journey—but it happened easily on the trip.
MOLLY RICHARDSON
Paris, France
Biology major
I wanted to be a part of the Global Passport program because I heard it was a perfect way to
make friends. I chose to travel to Paris because I was interested in learning about the culture of
the city and its impacts on global issues such as social justice, politics, and climate change.
One of the most memorable moments of my journey
was learning about St. Vincent de Paul and visiting his
Chapelle. I was surprised to see the preservation of his
remains enclosed in a wax covering. I also visited the
Sacré-Coeur and saw the surrounding neighborhoods.
There is a lot more that I want to learn about Paris—
and the best way to do that is to come back!
ANDRE WARREN
Paris, France
St. John’s University
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
www.stjohns.edu please visit
To learn more about contributing
to the Global Passport Fund,
www.stjohns.edu/GlobalGiving.

Street
Street
World
World
World Traveler Finds a Home at
World Traveler Finds a Home at
St. John’s
St. John’s
V
anessa Bethencourt loves to travel the world. Her latest stop is St. John’s
University’s Queens, NY, campus, where she is pursuing a Master of
Science degree in International Hospitality Management.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Vanessa, 27, has also lived in Panama, Spain, and
Canada. She speaks English, Spanish, and French, and holds passports from
Venezuela and Spain. Hired by Hilton after her college graduation in 2021,
Vanessa was encouraged by executives to pursue a master’s degree and arrived
at St. John’s nine days before the start of Spring 2023 classes.
“I always wanted to come to New York, and the moment I found
St. John’s it felt like God had put me in the right place,”Vanessa said.
“There is a mix of many different cultures here and I love that.”
Vanessa graduated from the Universidad Interamericana de Panama
with a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts. She later worked as part of
the kitchen staff at Hilton’s Panama City hotel. Her big break came
when she was asked to supervise the hotel spa, opening a door to
management and an opportunity to expand her skills.
With that promotion also came discussions with her superiors
about pursuing a master’s degree. A random Google search led
her to St. John’s program and the possibility of living in New York City.
“My boss there recommended that I consider a move out of the kitchen because
he believed that I would fall in love with the broader hospitality field,”Vanessa
recalled.“Sure enough, I did. The human resources manager recommended
that if this is what I wanted to do, that I follow up my bachelor’s degree
with something more. The first time I was here I felt a connection
with St. John’s and its people.”
For a global traveler, however, Vanessa’s journey to St. John’s was
anything but conventional. Visa issues delayed her arrival to
campus until January 9; spring semester classes began on
January 18.
Regardless, Vanessa is at home at St. John’s, which is where she
wants to be. She resigned from her position at Hilton once her visa
was secured.
However, arriving so near to the start of classes meant a rushed
registration process and an urgent need for housing. She was able to
manage both with help from the University’s International Student and
Scholar Services Office.
Leaving her car and dogs with her parents, Vanessa settled into an
apartment in Astoria, NY. She will need another year to complete
her master’s program, but in the meantime is enjoying St. John’s
and the city it calls home.
“My dream is to work in a corporate position for a hospitality
company and I’d love to be based in New York.”
ARRIVALS

B
orn in Cairo, Egypt, and raised in Vancouver, BC, Maria Keddis always dreamed of
attending college in New York City.
Now that she has completed four years at St. John’s University—in the heart of Queens,
the city’s most diverse borough—Maria does not plan to leave the area anytime soon.
“My dream has always been to work and live in New York,”Maria said.“There is a
multiplicity of faiths and ethnic traditions, and I just love that. The diversity of St. John’s
matches the diversity of New York. I do not believe I could have made a better choice.”
As part of a dual-degree program, Maria completed requirements for a Bachelor of Science
degree in Communication Arts in May 2023. She is scheduled to earn a Master of Science
degree in Integrated Advertising Communications in May 2024.
