SJC Long Island held a Military Graduate Recognition Ceremony on March 15 to congratulate the 37 student veterans expected to graduate from the College in May.

“Today, I congratulate you on your academic success, and I also thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey and giving me the opportunity to support you, to guide you, to teach you and to care about you,” said Erin D’Eletto, director of the Office of Military and Veteran Services.

Officials Honor Veterans

Among the people in attendance were Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone, former U.S. Rep Timothy Bishop, Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency Director Thomas Ronayne, Suffolk County American Legion Chaplain Tom Bergin and members of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), including SJC alumna Sabrina Lacey, current Suffolk County VFW commander. 

“I came tonight not just to give an invocation, but to thank you, because at one time during your life, you were willing to sacrifice that life so that this country and other people may live,” Bergin said. “Many times I have said because of you, our lives are free. Because of you, this country lives. Because of you, the world has been blessed.”

Veterans Honored by Dr. Turgeon

Interim Executive Dean Wendy Turgeon, Ph.D., formally bestowed upon each student the military chords: a symbol of their honorable military service and of their academic achievement. The ceremony was an opportunity for St. Joseph’s to illustrate its proud support of its strong student veteran presence at SJC Long Island and SJC Brooklyn.

Graduating senior Kyle Watts, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is the two-term president of SJC Long Island’s Student Veterans of America, delivered an empowering speech about what it’s like being a student veteran.

Veteran’s Big Check

“As a student veteran, I always felt behind, being nontraditional and years older than my peers,” he said. “But the relationships that I’ve formed here at St. Joe’s showed me that none of that mattered. My story, I’m sure, is not unlike the others. Everyone takes different paths to get where they’re going. Sometimes it takes a little longer than usual. Reflecting on my life of checked boxes and half-checked boxes, I’m proud to say: College graduate – check!”

In May,  64 student veterans are expected to graduate from St. Joseph’s College.

What happens when you combine a 1940s Brooklyn bed and breakfast, two homicidal sisters and a little bit of poison?

Well, you get a lot of laughs.

The uniquely hilarious combination will be featured when SJC Long Island’s Drama Society performs Joseph Kesselring’s “Arsenic and Old Lace” Thursday, April 26, through Sunday, April 29, at The Muriel and Virginia Pless Center for the Performing Arts.

“We put a lot of hard work and effort into this production,” said the two-year President of Drama Society Sally Mellina, a junior at SJC Long Island. “This play is also sometimes read in high school, so it’s a good play for college-aged students to see.”

The Play

Kesselring’s play revolves around two sweet women in their 60s, Abby and Martha Brewster, who run a small bed and breakfast in Brooklyn in the 1940s. They lure in older, lonely men and poison them, believing that they are doing these men a favor. Their nephew Teddy, who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt, lives with them. Mortimer, Teddy’s brother and a theater critic, discovers the body of one of aunts’ victims. Abby and Martha’s other nephew, Jonathan, shows up after years of fleeing police for murders he’s committed.

Drama Society

Made up of students looking to pursue a career in acting and students who just like acting for fun, SJC’s student-run club puts on two productions a year. They chose this dark comedy as a way to help others unwind at the end of the spring semester.

And this performance will help you do just that. With nine students, the club’s intimate size helps the cast as they bond together both onstage and off.

Geena Moore (Abby) and Sally Mellina (Martha) rehearsing for the spring production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

“My favorite part about this club is how close I feel with all the cast members,” Chris Ryder, a junior majoring in child study, said. “It really is like a family. It’s an amazing atmosphere to feel that family connection while working throughout the semester, then doing the show together and going out to the cast parties after. It’s just a really great experience.”

Geena Moore, who has been a member of the Drama Society for seven semesters and will  graduate this May, also commented on the tight-knit feel of the society.

“I love the bond that I experience with the cast members,” she said. “We spend so much time together, it’s like family basically, so I enjoy that every semester.”

This familial connection shows, as the cast’s believable performance of the Brewster family will be sure to illicit plenty of laughter from the audience.

The roles of Officer Brophy and Mr. Witherspoon are still open. Interested playing one of the characters? Reach out to dramasociety.li@student.sjcny.edu. Both men and women are welcome.

Tickets, Times and Place

Thursday through Saturday, April 26 – 28, the play begins at 7 p.m. On Sunday, April 29, the play starts at 2 p.m. All shows are inside The Muriel and Virginia Pless Center for the Performing Arts.

SJC students can purchase their tickets at the door for $5 (show your SJC ID), and non-students pay $8 at the door.

Why See the Play

All nine cast members shared why students should come see their performance of “Arsenic and Old Lace”:

“This is a very funny play. It has a dark-humor edge to it, which is really nice. Everyone has put a lot of hard work everyone into this play.”
— Ian Byrne ’19

“I’d tell students to come to this play because with school and stress and everything going on, this is a great way to let go, laugh and have a great time.”
— Maxim Braem ’20

“Come see theater brought to life. We’re really passionate about what we do, and we love performing. We dedicate a lot of hours to it — inside rehearsal and outside —and we really want to introduce students who maybe don’t know that much about the arts.” — Geena Moore ’18

“We put on great shows, and we have a good time the whole year, the whole semester through. It’s great.” — Tim Hanna ’19

“It’s a dark comedy, so anyone who likes a dark sense of humor or humor in general will enjoy it. Also, come pump up the drama society a little bit!” — Sally Mellina ’19

“I’d tell students to come for a good laugh — and to see what’s going on in the drama society and to help it to grow.” — Cecilia Young ’19

“We have a cast that will do a really good job at portraying the characters. The jokes and the comedy within the show are conveyed very well. It’s also a great opportunity for students to be exposed to a really well-written classic comedy.”
— Chris Ryder ’19

“We’ve worked very hard. Support the drama club and your classmates!” — Emily McClernon ’19

“It’s going to be ridiculously hilarious.” — David Pesce ’21

Loyola-Chicago and their newly minted celebrity 98-year-old team chaplain Sister Jean have reached the Final Four, and folks at St. Joseph College couldn’t be happier for her.

“I’m very overjoyed to see the success of a Jesuit institution,” said St. Joseph’s President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D, who plans to tune in Saturday when the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers play Michigan in San Antonio, Texas, for a chance to play in the NCAA men’s basketball championship on Monday. “(Sister Jean) has really gotten behind her school.”

Sister Jean Prays the Way for Loyola-Chicago

As March Madness’ Cinderella team, Loyola-Chicago is playing in its first Final Four since 1963. Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt became famous overnight when the Ramblers edged favored Miami in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Her stardom — Sister Jean bobble heads, giveaways at regular season games in 2011 and 2015, were suddenly selling for over $300 on eBay — continued to skyrocket following Loyola-Chicago’s subsequent wins over Tennessee, Nevada and Kansas State.

