Applications are now being accepted for the Chi Beta Phi Science Honor Society.

Among the qualifications are a 3.0 GPA overall and within your major and completion of more than 60 credits.

The deadline to apply is April 25.

Click for more information on requirements and applying

A love for Pinnipeds and their importance to our marine ecosystem led St. Francis College Psychology Professor Kristy Biolsi to forge a partnership with the Long Island Aquarium to study sea lions and harbor seals in captivity as well as in New York's waterways.

(Watch SFC Students with Seals and Sea Lions)

Professor Biolsi is the Director and Co-Founder of C-SPEC, the Center for the Study of Pinniped Ecology and Cognition. Through C-SPEC, she is able to monitor the Harbor Seal population in the wild and offer internships to St. Francis College students who are interested in studying animal behavior.

The partnership with Long Island Aquarium gives C-SPEC access to the marine mammals to participate in a variety of short and long-form tests that gauge the thinking processes of Sea Lions and measures their ability to learn on many levels.

Led Women's Basketball to Conference Title and National Academic Award

Champions on the court and in the classroom, St. Francis College Women's Basketball Head Coach John Thurston is retiring after six years leading the Division I team to new heights.

"Coach Thurston has been a tremendous leader for our Women's Basketball program," said Director of Athletics, Irma Garcia '80. "His student-athletes excelled both on and off the court and the graduates of this program have gone on to do amazing things in the world."

The 2014-15 women's squad won the Northeast Conference Championship, sending a St. Francis team to the NCAA Basketball Tournament for the first time. One year later, the Terriers finished with the highest GPA in the nation at 3.712.

"Even though I only had a few months to get to know Coach Thurston, I saw right away how much he cares about his players," said President Miguel Martinez-Saenz. "His focus on helping to graduate well-rounded young women really underscores the emphasis he placed on the student in student-athlete."

Under Thurston's leadership, the women's team set a college record for victories, developing several all-conference players including women who have gone on to play professionally in leagues around the world.

"I will be forever grateful to the young women who have come through our program these past six years," said Coach Thurston. "What they have accomplished both academically and athletically during this time has been remarkable."

"I would like to thank St Francis College Director of Athletics Irma Garcia and former College President Brendan Dugan for giving me the opportunity to share in the journey of these wonderful ladies who have been part of Terrier basketball. While our current players are making an impact here at school, our graduates are making their mark in their professional lives both regionally and around the world."

"As a coach you have the best seat in the house in watching student athletes use their collegiate basketball experience to help prepare themselves for the challenges that life after college presents. For me though, coaching through five different decades has offered an opportunity for personal growth and education while working with young men and women from different backgrounds and cultures as well as different parts of this country and the world. Wins and championships are nice but the learning and sharing of experiences were the real reward."

St. Francis College will now begin a nationwide search for a new women's head basketball coach.

COACH JOHN THURSTON RETIRES FROM WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM

Written by Dan Barry '69

Impact.

There's no other word that can possibly describe the coaching tenure of Terrier Women's Head Basketball Coach John Thurston at St. Francis College.

From the day the already-accomplished "Coach T" walked up those steps, through those glass Remsen Street doors, and into the lives of numerous Terrier student-athletes, he helped change the scope and focus of the St. Francis College Women's Basketball Program.

Coach Thurston took over the reins of the Program prior to the 2012-2013 season, after having served as an Assistant to former Head Coach Brenda Milano for several years. What he has accomplished over the course of his six years at the helm is truly impressive:

--- A Northeast Conference Women's Basketball Championship;

--- An appearance by St. Francis in the NCAA National Basketball Championship Tournament against the Number One team in the Nation;

--- A high-water mark for victories in a season by any Terrier Women's hoops squad – 19 wins;

--- The development of several All-Conference players, some of whom have gone onto professional basketball careers in Europe; and,

--- A Division I Collegiate Basketball Program that has become known throughout the United States and the World as having an unwavering focus on academic achievement.