Wherever she has lived, Maria has successfully adapted to changing life
circumstances, attending school amid Egyptian deserts, Canadian mountain
peaks, and, now, New York City skyscrapers.“It hasn’t always been seamless,”
Maria joked,“but I’ve been able to grow into the person I am.”
Born to a mother who is a pediatrician and a father who is an Egyptologist, early in life Maria
was introduced to the value of education. She attended an international school in Cairo
before her family moved to Vancouver in 2015 when Maria was 12. She became a citizen of
Canada in 2019 and holds passports from both Canada and Egypt.
A childhood in Egypt presented some challenges. Maria’s family are Copts, a
minority faith in Egypt that has faced persecution for its Orthodox Christian
beliefs. While her family was not persecuted directly, Maria said, they were
outsiders in a country that is more than 90 percent Muslim.
“That was part of the reason my family decided to leave as the persecution of
Coptic Christians was getting out of hand. It was hard for my mom, who was
denied jobs because she was Coptic or because she was a woman,”Maria recalled.
Fluent in English and Arabic and with a conversational knowledge of French,
Maria faced no language barriers in moving to Vancouver. Despite knowing
little about Canada’s Pacific Northwest, Maria was drawn quickly to its natural
scenery and progressive culture.
Through her mother, Maria also became aware of the possibilities
that existed for women in Western society. When the time for
college arrived, there was only one city that could satisfy her
desire for such opportunities: New York.
Maria jumped right into the St. John’s student scene, becoming
a culture writer for the student newspaper The Torch, and joining
radio station WSJU and TV station WRED-TV—and, of course, the
Coptic Society. She was also hired to work as a student photographer
in the University’s Department of Marketing and Communications.
“St. John’s has given me such an opportunity,”Maria said.“I was just
thinking of myself in my first year versus the person I am now, there is such a difference. I
have grown closer to God and I have learned so much.”
To St. John’s Via Egypt and
To St. John’s Via Egypt and
Vancouver
Vancouver
A
deep-rooted sense of community drew Ignacio Prieto Ruiz de Ojeda to
St. John’s University. The native of Madrid, Spain, sensed it as soon as he
stepped foot on the Queens, NY, campus.“I felt at home during my first visit,
and knew I wanted to be part of this diverse, international community.”
Ignacio graduated this past May with his Bachelor of Arts degree in
Business Analytics and will continue at St. John’s, studying for his
Master of Business Administration degree in Financial Technology.
He speaks of his college experience with an infectious
enthusiasm and gratitude for an immersive academic and
cultural experience that has widened his horizons and given him
confidence for the future.
“The University’s location was a key factor in my decision,”he
stressed.“The campus is perfectly situated: close to Manhattan, NY,
but with enough distance to provide a different experience. The city
is your backyard, with thousands of possibilities for fun and culture at your
fingertips—as well as a host of global companies providing internship opportunities.”
Ignacio is grateful for the opportunities St. John’s provides to express his culture.
“Global Culture Night is perhaps the best example,”he explained.“Students get
together and enjoy different cuisines from around the world while wearing
traditional cultural garb. It is an unbelievable experience and makes you really
understand just how global St. John’s is.”
Queens is often called the most diverse borough in the United States, which
Ignacio observed is reflected in its student body.“There are hundreds of cultural
organizations for everyone to enjoy and learn from other ethnic groups. The campus
is really made for everyone, and St. John’s provides a space for all students to feel
comfortable and welcome.”
During his time at St. John’s, Ignacio has been involved with Project AIM, a peer
mentoring program for international students, and the International Student
Council, which supports international students at all levels by ensuring they
have the tools and support to achieve a holistic college experience.
At St. John’s, Ignacio has immersed himself in the University’s Vincentian
mission, participating in several Midnight Runs and the St. Louis, MO, and
Vermont Service Plunges.“Both of these experiences made me see the
world in a different light and taught me important values that I know I
will apply in the years ahead.”