This Sister Jean bobblehead, given out at Loyola in 2011 & 2015, sold for $330 on eBay today. pic.twitter.com/ecL3IuiqJI

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 22, 2018

Fans have been drawn to her endearing spirit and her kinship with the Loyola-Chicago players. It’s become routine for TV reporters to seek her out for happy court-side interviews following her team’s victories — wins that some have credited to the divine intervention she prayed for before each game.

“I’m amazed by the student-athletes’ admiration for her. Her innocence and genuineness have won people over,” said S. Suzanne E. Franck, C.S.J., Ph.D., associate professor of religious studies and director of SJC Long Island’s Academic Advisement Center. “Sister Jean celebrates their joy. People are looking for good news. This certainly is an uplifting story — to see young people really caring about an older person.”

Some Loyola Allegiance

Dr. Boomgaarden spent about 15 years as a professor and administrator at various Jesuit schools, including 10 total at Loyola-Maryland and Loyola-New Orleans.

“Seeing Loyola-Chicago do so well is very touching to me,” he said. “One of the things about the Jesuit schools that I admire so much — and I think we have it here — is that athletics is a wonderful way for students to show school spirit.

“And I think that I can only say I’m a little jealous. I wish that we could get into the Final Four someday, but I know that that’s quite a ways off,” Dr. Boomgaarden added, smiling.

Watch the Game

Sister Jean’s Loyola-Chicago semi-final matchup with Michigan tips off at 6:09 p.m. Saturday on TBS. The Final Four is at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The Best Sister Jean Tweets

“They see me rollin, they hatinnn” -Sister Jean pic.twitter.com/kLSB2GHNvj

— Preston Caparanis (@pcaps4) March 23, 2018

Gotta love Sister Jean! Go Ramblers! pic.twitter.com/tKhzxqkl9F

— Lisa Van Genderen (@3strikesurout) March 23, 2018

Sister Jean is the new pic.twitter.com/htAgun1baj

— rhettdotcom (@rhettdotcom) March 23, 2018

SJC Long Island’s Office of Student Life is set to host a series of workshops this month about standing up against violence and sexual assault. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend these events and programs to gain a broader understanding of the importance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

In recent years, there has been increased attention to issues regarding sexual assault. This includes the #MeToo movement, which helped break the silence and enforced the idea that survivors of sexual assault are not alone.

Complete listing of April workshops

Week One – But I Thought You Loved Me… Defining and Identifying Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Stalking and Sexual Assault

Workshop Part One by Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk County (VIBS)
Board Room, O’Connor Hall, April 3: 1 – 2 p.m.

Workshop Part Two by Crime Victims Center of Suffolk County (CVC)
Board Room, O’Connor Hall, April 4:  1 – 2 p.m.

Faculty and Staff Only Session — New York State Police (NYSP) Sexual Assault Victims Unit
McGann Conference Center, O’Connor Hall, April 5:  1 – 2 p.m.

Workshop by NYSP Sexual Assault Victims Unit
Room W308, O’Connor Hall, April 7:  12:15 – 1 p.m.

Week Two – Who Can Help Me? Identifying Campus and Community Support Resources

Tabling and Outreach by CVC
Board Room, O’Connor Hall, April 10:  1 – 2 p.m.

Tabling and OutreachVIBS and NYSP
Board Room, O’Connor Hall, April 11:  1 – 2 p.m.

Mindfulness for Self-Healing: Working Through Sexual Assault
Center for Wellness, 319 W. Roe Blvd., April 12:  1 – 2 p.m.

Peer Health Educators and VIBS Presentation
Shea Conference Room, April 12:  1 – 2 p.m.

Week Three – Should I Get Involved? Understanding Bystander Intervention

Workshop by VIBS
Board Room, O’Connor Hall, April 17:  1 – 2 p.m.

Student Program – Being a Good Bystander
Room W307, O’Connor Hall, April 19:  1 – 2 p.m.

Workshop by CVC
Room W308, O’Connor Hall, April 21:  12:15 – 1 p.m.

Week Four – Can I Help? Describing Healthy Masculinity and the Vital Role it Plays

Coffee House Discussion with Director of Campus Ministry Cristian Murphy and VIBS
Shea Conference Room, April 24:  1 – 2 p.m.

Workshop by CVC
Room W307, O’Connor Hall, April 25:  1 – 2 p.m.

Student Program “Heels Highway”
Danzi Knoll, April 26:  1 – 2 p.m.

Suntanning in San Diego, dancing in Daytona or … helping in Houston?

While most college students opt for a relaxing spring break, 20 St. Joseph’s College students decided to dedicate their time and efforts helping those affected by Hurricane Harvey in Houston during this year’s alternative spring break (ASB).

All of the SJC students who went to Houston for alternative spring break.

“I think the most important thing that students learn from these trips is what service really means,” said Cristian Murphy ’14, director of SJC Long Island’s Campus Ministry, who went on five service trips with St. Joseph’s when he was a student.

Accompanied by Murphy and Michelle Corsetti — SJC Brooklyn’s coordinator of community service — 11 students from SJC Long Island and nine from SJC Brooklyn helped prepare homes for rebuilding, while working with Community Collaborations International. A company that partners up with local churches to assist college students in alternative breaks, Community Collaborations offered supervision and training for the various projects students worked on.

Every time I get to experience something like this reminds me that I need to be the good, to be the change, to love thy neighbor, to pray for one another, to be empathetic and compassionate, to give both endlessly and fearlessly always, and to never expect to receive any of it back because that’s not what this stuff is about. It’s about serving others.” –Miranda Ortiz ’18

SJC Brooklyn and Long Island students with Ruth.

One group of students worked entirely on the house of an older woman named Ruth, whose home was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Harvey, and the other group worked on several projects. 

Hurricane Harvey made landfall in southern Texas as a category four storm on August 26, 2017. The storm brought more than 40 inches of rain and flash flooding to many areas of eastern Texas over the next four days, breaking the record of the most rainfall from a tropical cyclone in history.

Listed as the second costliest tropical cyclone according to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Harvey falls right behind Hurricane Katrina, costing a grand total of $125 billion in damages. The flooding that Harvey brought destroyed thousands of homes and displaced more than 30,000 people. There were over 17,000 rescues for people who became trapped in their quickly flooding homes.