If you asked Coach Thurston what has been the most satisfying accomplishment during his time in Brooklyn Heights, his response would likely not be hoops-oriented. It probably would be the National Championship in Grade Point Average awarded to the Terriers by the WBCA for the 2015-2016 season, the academic equivalent of the Women's Basketball National Championship. In fact, the emphasis that he helped instill in the Program has led them five straight years among the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, a note-worthy achievement for one of the smallest Division I institutions among the giants of the NCAA world.

Thurston generally talks as much about the high academic achievement rate of his charges and their successes after graduation, as he does about basketball. There was one team member a couple of years ago who did not see tons of playing time and did not see a lot of numbers alongside her name on any game's stat sheet. But that bench player was regarded by the rest of her Terrier teammates as a leader because of their respect for her character, her focus and her academic accomplishments. That's indicative of the atmosphere of respect that Coach Thurston helped to create and nurture through every one of his teams.

And if you attempt to congratulate him for his team's outstanding academics, he'll deny he has anything to do with it. "It's all them," he'll tell you. "We really don't do that much," he said, trying to downplay the effect his coaching staff's level of encouragement has on the academic progress of the Program.

"While our current players are making an impact here at school, our graduates are making their mark in their professional lives, both regionally and around the world," said Thurston proudly.

St. Francis College President Miguel Martinez-Saenz also knows the strong impact that Coach Thurston has had on this team. "Even though I only had a few months to get to know Coach Thurston, I saw right away how much he cares about his players. I have nothing but respect for the way he carried himself and the example he set for this program; on the court and in the classroom. What's more, his focus on helping to graduate well-rounded young women really underscores the emphasis he placed on the student in student-athlete."

"Coach Thurston has been a tremendous leader for our Women's Basketball program," stated Director of Athletics, Irma Garcia '80.

"During his 6 years as the Head Coach of the Terriers, his student-athletes excelled both on and off of the court and the graduates of this program have gone on to do amazing things in the world. Not only did his 2014-15 squad bring us the Northeast Conference Championship, but also in 2015-16 the Terriers put the STUDENT in Student-Athlete and finished first in the Nation with a Team GPA of 3.712. His vision of the Terrier Way has been something that our entire Athletic Department here at St. Francis College has benefited from."

"I cannot thank John Thurston enough for his dedication, commitment and passion to this program, and am confident the impact he has had on Women's Basketball at St. Francis College has, and will, continue to strengthen the program for years to come."

"We are excited for this next stage of Terrier Women's Basketball and look forward to the continued momentum that Coach Thurston and his team has created for this program."

As "Coach T" walks out of those Remsen Street doors and into a well-deserved retirement, he leaves behind a solid foundation, a record of obvious athletic progress, and a legacy of undeniable academic success.

He has truly left an impact.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu

NEW ONLINE BOOKSTORE OFFERS FLEXIBILITY AND PRICE OPTIONS FOR PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS

Seamless Way to Get Textbooks - Beginning Fall 2018

The college bookstore gets a digital makeover as St. Francis College partners with online retailer, Akademos, to let students buy, rent, or download their textbooks as well as other supplemental course materials.

Beginning with the Fall 2018 semester, St. Francis students will be able to obtain their course books and materials in a seamless process that links their course management account directly to Akademos. The site will be accessible beginning August 1 at sfc.edu/bookstore.

"We are always looking for ways to give more students time to focus on their studies," said Jose Rodriguez, Dean of Students. "The partnership with Akademos takes away the headache of searching all over the web for the lowest price and gives them a one stop shop."

For faculty, once logging in with their SFC account, they will see a custom page that shows their current courses. The process of selecting books will be faster, easier, and include an option to create a custom Coursepack with textbooks and other materials. Books are searchable by ISBN or book title, and professors can also add course notes and files to the information students will see.

"We found that only about 10% of our students use the current bookstore, most students either get their materials on their own or don't buy them at all," said Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean Jennifer Lancaster. "Under the new plan, when a student logs in to their page, they will see a personalized page with all their courses and needed materials, as well as a number of options to get their books at various price points, including: new, used, peer-to-peer sales, rentals, and downloads. We believe this change will lead to more students engaging with the required and recommended coursework."

Akademos offers a price match guarantee on new books, as well as a peer-to-peer marketplace where students can buy and sell their books to each other at an average of 60% off the retail list price.