Perhaps his fondest experience was induction into the President’s
Society, the highest honor society a student can achieve at St. John’s,
Ignacio recalled.“It was a very rewarding feeling to know my efforts
were noticed by the University, and getting inducted in front of my
loved ones was an indescribable feeling.”
International Student Relishes
International Student Relishes
St. John’s Experience
St. John’s Experience
I felt at home
during my first
visit to St. John’s,
and knew I
wanted to be part
of this diverse,
international
community.

M
embers of The McCallen Society make a
planned gift to St. John’s University to honor a
beloved faculty, administrator, or staff member,
and/or in gratitude for the support they received.
Thomas Joyce ’73CBA made his gift as“a natural reaction to wanting to give back
to the school.”“We all have different motivations for supporting the University, but
they’re all rooted in the true Vincentian spirit of giving,”he said.
As Tom and his classmates celebrate their 50th reunion, he encourages everyone
to consider including St. John’s in their charitable plans as a way of acknowledging
the University that has provided so much. Gifts of all sizes work together to create
opportunities for future generations of Johnnies.
Follow Tom’s lead with a gift that supports St. John’s University;
visit www.mystjohnslegacy.org/reuniongift or contact Susan M.
Damiani, M.B.A. ’87CBA, Director of Gift Planning, at 718-990-7562
or damianis@stjohns.edu.
THOMAS AND TONI JOYCE
D
uring his first visit to St. John’s University, Trinidad and Tobago native Joel Stephen was
immediately struck by the beauty of the Queens, NY, campus.“At other schools I visited in New
York City, there was no space to maneuver or spend time in nature,”he explained.“Even though
it may seem rather small, this was something that I deeply appreciated.”
A Management major scheduled to graduate in 2024, Joel was also struck by the ultramodern facilities
offered by The Peter J. Tobin College of Business.“The intensely focused setting of the building and
classrooms seemed like a conducive place for learning and development, which was of paramount
importance to me.”
The University’s diverse student population and surrounding communities reminded Joel of his home
country.“Ringed by areas such as Jamaica, Jackson Heights, and Flushing, Queens is a template
for the many positives that migration and other cultures offer—and St. John’s is a
microcosm of that.”
He added,“There are many international students and organizations
that assist their members with acclimatization and cultural events,
such as Haraya, and they are stronger than ever. To say that
St. John’s is diverse would be an understatement.”
As an international student at St. John’s, Joel has found many
ways to express his culture, most notably as a member of
Project AIM, a mentoring program for international first-year
students and sophomores.
Joel is also a member of the Caribbean Students
Association and the R.I.S.E. Network, which provides
Black and Latinx first-year students with skill-based
development, support, and opportunities to enhance
their overall academic career at St. John’s. Both
organizations have emboldened him to express his
culture and teach others about it, he stressed.
Upon reflection, Joel said that opportunity has
been the theme of his St. John’s experience.
“There are countless activities and clubs to
become involved in, and I am grateful for the
opportunities they have afforded me to make
positive impacts in the lives of others.“
Joel has not only immersed himself in campus
life; he has also taken the University’s Vincentian
mission to heart, assuming leadership roles
in several organizations devoted to student
success. He has served as a Discover NewYork
Peer Leader, Resident Assistant, and a Campus
Ministry Retreat Leader. 
Beauty, Diversity, and Opportunity
Beauty, Diversity, and Opportunity
Attracted International
Attracted International
Student to St. John’s
Student to St. John’s

1870 COURT TAILGATE COMMITTEE
Wendell Cruz ’91SVC
William B. Fornaro ’71CBA, ’78MBA
Sabrina Polidoro ’05CPS, ’07MBA
ALUMNAE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
Rose F. DiMartino ’81L
Roselind F. Hallinan ’14L
Jennifer A. Prevete ’15L
ATLANTA ALUMNI REGIONAL
CHAPTER COMMITTEE
Vincent J. Colluro ’66CBA, ’71MBA
Barbara Gunning ’82CBA
Bruce A. Kellogg ’71C
John X. Kim ’08C
Valerie Nelson ’64Ed
Darshana M. Shah ’09GP, ’19Ph.D.
