The facility will benefit students, alumni, faculty, staff and the local community alike, housing a dining area, art gallery, new chapel and office for campus ministry, veterans lounge, spirit gift shop, and computer and lounge spaces. It will also feature conference areas and meeting rooms and offices for faculty, staff and student clubs, and space for the campus’ esports team. The 900-square-foot chapel space, with an honorary title of Sisters of St. Joseph’s Chapel, will serve as a tribute to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who have guided the spiritual and educational vision of the institution since its founding.

Vice President for Institutional Advancement Rory Shaffer-Walsh provided opening remarks and thanked donors for their support of the Chapels Fund project, which has raised close to $300,000 since early 2021. Campus Ministries assistant S. Marie Mackey ’84 presented the renovations.

“It went from vestments to pews for the chapel, and as the donations began to come in, it was no longer just about chairs. We could dream of other possibilities,” she said.

The Chapels Fund has received contributions from hundreds of donors.

Among the University’s new programs are two standouts in the field of education, an M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis to its Online Campus, and nine new dual degrees.

“We are successful because we adapt to the changing landscape,” said SJNY Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Heather Barry, Ph.D. “New programs breathe new life into the institution.”

“It was exciting to see the SJNY community come to life to celebrate the beautiful weather this week,” said Sindy Liu, assistant for student involvement. “The Campus Activities Board did an amazing job helping plan these events; it felt like there was something for everyone.”

Held April 10-13, the festive events included live music, carnival games, a doughnut wall, a 360-degree photo booth and a barbecue buffet at Spring Fest at Brooklyn and carnival attractions, free food and music during Spring Fling at Long Island.

Less than six months later, she had applied and was accepted into the program’s year of service.

“I instantly felt drawn to the four pillars that the program consists of: spirituality, social justice, community and leadership,” Ms. Liuzzo, 24, said.

Ms. Liuzzo, who graduated from St. Joseph’s University in May with a degree in recreational therapy, is set to start her year of service in Minnesota this August.

The four-week program only accepts 12 undergraduate students from the New York City area annually and awards them each a $3,000 stipend, as well as a laptop for their participation in the program.

Ms. Haque’s brother Adnan completed the same program in 2019. And since 2014, St. Joseph’s has had eight students take part in the DS3 program.

With a letter of recommendation from David Seppala-Holtzman, Ph.D., professor of mathematics and computer science, Ms. Haque applied in March and started the DS3 program at the end of May.

But the idea took a sharp turn when he began to dwell on the unorthodox work schedule of people employed in the restaurant industry.

“It was going to mean working nights, holidays and weekends,” said Mr. Raschi, 51, who is enrolled in a dual degree program that has him set to earn a bachelor’s degree in organizational management in 2024 and a master’s in management the following year.

After putting aside his dreams of working in restaurants, Mr. Raschi started work in the distribution industry, accepting a warehouse position. He quickly climbed up the ranks, earning seven promotions in his first 10 years on the job.

The mission of the scholarship is to provide assistance to minorities and students of color who are pursuing a career in advertising and marketing.

She received a $2,500 scholarship per year and interned with Austin Williams during her junior and senior years, an experience she said shaped her future career plans.

“I was able to visit the agency’s different departments and shadow the specialists there while I honed in on my skills,” she said. “I had such a great experience and it definitely made an impact on what career I would like to pursue.”

Dr. Andrea Stadler developed a way to make lab courses accessible to online learners

Now, she’s having the same positive impact on her students.

“Teachers absolutely inspired me every step of the way for me getting here,” said Dr. Stadler, who changed tracks from doctor to research chemist to professor after formative experiences with her own college professors. “And that’s what I try to do with my students. I love hearing from them after they graduate and learning about all their successes.

“Those are the things that really stand out — to see them succeed, and to hear from them, to know I made a difference,” added Dr. Stadler, director of undergraduate research at the Long Island Campus. “I love that.”

David Siegel, Ph.D., encourages critical thinking inside and outside the classroom

The political science professor enjoys splitting his time in front of the classroom between St Joseph’s Brooklyn and Long Island campuses, particularly because of the diverse student populations and dynamics each location presents.

“It brings variety and it definitely keeps things fresh,” said Dr. Siegel, who earned a Ph.D. in political science from the CUNY Graduate Center and has taught at St. Joseph’s since 2021. “Each campus has its distinct characteristics, and the student bodies are different as well.

“It makes things more interesting because you get to have very different kinds of discussions,” he continued. “Certain approaches may not work the same way on both campuses.”

Yvonne Borkowski, Ed.D., assistant professor of child study on the Long Island Campus, was a guest speaker for SPAN Parent Advocacy Network in September, leading a talk on how to provide better outreach to Native American families. She also presented, “My Family is My Strength: Fostering Relationships with Latinx Families,” at the Long Island Regional Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) for Pre-K and Early Education Expanding Opportunities for Early Learners in Pre-K & K Conference.