The new system will go into effect for the Fall 2018 semester with a pilot program during the final summer session.

The current relationship with Barnes & Noble ends with the Spring 2018 term. Students must return all rental books by May 8. Barnes & Noble will not be buying back old textbooks. The store will be completely vacated by May 26.

For May and summer classes, students will be able to purchase their class book and materials on websites including: bn.com; chegg.com; or amazon.com.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu

Quality Education / Affordable Tuition

The mission of St. Francis College to provide a high quality private college education at affordable tuition continues to earn attention and accolades as Forbes names St. Francis to its newly revealed list of America's Best Value Colleges.

This is the third year Forbes has released this list, which focuses on "net price, net debt, alumni earnings, timely graduation, school quality and access for low-income students."

Forbes created the list to answer the question from parents and prospective students, "will the benefit of a diploma be worth the cost," writes Susan Adams, a senior editor in charge of Forbes' education coverage.

"We are focused on helping to shape responsible citizens who will leave a positive mark on society," said President Miguel Martinez-Saenz. "A big part of that equation is to make sure when they graduate, they are not burdened by high debt or low prospects. Being recognized as a Best Value College confirms that we are succeeding in our mission, giving our students the freedom to pursue their dreams."

St. Francis College has also been recognized for its value and benefit to graduates by a number of other magazines:

• U.S. News & World Report: Least Debt
• Washington Monthly: Best Bang for the Buck
• Money: Best Colleges for Your Money

Among the students continuing this successful track record are Spring 2018 graduates:

• Marcus Da Silva, an Economics major from Brazil and captain of the Men's Swim Team. Marcus will be working at JP Morgan Chase upon graduation.
• Hannah Berger, a Nursing major who had one externship at NYU-Langone Health in cardiothoracic surgery and another at Staten Island Hospital. She'll be taking the NCLEX exam this summer to become a registered nurse.
• Johnny Perez, a Criminal Justice major who has already begun working as Director of U.S. Prisons Program for the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Johnny is an advocate against solitary confinement and has testified at the United Nations and on the New York Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

St. Francis College hosts its Spring Open House this Sunday from 9:00am to 3:00pm at 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201.

Register at sfc.edu/openhouse

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu

As tax day approached, St. Francis College Economics Professors launched their first Economics Week with three days of guest speakers, and student research.

Dean Baker, co-founder and a Senior Economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) in Washington, D.C. discussed "The Economic Consequences of Mr. Trump."

(What are the Economic Consequences of Mr. Trump?)

Baker is the writer of several books, including Rigged: How Globalization and the Rules of the Modern Economy Were Structured to Make the Rich Richer (2016). He writes on the highly read blog Beat the Press and is constantly featured in the media giving commentaries on the US economy. Baker has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, and the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Council.

Professor L. Randall Wray, professor of economics at Bard College, discussed "Modern Money Theory for Beginners."

(Learn about Modern Money Theory)

His current research focuses on providing a critique of orthodox monetary theory and policy, and the development of an alternative approach. He also publishes extensively in the areas of full employment policy and, more generally, fiscal policy. Wray's most recent book is Why Minsky Matters: An Introduction to the Work of a Maverick Economist (2016). Professor Wray will also talk about the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College MA and MS Programs in Economic Theory and Policy.

In addition students presented educational posters to share their research on a variety of economic topics.

Women Making Media From The Silent Era To Virtual Reality

With more than 30 films from almost 10 countries and a series of panels with award winning filmmakers, the 3^rd Annual SFC Women's Film Festival offered an amazing resource for St. Francis College students to meet, question, and learn about the craft of making movies.

(Watch Global Perspective on the Celluloid Ceiling)

A number of St. Francis College past and present students and a professor were among the award winners including Marina Esparza '21 and Shala Franciosa '19 for their short film, Tira Misu.