Every year, alternative spring and winter breaks are carried out with the help of SJC Long Island’s service club STARS, SJC Brooklyn’s STRIPES and Habitat for Humanity. These week-long trips give students the opportunity to travel across the United States and to other countries to help communities and people in need. Past alternative breaks have included trips to Georgetown, South Carolina, to help build a shelter; staying in New York to repair residual damage from Superstorm Sandy; going to Moore, Oklahoma, to help rebuild property damaged by flooding, winter storms and a deadly tornado; visiting Greeley, Colorado, to help rebuild communities destroyed by devastating floods; and traveling to Joplin, Missouri, to restore homes destroyed by tornadoes.

SJC Brooklyn students Nick Gangone and Sean Devine Dunn holding the tub they removed from Ruth’s home.

“It’s amazing that through the years, we have helped so many people,” said Corsetti, who planned all 10 trips that SJC Brooklyn has participated in and went on eight herself, only missing two due to maternity leave. “More than anything, the fact that we have brought hope to countless people and communities is what makes me feel the most blessed. Students walk away with a sense of accomplishment and amazement in what they were able to do, and a greater appreciation for the fact that they have a roof over their heads, unlike many of the people they have met during these trips.”

“There are people hurting all across the United States,” SJC Long Island senior Miranda Ortiz said. “Just because something isn’t in the news anymore doesn’t mean it’s not happening still. This stuff is real, and it’s raw. Every time I get to experience something like this reminds me that I need to be the good, to be the change, to love thy neighbor, to pray for one another, to be empathetic and compassionate, to give both endlessly and fearlessly always, and to never expect to receive any of it back because that’s not what this stuff is about. It’s about serving others.”

St. Joseph’s College welcomed Rory Shaffer-Walsh today as the school’s new vice president for institutional advancement.

The Patchogue, New York, resident assumed responsibility for all areas related to fundraising, alumni relations, planned and major gifts, and special events. Carrying more than two decades of industry experience, Ms. Shaffer-Walsh oversees both SJC Long Island and SJC Brooklyn’s offices of Institutional Advancement.

“I am thrilled to have Rory at St. Joseph’s College,” St. Joseph’s President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., said. “She was chosen unanimously in a very competitive national search process as the candidate most capable of successfully leading our talented advancement team.”

Ms. Shaffer-Walsh, now a key member of President Dr. Boomgaarden’s leadership team, boasts a long and distinguished career in higher education as a development professional. She most recently served as executive director of University Advancement at Adelphi University, where she worked in a variety of capacities for the last 10 years.

She said she is inspired by the leadership, faculty and staff commitment to students at St. Joseph’s.

“The focus on student success through a personalized approach — all rooted in St. Joseph’s commitment to service and the liberal arts — creates an atmosphere of uncompromising dedication that I am pleased to join,” Ms. Shaffer-Walsh said.

Vast Experience

Shaffer-Walsh also held a number of progressively advancing positions in admissions at Long Island University and Adelphi. She holds professional memberships with CASE, APLI, PPGGNY and ADRP. Shaffer-Walsh has a master’s in international studies from Central Connecticut University and a B.A. in political science from Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York.

“She has a proven track record in fundraising, and she is deeply committed to the mission of our College, the Sisters of St. Joseph and the value of higher education,” Dr. Boomgaarden said.

Ms. Shaffer-Walsh will work out of offices at SJC Brooklyn and SJC Long Island.

The Sisters of St. Joseph hosted a heartwarming Presidential Mass on Sunday for St. Joseph’s College’s newest President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D.

More than 200 people, including students, faculty and staff from both of the College’s campuses,  crowded into the beautiful and ornate Sacred Heart Chapel at the Sisters’ convent in Brentwood, New York, to witness the congregation’s formal introduction of Dr. Boomgaarden as the eighth president of the College it founded in 1916.

During his reflection near the end of the Mass celebration, Dr. Boomgaarden focused on the importance of gratitude, and how the spirit of gratefulness is life-changing.

“I know that the sisters who are here with us today, and the generations of sisters who are here with us today in spirit, have a sense of gratitude for their vocation to serve God,” Dr. Boomgaarden said, while also noting the gratitude exemplified by students, faculty, staff and board trustees at St. Joseph’s. “Sense of gratitude permeates the spirituality and the spirit of St. Joseph’s College, New York.”

Dr. Boomgaarden, a lifelong musician and an accomplished pianist and fiddler, later became emotional, choking back tears while giving thanks to God for bestowing the “gift of music” upon him.

“And so musicians, I am very grateful for your work,” Dr. Boomgaarden said, referring to the church choir comprised of Sisters of St. Joseph and college staffers. “It is truly beautiful.”

Watch the Presidential Mass on TV

Telecare will air Sunday’s mass on the following days and times:

• Saturday, April 14, at 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 15, at 8:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 17, at 1:30 p.m.
• Thursday, April 19, at 9:30 p.m.

Telecare is available on the following cable systems:

• Optimum • Channels 29 and 137
• Verizon Fios • Channel 296
• Charter Spectrum

Dr. Boomgaarden Brings “Renewed Hope”

The Rev. Francis Pizzarelli, S.M.M., DCSW, a longtime faculty at SJC Long Island, celebrated the afternoon Mass.

“We’re blessed to have a leader who understands who we are as a College — who understands the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph, but also our mission as a liberal arts college community,” Father Pizzarelli said. “The person that he brings is the greatest gift that he gives all of us.

“There are so many wonderful stories in the brief time that President B. has been with us that just give us a sense of renewed hope during this season of hope that the vitality is once again being strengthened in our College community,” he added.

Recalling St. Joseph’s College’s Early Influencers

Earlier at the Mass, Sister Helen Kearney, C.S.J., president of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, delivered a welcome message, during which she paid homage to early influencers of the College. She noted the work of Mother Mary Louis in the early 1900s in planning for the creation of the College, as well as the efforts of Bishop Charles E. McDonnell, who served on the initial board of trustees and became St. Joseph’s first president.

“We are at a new moment to foster the significant mission of this College,” S. Helen said. “We are indeed fortunate that Dr. Donald Boomgaarden will lead his experience in higher education, but most importantly, with his appreciation of the inclusive and transformational mission of the College.”

“We are grateful to Dr. Boomgarden’s openness, his deep spirituality, his collaborative style and his determination to see St. Joseph’s continue to thrive and be relevant to the needs of students,” she added.

It’s not often that you meet someone who worked as a carpenter, butcher, bartender, chef, merchant mariner, teacher and campus minister. But the late Pat Tracy, former director of Campus Ministry at SJC Long Island, did all that and so much more.

For that, St. Joseph’s College recognized his greatness on Monday during an annual award luncheon hosted by the Institute for the Study of Religion in Community Life and the Office of Campus Ministry,

Tracy was posthumously awarded the S. Elizabeth Hill Esse Non Videri Award, an honor bestowed to individuals who make outstanding contributions to the pursuit of social justice and peace.