Long Island Campus Assistant Professor of Communication Studies Kim Poppitti, Ph.D., edited “Equestrian Drama: An Anthology of Plays,”published by Routledge, and presented “Equestrian Drama” at the Northeast Popular Culture Association’s annual virtual conference.

Professor of Psychology Peter Lin, Ph.D., has produced a monthly webinar, CAFE229, since the start of the pandemic, educating and inspiring participants to be more insightful and altruistic. Guests — including Dr. Nancy McWilliams, one of the world’s most respected clinical psychologists and psychoanalysts, and Shaolin warrior monk Shi Yan Ming, the founder of the USA Shaolin Temple — deliver ideas and concepts that can transform the audience’s wellbeing.

Konstantine Rountos, Ph.D., associate professor of biology based on the Long Island Campus and coordinator of the environmental studies minor at the University, together with Kestrel Perez, Ph.D., associate professor of biology at the Brooklyn Campus, are among a group of collaborating educators who received a three-year, $1 million NOAA grant. Joined by colleagues and students from both campuses, they are examining the effects of ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms on marine fish.

Michael Burke, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at the Brooklyn Campus, published “Phantom Persecution: Haunted by the Other: Levinas, Derrida & the Persecutory Phantom,” in the journal Philosophy-Film, examining the link between moral obligation and spectral haunting in recent horror cinema. He is developing a manuscript, “Spectral Ethics: Philosophy and Horror,” for Lexington Press, exploring how postmodern philosophical views on ethical responsibility and moral obligation have been exemplified and articulated in recent horror fiction.

University Honored For Patchogue Revitalization Efforts

SJNY President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., accepts the 2023 Long Island Smart Growth Award for Community Leadership with St. Joseph’s administrators (from left) Heather Barry, Ph.D.; Rory Shaffer-Walsh; Christine Murphy; Gail Lamberta ’82, Ph.D.; Jessica McAleer Decatur; and Michelle Papajohn ’08, MBA ’10, M.S. ’23.

The group honors projects that advance infrastructure growth in communities on Long Island. The University was recognized at a reception held at Crest Hollow Country Club for its long history of community involvement and contributions to the revitalization of Patchogue Village.

“It’s an honor to receive the Community Leadership Award,” SJNY President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., said. “This recognition is a testament to our longstanding partnerships in the communities we serve.”

As proud recipients of St. Joseph’s degrees, we are excited to serve as your new presidents of the Brooklyn and Long Island Alumni Boards. We look forward to working with the University to create an even more meaningful alumni experience for the more than 45,000 of us who make up the Alumni Association.

Sean Salomons ’19 has fond memories of his time as a two-sport athlete at the Brooklyn Campus and is thankful for the unique perspective that being a student-athlete gave him.

“As a member of the men’s basketball and volleyball teams, I began to see other people’s perspectives and understand how they think,” he said. “When you branch out into professional life, it’s about the bigger picture and what’s best for the group.”

Post-graduation, Mr. Salomons leveraged his experience to forge a career in coaching, serving as head coach of the Brooklyn Campus men’s volleyball team and director of player development at Supreme Basketball NYC – an AAU program for boys in grades 4-12.

That’s why as a student at St. Joseph’s University’s Long Island Campus, declaring his major was simple.

“Creating and being a part of something that shares your values and allows you to have an impact in the world is super important to me,” Mr. Rainone said.

“I chose my business administration major with a concentration in finance because I knew I wanted to enter the finance space and have an impact on people’s lives, but I also wanted to be entrepreneurial and have the freedom of creating my own business and calendar, and choose with whom I wish to work,” he added.

It was that ardor that led Ms. Ianora ’40 and two classmates to enroll at St. Joseph’s.

“Sometimes, it takes just one person to transform a life, and that person came as my history teacher in high school,” she said.

A fast learner, Ms. Ianora was 15 when she graduated from high school and became the first woman in her family to attend college.

“Not that I’m not humble or grateful, but it’s four out of six full seasons that we’ve won,” said head coach Bill Kropp after another Skyline Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in April.

“Winning the conference, making the NCAA Tournament, being in the national rankings – it legitimizes our program,” he added. “We’re not just another activity on campus, but a program with the goal of being the best in the country every year.”

The team won its first NCAA Tournament match last season, dismissing No. 6 Southern Virginia in the first round of the bracket. Despite losing to No. 4 Stevens in the second round, the Golden Eagles finished 12th in the final 2022 AVCA national rankings and received votes in the 2023 preseason poll.

“At the beginning of the year, we were excited about all of the new talent in the freshman class and the talent we retained,” said outfielder Emily Burroughs ’23, one of 12 returners on the 2023 squad.

One year removed from a fifth-place regular-season finish, the Bears entered the Skyline Conference Championship as the third seed – their best finish to a regular season ever.