Festival Winners

• Best Narrative Short by a Female Non-Student - ur dead to me, Yonoko Li
• Best Narrative Short by a Female Student - Tira Misu Co-Directors Marina Esparza '21 & Shala Franciosa '19
• Best Documentary Short by a Female Non-Student - Voices From Kaw Thoo Lei, Martha Gorzycki
• Best Documentary Short by a Female Student - LGBTQ Comes Out to SFC, Concetta D'Angelo/Producer Michele Montecalvo
• Best Animated Short by a Female Non-Student - Meeting Macguffin, Catya Plate
• Best Animated Short by a Female Student - Laymun, Catherine Prowse
• Best Virtual Reality Work - Fly, Ji-Young Kang
• Best Experimental Film - Nothing A Little Soap and Water Can't Fix, Jennifer Proctor
• Audience Award for Documentary - The Road Less Traveled, Marissa Plaia '17 & Family Unwritten, Yasmin Mistry

"I'm really proud of the way the 3rd SFC Women's Film Festival turned out," said St. Francis College Communication Arts Professor Augusta Palmer, who co-founded the festival and co-curated this year's films. "It was a pleasure to take part in conversations about women's media from the silent film to a brain-wave opera and VR. The films were great and I'm so grateful to all who helped make this fest happen - especially my interns, my co-curator [Roberta Bonisson], my colleagues, and the incredible audiences, filmmakers, sponsors and panelists!"

Among the panel discussions, Past, Present, and Future of Women's Film Production cast the spotlight on the contributions women have made throughout the history of filmmaking (Women Pioneers Film Project), including the early days of the industry when there were more women making movies than there are today.

Others focused on virtual reality and 360° videos, how women in the industry are organizing to help each other (Blue Collar Post Collective), and films for social change (Light on the Sea).

There were also workshops on how to pitch your idea and how to build your brand through social media.

You can watch panel discussions from the festival online at SFCWomensFilmFest.com.

Attached Photo: Frame from Tira Misu.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu

St. Francis College welcomed Communication Arts Chair Scott Weiss to talk about Late Nineteenth Century Consumerism on April 10 2018 as part of the Spring 2018 Senior Citizen Lecture Series, "From New Nation to World Power: Culture, Politics, and Society in the United States, 1789-1896."

(Learn about Late 19th Century Consumers)

Speakers for the series, From New Nation to World Power, are programmed by History Professor Sara Rzeszutek.

Learn More about Communication Arts

St. Francis College welcomed Julie Golia March 27, 2018 to talk about the history of the Brooklyn Waterfront as part of the Spring 2018 Senior Citizen Lecture Series, "From New Nation to World Power: Culture, Politics, and Society in the United States, 1789-1896."

(Learn about Waterfront)

Julie Golia is Director of Public History at Brooklyn Historical Society and is the director of the curatorial team for, Waterfront, a long-term exhibition at BHS DUMBO. She is the author of a forthcoming book on advice columns in American Newspapers and holds a Ph.D. in History from Columbia University.

Speakers for the series, From New Nation to World Power, are programmed by History Professor Sara Rzeszutek.

Sonja Maier Geismar Keynote Speaker for Yom HaShoah

Without the courage of a German captain who hated the Nazis, Sonja Maier Geismar and hundreds of other Jews fleeing Germany on the ill-fated voyage of the St. Louis would never have survived to tell their tale of escape from the Holocaust.

(Watch Sonja's Story)

Geismar, just four at the time of the trip told her story as the keynote speaker for the College's annual Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day event on Wednesday, April 11, 2018.

Maier Geismar was one of more than 900 mostly Jewish passengers who were denied entry to Cuba, and later rejected from landing in the United States and Canada. The ship was forced back to Europe where the passengers were split up across the continent. More than 250 died at the hands of the Nazis.

Following the St. Louis voyage, Sonja, who was born in the state of Baden in southwest Germany, and her family went to England for 8 months and immigrated to the U.S. before World War II. The transition was difficult for her parents, filled with struggles, but they succeeded in building good lives. A resident of New York City, she was a high school librarian and currently is an adjunct librarian. With the passing of the older generation, Holocaust denial, and current increasing anti-Semitism, she feels an obligation to speak about the Nazi era and its impact.