Tracy retired from his post as campus minister last  June. He passed away on Sept. 17 at the age of 64. SJC Long Island’s current Director of Campus Ministry Cristian Murphy ’14 presented the award to Tracy’s brother Charles and Charles’ wife, his sister Ann and his girlfriend Dolores.

“He had done it all, and what he was deprived of in terms of length of years, he more than made up for by living more than one life and by living them richly,” Paul F. Ginnetty, Ph.D., professor of psychology at SJC Long Island, said during the award ceremony. “All of his gifts were shared so generously and so instinctively and reflexively. It is my privilege to stand here and announce that he is posthumously awarded in his memory.”

Bryan Gill, SJC Long Island’s executive director of the Center for Student Involvement, Leadership and Multicultural Programming, suggested to Dr. Ginnetty that Tracy would be a fitting recipient of the award.

“This is a great opportunity to show off someone’s work in a way that is honorable and beautiful,” Murphy said. “Through his diverse career and dedication to service and education, Pat has led a life of being. He has led a life of authenticity that is incredibly hard to put into one category or mission.”

Students, faculty, staff and Sisters of St. Joseph filled the room with laughter and applause, as well as some tears, as they listened to Dr. Ginnetty, Murphy and Marian Russo, former director of Student Life at SJC Long Island, recall treasured memories of Tracy.

Russo shared how Tracy used to grow his beard out in the fall so he could dress up as Santa Claus for Christmas and bring toys to kids whose families couldn’t afford any.

“He didn’t have to be in the Santa suit to walk into a room and light it up,” Russo said. “He made a difference in so many places to so many people. And in doing so, he has encouraged others to do the same. His good work and love of life have not ended with his passing, but will continue to be passed on by the countless people whose lives he touched, including me.”

In a Facebook post, another accepted student posed with St. Joseph’s mascot Hot Wyngz to convey her excitement about coming to SJC Long Island.

Eight St. Joseph’s College English majors presented at New Critics IX, the ninth annual undergraduate research conference at SUNY Oneonta, on Saturday, April 14.

The New Critics Undergraduate Conference accepts papers from all over the country on the topics of literature and composition, with only 30 students invited to this year’s conference.

“SJC’s English department competes with the best of the best,” Judith Phagan, D.A., associate professor and chair of the English department at St. Joseph’s College, said. “Conferences like these (including SJC’s undergraduate research symposium) are critical for professional development — and they’re also fun. Four of these candidates are going into adolescence education, while the other four plan on entering the professoriate.”

Gabriela Lucivero, a freshman selected over senior applicants, was ecstatic to find so many people as passionate about literature as she is, all gathered together.

“My experience at the conference was spectacular,” Lucivero said. “I never imagined I would get to meet so many friendly folks who were so interested in my work! It was astounding to read my paper out loud to an audience, then engage with them directly in a question-and-answer session; it was like getting instantaneous feedback from people with all entirely different perspectives and opinions.

“I never thought I would find a group of people who feel the same way as I do about the wonders of literature, and yet I feel like I have finally found my people,” she added.

Andrew Schlosser, a senior expecting to graduate this December, “had quite a bit of anxiety,” but found the conference very enjoyable.

“I hope one day to be a professor, and it’s good practice to present papers like this in front of an unknown audience,” he said. “Also, as a professor you are expected to present in these conferences on a more regular basis, so New Critics is a really good way to get your feet wet for the future.”

Seven of the eight students will also present at SJC’s 2018 Student Research Symposium.

SJC Students’ Papers

• Catalina Benavides: “Anse Bundren’s Intentions in ‘As I Lay Dying.’” *

• Courtney Cowie:  “Work, Pain, and Creativity in the Wakefield ‘Second Shepherds’ Play’ and the ‘York Crucifixion.’” (Cowie also served as the chair for the panel on “As I Lay Dying.”) *

• Amanda Hill: “Suicide or Rebirth? ‘The Awakening.’” *

• Gabriela Lucivero: “Beating the Vertigo of Vorticism with Poetry.” *

• Alexandria Metz: “’As I Lay Dying’: A Journey through Tragedy.” *

• Brianna Parisi: “Cash’s Construction of ‘As I Lay Dying.’”

• Andrew Schlosser: “The Gospels According to Bundren.” *

• Catherine Vish: “The Wasteland and‘Howl.’” *

*These students will also present Saturday, May 5, at SJC’s 2018 Student Research Symposium.

Thirty teams and nearly 200 people participated in SJC Long Island’s seventh annual Relay for Life event Saturday in the gymnasium of Danzi Athletic Center.

St. Joseph’s College students, faculty, staff and family members celebrated cancer survivors and caregivers, while honoring those loved ones lost to cancer.

SJC’s Dance Club was one of the 30 teams in attendance at Relay for Life.

SJC Long Island’s Relay for Life is the largest student-led fundraiser of the year at the campus. This year’s relay raised $27,700.

“Being a transfer student, Relay has given me more opportunities than I could ever ask for,” said three-year Event Lead Briana Henn, a therapeutic recreation major who expects to graduate in December. “Relay brings the students of St. Joseph’s College together and helps make a difference for those who have been affected by cancer. I am forever thankful for the friendships I made throughout my time being a part of Relay For Life.”

Henn was part of the College’s 2016 Relay for Life, which set an event record by raising more than $30,000.

The money raised at Relay for Life events goes to research, programs, testing and much more to help find the cure for cancer. Programs include Road to Recovery, where cancer patients receive rides to treatments from volunteers; Look Good. Feel Better., where women receive makeup lessons and wigs to help them physically and mentally cope with the effects of chemotherapy; and The Hope Lodge, where cancer patients and their caregiver can stay for free during treatments so they are close to medical centers.

“It has been an honor to work alongside such amazing and dedicated people in making this event a successful one,” said first-year Event Lead Michelle DiBenedetto, who’s been on the Relay Committee for three years. “We are so fortunate to have so many helping hands in our community. We are also surrounded by people who want to make a difference and help those who have been affected by cancer.

“I have been inspired by this whole journey with the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life, and am so pleased with all the work we have done to help others.”

For more information about SJC’s Relay for Life, email sjcrelay@gmail.com.

A post shared by Relay For Life (@sjcrelay) on Apr 29, 2018 at 11:13am PDT

St. Joseph’s College student leaders and seniors were honored for their many accomplishments at separate Leadership Luncheon events last weekend. SJC Brooklyn hosted a luncheon in The Hill Center on Saturday and SJC Long Island held their event at Land’s End Caterers on Sunday.