John F.Tyson ’81SVC
MartinW.Wilson ’77CBA
BLACK ALUMNI 90S CREW
Weedens E. Blanchard ’94SVC, ’97MBA, ’07PD, ’17Ed.D.
Edward Gajadar ’96C, ’02L
Peter E. Lino ’94SVC
Danielle Masseus ’92C, ’98G
Joanne Michel-Perez, M.B.A. ’94SVC, ’96SVC
Veronica Novy ’94SVC, ’98GEd, ’06PD
Duane Shippey ’97SVC
AngelaWambugu-Cobb ’94SVC
BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (BAA)
Melissa Akers ’04Ed, ’06GEd
Damarc Barlatier ’17C
Danielle Monique Belcher ’05C
Alishka Long-Nelson ’08TCB
Tynisa Martin ’06CPS, ’09G
Theresa Patterson ’97SVC, ’01TCB
Ritha Pierre ’06C
Vivian Saunders ’03CPS
BOCA RATON VOLUNTEERS
Maryann Derasmo ’96NDC
Sara Finkelstein ’87CBA
GRADUATES OF THE LAST DECADE
(GOLD) LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
Paige F. Band ’16CPS, ’18MS
TaylorMarie Capoziello ’20CCPS
Jennifer Lynn Capozzoli ’15TCB
Meaghan Catherine Dickinson ’12CPS
Christine Elizabeth Freeze ’18Ed, ’20GEd
Jocelin N. Gardella ’19TCB, ’21MBA
Carolina B. Hojaij ’16C, ’19MBA
David B. Jacob ’19TCB, ’20MBA
Aba D. Joseph ’19TCB, ’20MS
ChristopherTyler Khan ’19TCB
Evgeniya Anatoliyevna Kirpicheva ’13CPS
Yasmin Sharon Lall ’18TCB, ’19MBA
Natrisha Aderia Latchman ’16C
Rebecca Kerns Malizia ’15C
James S. Pace ’14TCB
Raquel Sydney Charlotte Ringgold ’20CCPS, ’21MBA
Karla C. Saltos ’19TCB
Brian M.Wagner ’18CPS
GREEK LIFE ALUMNI VOLUNTEER
Luis De Jesus ’05TCB
Jose Omar Hasbun ’04CPS
Jorge L. Jorge ’10TCB, ’13MS
Amora Destina Laucella ’14C, ’16G
Miguel Perez ’04TCB
Cesar Pozo, Jr. ’09CPS
Daniel J.Vasquez ’10TCB
GabrielVazquez ’18CPS
HISPANIC AND LATINA/O COMMITTEE
Mauricio A. Benavides ’04C
Gerard Fabian Cajas ’91C, ’09G
Joshua G. Cajas ’18CPS
Adriana Cardenas ’91SVC
Marisela A. Carpio ’11CPS
Arlene Fisher ’88CBA
Louis E. Saavedra ’05CPS, ’12G
Pablo J. Sanchez ’13C, ’14G, ’19GCPS
DanielVizcarrondo ’12CPS
Claudia MoralesValdes ’91C
LEWIS AVENUE LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
Martin J. Moran ’52C
Robert G. Smith ’52C
Walter C. Zimmermann ’58C
LONDON ALUMNI REGIONAL CHAPTER
Stephanie N. Elgegren ’18TCB
ThomasW. Green ’08CPS
LOS ANGELES ALUMNI REGIONAL CHAPTER
Tahir Lynn Boykins ’12CPS
Valerie D. Herrera
TiffanyT. Stewart ’12CCPS
MIXED CHORUS/GLEE CLUB ALUMNI
George H. Frank, Jr. ’71Ed
Dr. Regina Gilbert ’70Ed
NAPLES ,FLORIDA, VOLUNTEER
Philip J.Wax ’66Ed, ’69G
Teresa Rioseco-Wax
New Jersey Alumni Regional Chapter
Irene Caccavallo ’75CBA
Daniel E. Chartock ’12CPS
George Chasabenis ’95P
Linda DaSilva, R.Ph. ’81P
Gary J. Gengo ’78CBA
John P. Guittard ’13CPS
Viral Jani ’15Pharm.D.