St. Francis holds its annual event so the entire community can learn lessons from the Holocaust as well as to keep alive the memories of those who perished and those who survived to tell of the atrocities.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201

www.sfc.edu

Author, Researcher and TV Personality Pepper Schwartz came to St. Francis College April 12, 2018 for an important look at "The Science of Love, Sex, and Intimacy- and What it Means for You."

(Watch Pepper Schwartz)

Dr. Schwartz focused on the science of love, who we are attracted to, who we are compatible with, and why, ideas these ideas are studied by biologists, philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and scores of poets and novelists.

She summed up those ideas to show what romantic love means to each of us.

Bio: Pepper Schwartz is a professor of sociology at the University of Washington. She is the past president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexualities, past president of the Pacific Sociology Association and she has been the Relationship, Sexuality and Love Ambassador for AARP for more than a decade. She was given an award by the American Sociological Association for public understanding of sociology. She is now on the board of the University of Minnesota program on human sexuality. She is the author and co-author of 25 academic and popular books, including two that were on the New York Times Best Sellers list: The Normal Bar: The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples and 10 Talks Parents Should Have with Children About Sex and Character. Her most recent books are 50 Great Myths of Human Sexuality and Snap Strategies for Couples: 40 Fast Fixes for Everyday Relationship Pitfalls. She is also the author of more than 50 journal articles and lectures widely, both to academic and general audiences.

The lecture was sponsored by the Self-Awareness and Bonding Lab, Academic Dean's Office, Center for Women's and Gender Studies, Psychology Department, and Sociology Department.

JOSEPH GIORDANO '79 AND LESTER J. OWENS HONORED
St. Francis College's Largest Annual Fundraiser

One a St. Francis College graduate, the other, the son of a graduate, Joseph Giordano '79 and Lester J. Owens worked together at the start of their banking careers. Thirty years later, they shared the stage to raise $740 thousand in support of St. Francis students at the College's largest annual fundraiser, the 57^th Annual Charter Award Dinner on April 17, 2018.

The night began with cocktails and a vocal performance by St. Francis College students, organized by Catherine Greene, a member of the College's Board of Trustees. The students came back later to sing again.

Hosting the event was David Diamante, who brought his Brooklyn Nets baritone across the river to The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers for the dinner, making sure Brooklyn was well represented.

In helping to raise money for the College both Lester J. Owens (Global Head of Wholesale Banking Operations and Corporate & Investment Bank Client Onboarding at JPMorgan Chase & CO) and Joseph Giordano '79 (President of Global Trust and Custody Services at U.S. Bank) talked about the importance of education and having a strong support system to keep you on track as you make it through your career.

(Watch Lester & Joseph)

In addition, both honorees noted how important it was to them to always give back, and support others as they climbed the ranks in their respective fields.

Another highlight of the event was when Gabriella Mendonca '21 took the stage to talk about how as a blind student, she has been welcomed with open arms and been able to affect changes to make the College more friendly to all students with disabilities.

(Watch Gabriella)

Funds raised at the Charter Award Dinner support the mission of St. Francis College to provide a quality, private college education at an affordable price. This assistance comes in the form of generous scholarships to deserving and needy students, as well as upgrades to classroom technology, and maintaining a low student to professor ratio.

The Charter Award Dinner began in 1962 by the St. Francis Board of Trustees to commemorate New York State granting the College a charter and the right to confer diplomas, honors and degrees. For more than five decades, the Charter Award Dinner has been the College's premier fundraising event and has raised millions of dollars to support scholarship programs and further the educational mission at St. Francis.

About the Honorees

Joseph Giordano '79 is President of Global Trust and Custody Services at U.S. Bank. In this role, Joe manages a large segment of the Bank's global securities processing business; includes eight corporate trust and custody product lines, more than $5 trillion in assets under management, 14,000 clients, 2,400 employees and 52 domestic and international locations.

Prior to his current role, Joe led the U.S. Bank corporate and municipal trust group at U.S. Bank, its European corporate trust business, and also oversaw the global Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO) product since 2011. The CLO business has built dominant 50 percent market share global leadership over the past few years.