Hosted by the offices of student involvement and the Student Government Association (SGA), the luncheons shine light on the students who go above and beyond in their dedication to the College and to others while demonstrating exemplary leadership skills. SJC President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., spoke at both functions, thanking the students for their accomplishments and encouraging them to hold on to their creativity as they prepare to step foot into the real world.

“You’re going to go out into the world and transform it into a better place,” Dr. Boomgaaren said at Sunday’s event. “And I know you can do it!”

“The Leadership Luncheon is an annual event at which student leaders are recognized for their contributions as student government and campus activities board officers, class representatives, club officers, Orientation leaders and Student Leadership Experience Program participants,” Executive Director of Student Life Jaime Vacca-Hoefner ’02 said.

SJC Brooklyn

During SJC Brooklyn’s 13th annual Leadership Luncheon, many students were awarded for their outstanding accomplishments.

Associate Director of the Office of Financial Aid Vanessa Barrios ’00 received the alumni leadership award and presented the Future Alumni Leadership Award to SGA President Juanita Arias, a sociology and biology major graduating this month. Arias, an ACES (Academic Center for English Language Studies) honor student, is very involved in activities on and off campus.

This academic year alone, Arias brought together every SJC Brooklyn club to donate to a Thanksgiving food and activities drive; she welcomed incoming freshmen with an inspiring speech at the fall 2017 Orientation; she helped raise money for earthquake relief in Taiwan; she attended Lobby Day in Albany to advocate against financial aid cuts; and she was a  Student Leadership Experience Participant.

Vice President of SGA Christopher Malcaus, a hospitality and tourism management major, received the Leadership in Civic Engagement Award. Malcaus, who also graduates this month, has been active in the surrounding SJC community since his arrival on campus. He has served as a patient representative at New York City Health and Hospitals/Bellevue for the past two years, where he brings attention to the needs and concerns of patients to medical and administrative staff. Additionally, he was a 2017 Newman Civic Fellow, participated on the campus’ Orientation Team and traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in People’s Climate Movement in 2017 and for the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

SGA Treasurer Sudesh Sukhoo ’18, an accounting major, received the Vice President’s Award for Excellence. Sukhoo made his theatrical debut as part of the Chapel Players during their production of “Rumors” last month. He’s a member of the Dance Club and the Computer Science Club (SJC²)., and he served on the Orientation Team. He was also part of a group of SJC students from both campuses that traveled to Taiwan as part of a month-long exchange program with Tzu Chi University. Like Arias and many other students, he helped raise money for earthquake relief in Taiwan.

Keyshawn Wright ’18, a mathematics and computer science major, won the SJC Spirit Award. As one of the event coordinators for the Campus Activities Board and as an outside hitter for the men’s volleyball team,  Wright brings energy and enthusiasm to events and activities across SJC Brooklyn. He is also involved in clubs and organizations, including SJC².

Elliot Sang, a senior majoring in journalism and new media studies, received the Leadership in the Arts Award. Sang is a member of several SJC Brooklyn clubs and organizations, including the Chapel Players, Writer’s Workshop, Dance Club, Orientation Team and Poder Latino. He also coordinated SJC Brooklyn’s first-ever “Art Day.”

SJC Brooklyn switched it up with the Emerging Leader Award, deciding to give it to the entire Class of 2020.

“From Juanita’s inspiring words in her welcome and being acknowledged with a standing ovation at the end of the ceremony, to Vanessa’s deserving recognition for her years of service, and with Keyshawn’s overwhelming gratitude for his award, it was a very special day,” Vacca-Hoefner said. “It truly embodied the essence of St. Joseph’s College with our diverse student population, and it was a testament to their dedication to service, civic engagement and appreciation of their roles as leaders.”

SJC Brooklyn students from the Class of 2018 were recognized for demonstrating leadership while achieving impressive accomplishments.

SJC Long Island

The star student at SJC Long Island’s Leadership Luncheon was Katherine Escobar, a junior double-majoring in Spanish and Child Study with a concentration in Spanish. Escobar took home four awards on Sunday. She received the Vice President for Student Life Award, one of the Leader on the Horizon awards, the Service Award and one of the Campus Ministry awards.

SJC Long Island student Katherine Escobar was recognized for her many accomplishments at the College.

Assistant Director of the Center for Student Involvement, Leadership and Multicultural Programming Hugo Morales described Escobar as “a walking example of the College’s motto, ‘Esse non videri’ (to be, not to seem)” and “a role model to other students.”

President of Students Taking an Active Role in Society (STARS), Escobar seems to be always taking an active role.

Among her accomplishments: She sponsored multiple events this academic year, including Safe Halloween and Make a Difference Day. She sponsored several donation drives, including a Christmas gift initiative that gave gifts to 90 people in Wyandanch, a Thanksgiving food drive and a pet supplies drive. Additionally, Katherine has helped organize service trips to MOMMAS House, St. Joseph the Worker Community Garden in East Patchogue, Nicaragua along with SJC Long Island’s Nicaragua Project club, and other locations during alternative spring and winter break trips.

“Katherine is either going to be the next Mother Theresa or the next president,” Director of Campus Ministry Cristian Murphy ’14 said.

Other honorees included:

• President of SJC Long Island Alumni Association Michael Meyers ’08, Esq., who received the Alumni Leadership Award.

• Erin Smith ’18, recipient of the Future Alumni Leadership Award.

• Jada Nelson, Brittany Duryea, Angela Vetere ’18 and Christine Kadien, who all received Leader on the Horizon awards.

• Thomas Lamb ’18, Christine Bieber ’18 and S. Jane Fritz, recipients of the Leadership in Action awards.

• Student Veterans of America, recipients of the Service Award for their service to the country and to St. Joseph’s College.

• Murphy, who received the Humanitarian Award.

• Joshua Hammer, who received the Student Encouragement Award.

• SJC’s Relay for Life and Campus Security, recipients of the School Spirit awards.

• Isabel Wong, who received the Student Spirit Award.

• Amy Poland, Ph.D., who received the Faculyy/Staff Encouragement Award.

• Keyla Ordonez, recipient of one of the Campus Ministry awards.

• Brian Comer and the Speech Pathology Club (NSSLHA), recipients of the President’s Award.

• Delta Phi Epsilon, Greek Life of the Year recipient.

• The Chemistry Club, which received Club of the Year.

After the awards were given out, the seniors in attendance were called together and celebrated during Senior Sendoff.

Ten students. Three months of hard work and rehearsing. One killer play.

