Meet the Trustees
SJNY Magazine: Tell us little bit about yourselves, what brought you to St. Joe’s, and why you became a Sister of St. Joseph?
S. Kathleen: I was born and raised in Brooklyn and had an older brother and sister. We had a very loving and close family… Our lives centered around the parish. I went to St. Saviour High School and then went on to St. Joseph’s College for one year. At that time, I was a chemistry major in what was known as the “B plan” for high school teachers. I had a wonderful time at St. Joe’s. I was involved in everything — even being a cheerleader for St. Joe’s and St. Francis College, which was all boys at that time. I entered the Sisters of St. Joseph and started attending Brentwood College (a novitiate college at the motherhouse in Brentwood). My aunt and two of my cousins were Sisters of St. Joseph, so entering the CSJ was kind of a ‘family thing.’ I also liked the sisters at the college very much.
After three years at Brentwood College, I came back to St. Joe’s to get my degree in chemistry.
S. Helen: I grew up in Belle Harbor where I loved the beach and ocean. I attended St. Francis de Sales School and St. Agnes Seminary, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph…. During these formative years, I experienced the genuine care and excellent teaching of the sisters. They were always present, challenging us to experience new things, assume responsibility and take leadership roles.
I decided that I wanted to be a teacher and explored several colleges known for their education programs. When I attended the open house for St. Joseph’s, it was clear their program was one of the best… What really attracted me most of all was the friendly atmosphere on the campus and so many who took an interest in who I was and what I wanted. At that time, there were many Sisters of St. Joseph on faculty, and I continued to experience their care and interest in my growth. They were very competent professors who knew their fields of study, kept up with current trends and guided our choices of courses to achieve our goals. They were aware of societal issues, and along with their professional capabilities, they motivated us to be active in social justice issues and to use our voices in political areas.
I thought I was all set to pursue a career in teaching, but as I looked to my future, there was something nudging me to realize I wanted to be part of the congregation that had nurtured and formed me, and I wanted to be part of this group of women who valued each person’s dignity and ministered to form lives and empower them to make a difference in society. So, I entered the congregation after graduation in 1967.
SJNY Magazine: Can you share a memory from your time as a student at St. Joseph’s?
S. Helen: In addition to my studies, I cherish all the clubs and activities we had, and the great interactions with peers as we were encouraged to take leadership roles and initiate new endeavors. My dearest friends to this date are some of my classmates.
A special memory was the Child Study Club where I was president. In 1966-67, the new Dillon Center was being built on the Brooklyn Campus and the college was seeking funds to support the project. As students, we wanted to help, so some of us decided to dress up as young children and sell little paper brick stickers in the cafeteria for 25 cents so you could “buy a brick and build the Dillon Center.” We had fun and contributed to the effort.
S. Kathleen: Truthfully, when I was a student, I didn’t even know that there was a Board of Trustees! I just knew that I loved it there. I knew that I had wonderful friends. I knew that I mattered to the teachers. I knew that I was getting a good education.
SJNY Magazine: How do feel about the St. Joseph’s we know today?
S. Kathleen: I am so happy to see how SJNY has grown. I love seeing the vitality of all that goes on at both campuses. I believe that interaction that is possible in a university such as St. Joseph’s is unique. When we meet with the students and faculty, they invariably mention the atmosphere of caring and personalism.
S. Helen: Obviously, I loved St. Joe’s as a student and as a professor. My love stems from the unique culture of academic excellence and individual attention provided to this day for students and among faculty and staff. I believe this culture is a reflection of the mission of the founding Sisters of St. Joseph which is articulated in the five pillars of SJNY: integrity, intellectual rigor, spiritual depth, social responsibility and service. The student-centered focus is so critical and needs to be balanced with professors who are well versed in their fields of study and up to date with research and current trends. We are here to empower students to live those five pillars.
SJNY Magazine: What are the challenges facing SJNY?
S. Kathleen: The challenges for all universities at this time are enrollment and keeping the school affordable. The CUNYs and SUNYs have low tuition, and they are a challenge to all private universities. The increase in graduate and undergraduate programs make the university more attractive.
S. Helen: As a board member, the challenge is to remain faithful to the founding mission and to be open to new areas of study and professional development. Our world is ever-changing, and we need to evolve with it.
SJNY Magazine: What are causes dear to your heart?
S. Helen: The causes dear to my heart are those that support empowerment of the underserved such as our CSJ Learning Connection, a literacy program for immigrant women founded by a St. Joe’s alumna, S. Kathleen Carberry. I use my voice through organizations such as Network, an advocacy for social justice group inspired by Catholic Sisters. Environmental sustainability is especially important to me, and I am so proud of the efforts of our congregation that have many initiatives on our Brentwood Campus, including solar energy, organic farming and meadow and woodland preservation. Groups of students from SJNY have taken part in service projects there. I cherish the strong connection between SJNY and our congregation.
S. Kathleen: At this time in my life, my interests are the future of SJNY, the future of the CSJs, the future of religious life… I have a great concern about our country and its opportunities for all. The mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph is unity. I would like to see that as the guiding principle for actions taken throughout the world — particularly in our country.