Angelica A. Ronga ’16CPS, ’17MS
Richard C. Spatola, Esq. ’08L
NOTRE DAME COLLEGE ALUMNAE
MaryT. Armstrong ’63NDC
Marianne Cummins ’60NDC
Raffaela Caputo ’62NDC
Joan Mazza Dobis ’66NDC
Clare Milza Fennell ’80NDC
Kristine Albano Garlisi ’95NDC, ’97G
Geraldine Gillio ’61NDC
Connie Bowden Lane ’57NDC
Grace M. Murphy ’60NDC
Maureen C. O’Brien ’62NDC
Joyce Rohl ’68NDC
Diane M.Viggiano ’67NDC
OFFICE OF GIFT PLANNING VOLUNTEER
Madeline Larsen
Thekla Manganelli
ORLANDO FLORIDA VOLUNTEER
Jeanette Canty ’05C
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA, ALUMNI
VOLUNTEER
Peter J.Torelli ’72SVC
PRESIDENT’S DINNER COMMITTEE
Robert J. Adams ’84CBA, ’88MBA
William L. Collins ’76C, ’12HON
Steven J. Farella ’77SVC
William J. Janetschek ’84CBA, ’17HON
Joan Lacagnina ’88CBA
Brian R. Malone ’80P, ’85GP
Joseph C. O’Connor ’82CBA, ’16HON
Chuck Piluso ’76SVC, ’78G, ’86MBA
Spencer L. Reames ’99C, ’02L
BrianT. Shea ’83CBA, ’16HON
James J. Shannon ’87CBA
Tarik S.Turner ’98C
Catherine SakmannVerrelli ’00CBA, ’01MS
Jeffry S.Wengroff ’73CBA
Salvatore J. Zizza ’67UC, ’72MBA, ’07HON
PRESIDENT’S SOCIETY ALUMNI COMMITTEE
Carrie C. Adduci ’09CPS, ’12L
Gina Antilus ’05C
Hon. Alfred C. Cerullo III ’83NDC, ’86L
Jelani Kempton Christopher ’19TCB, ’20MBA
Catherine Rose D’Angelo ’19Ed
Chris Ivan Ellis, Jr. ’09CPS
Catherine L. Felle ’18TCB
Christine M. Goodwin ’96C, ’98MLS, ’02G, ’07PD
Jennifer A. Grauso ’00Ed
Amanda J. Horvat ’00CPS, ’02GEd
KevinT. James ’11C, ’13MBA
Bethanie Racquelle Jones ’20CCPS, ’22G
Olivia L. Jones ’13C, ’14G
Nancy S. Kaplan ’90SVC, ’92MBA, ’94PD, ’00Ed.D.