SJC Long Island’s Drama Society performed Joseph Kesselring’s play “Arsenic and Old Lace” April 26 through April 29, at The Muriel and Virginia Pless Center for Performing Arts. The 1939 dark comedy, which has been performed many times on Broadway and was turned into a movie, stirred much laughter from the audience, including SJC President Donald R. Boomgaarden.

“St. Joseph’s Drama Society’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” was delightful — I thoroughly enjoyed the performance,” Dr. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., said after the APril 26 performance. “Our students excelled in their roles and captivated the audience with their skill and humor.”

Also in attendance were students, faculty, staff and family members of the cast.

Kesselring’s play revolves around two sweet women in their 60s, Abby and Martha Brewster, who run a small bed and breakfast in Brooklyn. They lure in older, lonely men and poison them, believing that they are doing these men a favor. Their nephew Teddy, who’s convinced he is Theodore Roosevelt, lives with them. Mortimer, Teddy’s brother and a theater critic, discovers the body of one of his aunts’ victims. Abby and Martha’s other nephew, Jonathan, shows up after years of fleeing police for murders he’s committed.

“One of the most fun things about producing ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ was taking the characters from the show and developing them into our own vision of what they should be like,” second-year Drama Society Club President Sally Mellina said. “It is a process that is never fully complete, but it always helps make the show unique from other productions.”

Mellina, a junior majoring in English, developed a passion for the performing arts while in high school. She joined SJC’s Drama Society as a freshman.

This production’s cast consisted of Ian Byrne ’19, Maxim Braem ’20, Tim Hanna ’19, Emily McClernon ’19, Geena Moore ’18, David Pesce ’21, Chris Ryder ’19 and Cecilia Young ’19, along with former Drama Society member Kaitlyn Jaenicke ’17. 

April was a busy month for SJC Long Island’s Office of Campus Ministry. Whether volunteering at local food shelters or traveling across the country to assist in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Houston, Texas, SJC students and staff were always ready to lend a helping hand. Catch up below on their biggest moments from the month of April.

April 1 — Alternative Spring Break

SJC students and staff return from Alternative Spring Break, where they spent their week off helping people still reeling from the damage wreaked by Hurricane Harvey last August. Accompanied by SJC Long Island’s Director of Campus Ministry Cristian Murphy ’14 and Michelle Corsetti — SJC Brooklyn’s coordinator of community service — 11 students from SJC Long Island and nine from SJC Brooklyn helped prepare homes for rebuilding, while working with Community Collaborations International.

April 1 — Easter Baskets

SJC’s baseball team created Easter baskets for the Office of Campus Ministry to distribute to children in need.

April 11 — Screening “Outcasts”

The Office of Campus Ministry hosted a film screening of the documentary “Outcasts” by Grassroots Films. Murphy held a question-and-answer session after the film.

April 22 — Earth Day

SJC students and staff volunteered at a local garden in East Patchogue on Earth Day.

… And A Look (Way) Back.

As technology’s reach continues to expand, more and more tasks can be accomplished from the comfort of home — including getting a college degree.

Established in 2015, SJC Online now offers students in all 50 states the chance to get a top-tier liberal arts education with the level of flexibility they need. Upperclassmen, transfer students and adults learners looking to go back to school can all access classes on their computer, tablet or phone from anywhere accessible to WiFi. 

“My first two years at SJC, I was a full-time student on the Patchogue campus,” said Courtney Dillon, who’s majoring in health administration and expects to graduate this August. “I was offered a position that I couldn’t turn down and took a break from school to work full time. After a few years off, I wanted to complete my degree. SJC Online gave me the opportunity to complete my degree fully online while living and working in the city. Having the option to be a full-time student online for the program made it an easy decision to go back to school.”

SJC Online features more than 20 academic offerings to work around a busy schedule. Students choose from exceptional undergraduate and graduate degrees, dual degrees and certificates.

Crystal Belfiore, a single mother of two, chose SJC Online for her B.S. in Human Services because she wants to teach her children that “strength and perseverance along with hard work can make your dreams come true.” After she receives her degree in 2020, she plans to advance her career and pursue a master’s degree at SJC Online.

Creating a Sense of Community

Part of what makes SJC Online an easy choice for so many students is how helpful and dedicated the professors are.

One professor in particular goes above and beyond to make sure his online students feel like they’re part of a campus community.

SJC Online Degrees and Certificates

SJC Online offers program options in nine different areas geared toward professional success.

• Applied Behavioral Analysis
• Business
• Criminal Justice
• Health Administration
• Human Resources
• General Studies
• Human Services
• Psychology and Business
• Religious Studies

Minors

In addition to full degrees and certificates, SJC Online offers minors in several academic areas. What better complement to your degree?

• Business
• History
• Marketing
• Psychology
• Religious Studies

Get the Credit you Deserve

Through SJC’s Prior Experiential Learning Assessment (PELA), the institution awards college credits to qualified students who have gained college-level knowledge and competence through learning experiences outside of a traditional classroom. Learn more about PELA.

St. Joseph’s College President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., will confer degrees on more 1,000 students from SJC Long Island’s Class of 2018 during the campus’ May 30 commencement ceremony at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Dr. Boomgaarden will deliver the commencement address to a graduating class of 745 undergraduates and 315 graduates. The undergraduate speaker is Conor Johnson, who has earned a degree in political science and history. Nikki Yvette Caputi, who is receiving her master’s in literacy and cognition, is the graduate speaker.

Visit here for directions to the event and other commencement details.

Among the SJC Long Island graduates are some truly impressive stories.

Above and Beyond

Since he began his studies at SJC Long Island, political science and history major Conor Johnson has made the most of every opportunity. A member of eight campus clubs and organizations, Johnson also served for three years as president of SJC Long Island’s Political Science Club, which he helped found during his sophomore year.

Johnson was picked by his professors to attend the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Upon returning from the convention, he secured an internship with U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s Long Island office in Melville. In Sen. Schumer’s office, Johnson’s duties included staying up-to-date on news articles and trending topics, working with constituents via phone and email, joining Schumer at local events, providing casework assistance and directing constituents’ concerns to the right people.

During his internship, Johnson witnessed firsthand the three-day government shutdown in January. He also went to Albany with two other SJC seniors, Juanita Arias (SJC Brooklyn) and Nicholas Bates (SJC Long Island), for Lobby Day to advocate against financial aid cuts.

Johnson will pursue a master’s in political science at Columbia University this fall. He plans to later go to law school. His dream job is serving as a Supreme Court justice. For others with big goals, Johnson offers this advice: “Don’t be afraid to try new things. From an early age, I have been taught not to shy away from new experiences. It is better to try something and realize that you don’t like it than to never try it and have regret.”

His Road to SJC

Transfer student Nicholas Bates will receive a bachelor’s in political science.

