A Campaign for the Future

A Campaign for the Future
By Brian Harmon
In its most ambitious fundraising initiative to date, St. Joseph’s University, New York has unveiled a $25 million comprehensive campaign that promises to reshape the institution’s future, honor its cherished traditions and fuel its motto: Esse Non Videri — “To be, not to seem.”

To build upon SJNY’s long-standing commitment to authentic achievement, the comprehensive campaign targets four essential pillars of academic and student life across its Brooklyn and Long Island campuses.

“A large-scale comprehensive campaign provides our community with an opportunity to move forward in areas vital to the future of our University,” SJNY President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., said. “This campaign focuses our advancement efforts on critical areas—faculty research and support, scholarships for our students, critical upgrades to our campus facilities, and additional funding for student engagement and athletics.”

With a focus on academic excellence, campus modernization, student accessibility and community engagement, this campaign represents more than just a fundraising effort—it embodies the University’s commitment to reimagining higher education while staying true to its founding principles and the legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph, according to Dr. Boomgaarden.

“The campaign allows donors to make a statement about the importance of our wonderful institution, and about the traditions of excellence and service that stem from our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph,” he said. “Now more than ever, St. Joseph’s mission to provide a first-class education, with a liberal arts and a professional focus, and at a reasonable cost, is of critical importance.”

Representative of the commitment to excellence, accessibility and community that has defined SJNY for generations, the pillars reflect the attributes of St. Joe’s alumni, friends and supporters, who are imaginative, transformative, inspirational and bold.

Colorful patterned fabric with orange, red, and green design.
Close-up of a spherical arrangement of wooden skewers resembling a sea urchin, with a person's hand holding one skewer.
Close-up of hands holding or releasing glitter with a red bracelet and watch visible.
A mosaic crest featuring an open book, a crown, and fleurs-de-lis.
Close-up of a person in a lab coat looking through a microscope.
Four graduates in caps and gowns, smiling, with colorful stoles and medals.

Be… Imaginative

Goal: $5 million to create new academic and research opportunities

The campaign’s first pillar aims to revolutionize the academic experience through strategic investments in faculty excellence and student opportunities. At its core is a commitment to expanding high-impact educational practices that have proven transformative for SJNY’s more than 45,000 alumni.

In 2023, the University’s depth of enhanced academic programs was a primary factor for 81 percent of first-year students choosing St. Joe’s.

This pillar prioritizes solidifying this academic foundation by supplementing our students’ classroom experiences with high-impact practices across the curriculum, so that St. Joseph’s students and professors can benefit from undergraduate research, service learning, internships, mentoring and other targeted initiatives.

Key initiatives include establishing endowed faculty positions, creating new undergraduate research fellowships, faculty research funding, and developing innovative academic programs that respond to emerging workforce needs.

Be… Transformative

Goal: $4 million to reinvent teaching, learning and collaborative environments

The second pillar addresses the critical need for modern learning spaces that match the University’s academic ambitions. This comprehensive facilities initiative will touch every corner of both the Brooklyn and Long Island campuses, from updating science laboratories to enhancing athletic facilities for the Bears’ and Golden Eagles’ teams.

At the Brooklyn Campus, the focus includes preserving and modernizing its historic buildings while maintaining their classic Clinton Hill character. In Patchogue, the University is looking to build on the success of the new Long Island Student Center by making strategic upgrades to academic and athletic facilities.

Priority projects include new nursing simulation laboratories, expanded computer science facilities and modernized science research spaces that reflect the growing demands of STEM education. This pillar also endeavors to support the creation of a University-wide endowment for education technology.

Be… Inspirational

Goal: $12.5 million to influence achievement through scholarship, student aid and fellowships

At $12.5 million, the campaign’s largest commitment focuses on expanding scholarship support and student aid — a cornerstone of St. Joseph’s mission since its founding more than a century ago. This substantial investment acknowledges the vital importance of accessibility and the growing financial challenges facing today’s students.

Recent surveys reveal that 46 percent of SJNY students report significant financial strain from college expenses, even though more than 85 percent receive some form of financial aid. Through new endowed scholarships and strengthened existing funds, the campaign aims to ensure that an SJNY education remains within reach for talented students from all backgrounds.

“Centering our campaign efforts on scholarship funding ensures St. Joe’s doors remain open to talented students regardless of financial circumstance,” said Rory Shaffer-Walsh, SJNY’s vice president for institutional advancement. “By elevating scholarships to our highest priority, we create meaningful access for promising individuals across all economic, social and cultural backgrounds.”

Be… Bold

Goal: $3.5 million to ignite spirit through student engagement, campus life and athletic initiatives

The “Bold” pillar recognizes that a vibrant campus life is essential to student success, particularly for SJNY’s diverse student body who often balance academic pursuits with work and family commitments. Its mission is to enhance student programming, strengthen leadership development initiatives and ensure the continued vitality of campus ministry and athletic programs.

Special emphasis will be placed on creating funded fellowships that allow students to better engage in campus life without financial burden. The initiative will also support the University’s chapels and religious traditions, ensuring that the spiritual foundation laid down by the University’s founders—the Sisters of St. Joseph—continues to guide future generations.

Students like Marie Chauca ’26, a nursing major who participated in recent Campus Ministry service projects, exemplify the impact of these programs.

“Community service is an excellent way to live out our commitment to help others,” she said. “We should strive to treat others with respect and to always find opportunities to help those in need in our communities.”

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Looking Forward

As St. Joseph’s University, New York embarks on this historic campaign, the goals extend beyond mere numbers.

Dr. Boomgaarden stressed that the world needs more St. Joseph’s graduates and that it is the institution’s duty to ensure St. Joseph’s continues to thrive and prosper.

“Giving to the Campaign will go a long way to guarantee we will have another 100 years of remarkable success and transformative impact on the world around us,” he said.

For further information, visit:
sjny.edu/campaign
imaginative, transformative, inspirational, bold
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