John L. Marchi ’13TCB
Amneek Kaur Nagra ’19TCB, ’20MS
DaphneV. Pierre ’09C, ’11G
Andrea M. Heller Pinnavaia ’07C, ’08G
Anthony Angelo Salvia ’21CCPS
Joanna Lucille Smykowski ’12CCPS
KarenTaylor-Bass ’89SVC
Daisy MaeThomas ’19TCB
RED WHITE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Prof. John P. Clarke ’55CBA, ’57L
Thomas J. Cox ’82CBA
KarlVincent Fowlkes ’14CPS
Jean Hart
Daniel F. Hines ’85CBA
Dorothy C. Hines ’86Ed
John F. Kennedy ’83CBA
John J. Kowalski ’76CBA, ’83MBA
Luke Lichota ’05CCPS
Patrick L. Muchow ’87CBA, ’92MBA
StephenT. Murphy ’89CBA
Paul B. Nedorostek ’13CPS
Alex Perez ’99SVC, ’02MBA
Harrison Remler
John Rasulo ’88MBA
Keeth Smart ’01TCB
Kevin F. Reed ’75C
Jeffry S.Wengroff ’73CBA
SCHOOL OF LAW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Victoria M. Cantrella ’10L
Ralph J. Carter ’14L
Eugenie M. Cesar-Fabian ’04L
Lisa Chun ’00L
Christopher J. Eisenhardt ’16L
Thomas J. Foley ’93L
Darryl Gibbs ’00L
Robert J. Gunther ’81C, ’84L
James D. Herschlein ’85L
Keren Baruch Longo ’17L
Alain Massena ’97C, ’00L
LoisT. Nicotra ’77NDC, ’83GEd
Richard Nicotra ’76NDC, ’86HON
Queenie A. Paniagua ’12L
Megan Quail ’13L
MauriceW. Sayeh ’17L
SOUTH FLORIDA ALUMNI CHAPTER
Darren J. Kiley ’88SVC
Mark J. Stevenson ’09CPS, ’12G
STATEN ISLAND ALUMNI COMMITTEE
Annette Sangiorgio Angiuli ’78NDC
Joseph Caldarera ’78NDC
Theresa Cavaliere Cantarella ’73NDC, ’77GEd
Hon. Alfred C. Cerullo III ’83NDC, ’86L
Virginia M. Cuomo ’84NDC
Lawrence J. Durso ’75NDC
Edward Furman ’85CBA
Kristine Albano Garlisi ’95NDC, ’97G
Diane Anselmo Greaves ’96NDC
VincentT. Iannelli ’73NDC
Thomas Joyce ’73CBA, ’77MBA
Stephen M. Maresca ’72CBA
Lisa Marinelli ’82NDC
Ellen R. Mitchell ’79NDC
Maria Nardini-Gallo ’85NDC
Christopher J. Porcu ’85NDC
LaurieTritini-Caruso ’85SVC
Maria A.Tychi ’83CBA
James Sykes ’05CPS
STATEN ISLAND GOLF COMMITTEE
James Connors ’95MBA
John L. Esposito ’84NDC
VincentT. Iannelli ’73NDC
Thomas Joyce ’73CBA, ’77MBA
Timothy J. Koller ’77NDC
Joseph M. Pane ’72CBA
Stephen E.Thompson ’78CBA
TAMPA, FLORIDA, ALUMNI VOLUNTEER
Carol Chappetto
Richard Chappetto ’73Ed
TOBIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Demetrios Frangiskatos ’00CBA
WASHINGTON, DC; MARYLAND; AND
VIRGINIA (DMV) ALUMNI REGIONAL
CHAPTER
Joseph-BrianV. Arevalo ’00CPS
Domonic Haire ’20C, ’22G
KevinW. Heaney ’16CCPS
Marc Kuzmicki ’05CPS
Eduardo L. LaGuerre
Stephenson Nelson ’11TCB
Anfernee I. Osandu ’21C
Michael Pugh ’20C
Tyquia Stuckey ’17TCB, ’18MBA
Kevin E.Torres ’05CPS
WRED-TV ALUMNI VOLUNTEER
Rich Martinez ’01CPS
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON OUR COMMITTEES AND IN OUR REGIONAL CHAPTERS.
St. John’s University is always looking
for help to coordinate events and
engagement activities. INTERESTED?
Fill out the volunteer form at
www.stjohns.edu/alumnivolunteer

St. John's Magazine for Summer 2023 - M1-13876

St. John's Magazine for Summer 2023 - M1-13876

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St. John's Magazine for Summer 2023 - M1-13876