“After my first semester at SUNY Fredonia, I decided to come home to Long Island and work while going to school,” said the vice president of SJC Long Island’s Political Science Club. “My brother had gone to SJC, so I knew how great it was from all of his stories. I can honestly say that making the switch was one of the better decisions that I have made in my life.”

After transferring to St. Joseph’s, Bates made the most of his college experience, making the most of the many opportunities for hands-on experience available at St. Joseph’s. He participated in two political science internships: one with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone in the Office of Constituent Affairs, and one with the Democratic Party on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in Washington, D.C.

Shooting for the Stars

Back in November, senior and four-year Golden Eagle Andrea Iavarone became the eighth player in SJC Long Island women’s basketball program history to eclipse the 1,000 career-point mark. She hit the milestone during the Eagles’ season-opening 103-55 victory at Medgar Evers College.

With 1,510 career points, Iavarone SJC’s all-time leading scorer. She finished second all-time in rebounds, with 1,112.

The Miller Place resident was named Skyline Conference Player of the Year for the 2017-18 season. Also selected to the Skyline All-Conference First-Team for the third-straight season, Iavarone led the conference in total points (521), points-per-game (20.8), total rebounds (420), rebounds-per-game (16.8), total blocks (60), blocks-per-game (2.4), field goal percentage (53.9%) and free throw percentage (80.4).

A sparkling season from top to bottom, the foward collected multiple weekly honors throughout 2017-18, including USBWA Division III National Player of the Week on Jan. 30. Iavarone was the first player in program and Skyline Conference history to earn the award.

She was also selected to the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) All-Met Second-Team. In March, Iavarone appeared on the D3hoops All-Atlantic Region First-Team and was named Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association (ECAC) Player of the Year.

Graduating with a bachelor’s in business, Iavarone is looking to play basketball professionally overseas after graduation.

Moore Scoring More Than Ever

Senior Isaiah Moore scored his 1,000th point during the Eagles’ 61-53 win over Purchase last season. The four-year starter averaged a career-high 12.9 points per game this past season. He made 25 starts in 26 appearances, finishing third on the team in both scoring and rebounding (4.2 RPG) and first on the team in blocks-per-game (0.8). He shared team lead with 40 three-pointers.

The 6-foot-4 guard was twice on the Skyline Conference Weekly Honor Roll during his time as a Golden Eagle (Jan. 16, 2017; Dec. 11, 2017). He also made it to the Skyline All-Sportsmanship Team during the 2015-16 season.

Moore, receiving a bachelor’s in accounting, is set to return to class at SJC Long Island to begin his quest for a masters in accounting.

For many, the motivation to earn a college degree is strongly associated with a specific career goal and typically happens before a mid-life crisis. My own journey has led me to wonder in which drawer I will safely tuck away the diploma I will receive this spring — just a few months shy of my fifty-first birthday.

I suppose I fall conveniently within a group of students often referred to as “non-traditional,” and oddly so, because tradition is very much a word with which I identify. We students, the ones who arrived on campus (or online) already shaped by our seasoned and storied pasts, are a group of dynamic individuals as diverse as the subjects we study. Our interpretation of success and the paths that lead us to it may differ widely, but we are each connected by a shared motivation toward personal growth.

Admittedly, I have often felt more like the antithesis to the college-minded community than a worthy subject for a literary piece about “adult learners;” nonetheless, I am here to share with you an unsullied tale of intellectual reward and personal achievement — both of which have nothing (and everything) to do with my freshly-inked diploma.

We students, the ones who arrived on campus (or online) already shaped by our seasoned and storied pasts, are a group of dynamic individuals as diverse as the subjects we study.”

SJC in the 80s

My early college career began in the 1980s when cars and hairstyles were big, and bottled water was nary a twinkle in the eye of consumerism. I transferred from a larger SUNY school to St. Joseph’s College, where I studied English, fueled by aspirations to author award-winning children’s books.  Life choices and circumstances dictated an incomplete and early departure from college, and the classroom wouldn’t see my return for almost two decades.

When I am honest with myself, I recognize that as a young adult, I was ill prepared to confirm what I wanted to be, likely because I wasn’t yet sure of who I was. I lacked skills and experience, but perhaps most importantly, I lacked a deeper awareness of life and community beyond my own. In hindsight, I realize I was precisely the person for whom college is designed — one who is searching, uncertain, curious, but above all, optimistic.

One marriage, two children and almost twenty years later, I was invited by a friend and mentor to apply for an open position within Student Life at St. Joseph’s College. I left the banking industry to accept employment as administrative support, and thus began a new and improved relationship with the college life I had left behind many moons before. At that time, and still today, I hold my roles as wife and mother as the most challenging and most important ones I will fulfill. My return to SJC, however, offered a refreshed and promising view of my limitless potential, and a reintroduction to a community of individuals ready to walk beside me on a more academic path to success.

There will always be more to learn, but the truest test of my growth and understanding will be measured by my actions, and by my willingness to share valued lessons with others through daily example.”

A Return to SJC

I could not have anticipated my swift adaptability to — and love for my role within — Student Affairs. And so admittedly, I wavered in my decision to finally earn a degree. With some cajoling, I enrolled in classes, endured the discomfort of first-day apprehension (more than once, I was mistakenly approached by younger classmates believing I was the instructor), and embraced my role as the older, “non-traditional” student. Simultaneously, my oldest child was graduating college and my youngest was just embarking on his own college career. Unlike their mother, they were driven toward specific disciplines and wasted no time in declaring majors.

Some might suggest my choice to enroll in General Studies indicates a lack of focus or commitment. I am, however, in the good company of other adult learners seeking an education that supports one’s development as a Quality Human Being; I suppose while others are driven to achieve M.B.A.s or Ph.D.s, I am more apt to pursue the more elusive and unobtainable QHB. Thus began my journey through a myriad of subjects, each carefully chosen to expand self-awareness and provide a greater understanding of my role in both the local and global community.

From my first course to the very last, I’ve gleaned invaluable lessons that have changed the trajectory of my own life. Much of my existence has been shaped by a deep dedication to faith, and I have gleaned great insight from favorite courses within Religious Studies. My lifelong love affair with both the written word and our natural world allowed me to ambitiously engage in courses focused upon literature and environment. Business courses, once appealing for their practicality, shed light on the needs of an ever-changing workforce and incited action among fellow students in support of the differently abled.

I stand happily among a growing community of adult learners, and I encourage those considering enrollment to take the first step towards personal growth and achievement.”

What SJC Has Given Me

Such experiences are the products of the real and true connections I’ve made with others through meaningful classroom debate, online discussion and friendly discourse in hallways between classes. I have been fortunate to enjoy the conveniences of working and attending classes on the same campus, and I am especially humbled by peers who commute between work, home and college, all while balancing the relentless demands of adulthood. They are the true masters of life’s indispensable obligations, and they are the litmus by which I test my own fortitude.

My own observations outside the classroom continue to provide me with revelations that guide me toward a reputable and more meaningful existence. The ones to which I most often refer serve to provide a bit of humility in moments when and where it is lacking:

• Improving one’s public speaking skills is a worthy endeavor. Improving one’s public listening skills is a far more noble task.
• Even the most brilliant and advanced technologies will never suffice as replacements for human interaction.They serve to remind us how significantly productivity suffers when connections are lost. If there is one single achievement for which universally we must strive, it is the preservation of community through a renewed commitment to being good neighbors.
• We must be careful to avoid becoming too besotted by letters that precede or follow one’s name; lest we forget the explorers, inventors and artists of our past who made boundless sacrifice, ground-breaking discoveries and untold contributions to society with few documented credentials.

For these insights, and so many more, I am grateful to have had the opportunity and ability to return as a student, to grow as an individual and to complete my first degree. And though my diploma serves as a valued token of my success, it could never fully convey the significance of such achievement and the responsibility inherent to it. There will always be more to learn, but the truest test of my growth and understanding will be measured by my actions, and by my willingness to share valued lessons with others through daily example.

I stand firmly in my belief that the knowledge and wisdom gained solely from academic study pales in comparison to the life experience an engaged college education affords — at any age. I stand happily among a growing community of adult learners, and I encourage those considering enrollment to take the first step towards personal growth and achievement.
And should you find yourself in need of a diploma frame, you can have mine; I’m saving wall space for that QHB.

The 18-year-old freshman version of Ryan Cleary would hardly recognize the honors student rendition of Ryan Cleary who received a bachelor’s degree Wednesday at SJC Long Island’s commencement at NYCB Live’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

“If I talked to the version of myself from four years ago, he would not expect to be where I am today,” said Cleary, 21, a double major in psychology and computer science who graduated Magna Cum Laude. “I have more confidence, more knowledge and increased awareness. And it just feels like so many opportunities are opening up to me.”

SJC Long Island psychology and computer science major Ryan Cleary.

Cleary was among more than 1,000 St. Joseph’s College graduates honored at the afternoon ceremony, most of whom carry their own stories of transformation through education.

“St. Joseph’s College has provided us with support, knowledge and the skills we need in order to excel and even surpass our own expectations as individuals,” said master’s-degree-recipient Nikki Caputi, delivering the graduate speaker address. “It is up to us to share our intellectual values … and have a positive impact on the world.”

Goals: Helping the World

Conor Johnson, a political science and history major, and the undergraduate commencement speaker, declared “It should be the aspiration of each and every member of the St. Joseph’s College community to genuinely care about the world around them, and to contemplate the world beyond their immediate surroundings.”

Commencement speaker Conor Johnson, a political science major with aspirations of serving on the U.S. Supreme Court.

St. Joseph’s Class of 2018 – 745 undergraduates and 315 graduates – is a group defined by a bias toward action.

“I want to help as many people as I can,” said Charlie Gambino, 21, who earned a bachelor’s in accounting and begins his pursuit of an M.B.A. in accounting tonight,  during a 6:15 p.m. Accounting Theory and Research class in SJC Long Island’s O’Connor Hall.

Gambino, a Sachem North High School grad, is vice president of operations at the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park in Nesconset, N.Y.

Charlie Gambino received his bachelor’s in accounting. He’ll continue his studies at St. Joe’s this summer, pursuing an M.B.A. in accounting.

“This day 16 years ago was the last day of the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. It’s when these people closed one chapter in their lives and started a new one,” said Gambino, 21. “It’s so ironic that today, we’re all closing our chapter in this book and opening up a new chapter.”

With Her Child in Mind

Annettal Spencer, 40, was inspired to return to school by the life of her daughter Marquia, who died at 9 years old after battling cerebral palsy. On Wednesday, she collected her master’s in human services leadership, one week after securing a management position at East End Disabilities in Riverhead.

“It hasn’t really hit me,” she said moments sitting for the graduation ceremony. “I think it will when I walk on the stage.”

Inspired by her daughter`s battle with cerebral palsy, Annettal Spencer, 40, returned to school and earned a masters in human services leadership.

Spencer said she is the first woman in her family to earn a master’s degree. Twenty-five family members and friends – part of a crowd of more than 7,000 – were there to celebrate her achievement.

As the graduates, faculty and staff paraded into the arena, contingents of the Suffolk County Police Emerald Society Pipes & Drums and the Long Island Brass Guild took turns serenading the audience.

Big Questions

“What is your dream for your life? Where do you want to go? What do you want to accomplish?” St. Joseph’s College President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., asked the newly minted college alumni during his first SJC Long Island commencement address. “These are the big questions you must be asking yourselves today, and they are good ones.

“They are all connected to a bigger goal, the goal St. Joseph’s has for you to go out today, and transform the world for the better,” he added.

Psychology grads Brianna Defronzo, 22, and Courtney Nicholson, 24, are taking different paths toward changing the world.

Graduating psychology majors Brianna Defronzo and Courtney Nicholson forged a friendship at SJC.

Defronzo, a product of William Floyd High School, will return to school this fall to pursue a master’s in psychology, with hopes of eventually working in special education. Nicholson, 24, a Sachem North High School alumna, plans to continue working at a mental health community residence in Islip, before returning to school in one year to seek a master’s degree.

“I still feel like I have homework to do,” Defronzo said, in a moment of disbelief about her graduation. “There is definitely a feeling of relief. So much work led up to this day.”

At the ceremony, the College community honored the memory of Elizabeth Michele Gallagher, a graduate school student who died tragically in a weather-related car accident in March. Gallagher’s relatives accepted her posthumous Master of Arts in Childhood or Adolescence Special Education with an Annotation in Severe and Multiple Disabilities.

A Check Mark on the ‘Bucket List’

Among the graduates were adult learners who had long dreamed of earning a college degree. Retired Long Island Rail Road engineer Gene Lowery, 67, was among them.

SJC Online student Gene Lowery, 67, pictured with his son Dylan, earned a master`s degree in general education. Lowery was a combat medic for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.

“I left school 38 years ago, and went to work. And I’ve always wanted to finish,” said Lowery, an SJC Online student and U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War who was accompanied by his son Dylan and his longtime friend, Father Gerard Toomey. “Now that I’ve retired, it’s been part of my bucket list. In the fall, I’m looking to go for a master’s degree in theology.”