Over a career that has spanned more than 35 years in the corporate trust and financial services industry, Joe has held a variety of senior management roles in some of the country's largest financial institutions, including Bankers Trust; J.P. Morgan Chase, where he managed a global corporate trust business; and Fidelity Investments, where he was an executive vice president in the Institutional Wealth Services business. Joe has been with U.S. Bank for the last seven years.

A graduate of St. Francis College, Joe majored in accounting and was an Archon for the Pi Alpha Fraternity. Joe also earned an MBA in finance from St. John's University, as well as Series 7, 24 and 63 brokerage licenses. Joe chairs the U.S. Bank's New England Community Development Network and serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Elavon Financial Services Company.

Lester Owens is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan responsible for Wholesale Banking Operations and Corporate & Investment Bank Client Onboarding across 50+ sites. He manages a global staff of approximately 8,500 employees worldwide and his primary responsibility is managing one of the largest Payment Operations globally.

Prior to joining JPMorgan in 2008, Mr. Owens worked for Deutsche Bank as a Managing Director responsible for Transaction Banking Operations as well as serving on the Executive Committee for the Global Transaction Bank. Before joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Owens was the Site Director at Citibank in Delaware which included Nationwide Receivables, Check Clearing and Customer Investigations. Prior to Citibank, Mr. Owens worked for Bankers Trust and Chemical Bank.

Mr. Owens is a Board Member of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) as well as RWJ Barnabas Health in New Jersey. He holds a BA from Long Island University, an Executive MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and also attended the Harvard University Executive Management program. He resides in New Jersey with his wife and four children.

About the Host

David Diamante is a sports announcer, TV host and actor. Known as the voice of the Brooklyn Nets, he has announced professional boxing, MMA, and Muay Thai internationally for over fifteen years. He is the official announcer for the World Boxing Super Series. David has announced for HBO, Showtime, ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, FOX Sports, Spike TV, YES Network, SNY, and MSG. In addition, David has announced in Spanish on Televisa, TyC and Azteca America.

David played himself in the major motion picture Southpaw and has appeared in the films: Sunnyside, Irish Ropes, Counterpunch, Back in the Day, Born Into This, Senior Moment, Night of Henna, Out of the Ring, and Hardy.

David is the owner and founder of Diamante's Brooklyn Cigar Lounge which opened in 2009.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu

St. Francis College #GradontheWater Moves to Coney Island

Finding herself the only Smithsonian intern from a small college, Valerie Kaufmann '18, St. Francis College's Spring Valedictorian became ambassador for a small college where individual attention from engaged faculty and administrations opened up her world to possibilities on par with any large institution.

"St. Francis is about community, and I am thrilled to see the myriad ways in which St. Francis supports its community–be it by supporting students with generous scholarships and one-on-one attention, or by helping members of the Brooklyn community with initiatives like public lectures, or community service events," said Kaufmann, a Communication Arts major with a double minor in Fine Arts and French. "This school has helped me in so many ways, but more important is the way that the programs it provides will continue to serve those that come after me."

Leading by example, Kaufmann will share the rest of her successes and her hopes to make the world a better place when she delivers her Valedictory Address on Thursday, May 17 at the Ford Amphitheater on the Coney Island Boardwalk at 12:00pm.

In addition to her internship at the Smithsonian Institution, Valerie also interned for Homes for Homeless, Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness, New York State United Teachers, and in the Office of United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. She also volunteers at multiple organizations around the city. On campus Valerie was Staff Editor of the student newspaper SFC Today, a delegate in the Model United Nations and part of the Student Ambassador Program. Vice-President of the Duns Scotus Honor Society she also won academic awards for Communication Arts and International Cultural Studies.

The Commencement Address will be delivered by Emmy award-winner David Ushery, NBC 4 New York's 11:00am and 5:00pm weekday newscasts. Ushery is a long-time supporter of the College, helping to raise money for scholarships at St. Francis' premier fundraising event, the annual Charter Award Dinner.

Gwendolyn Bianca Etienne '18 will offer one of the high notes of commencement as she sings the Star Spangled Banner, while two other students with perfect 4.0 GPAs will deliver a welcome address; Alexis Vazquez '18 and Annais Commiskey '18.

Gwendolyn is a proud Haitian-American, Psychology major and Pre-Med student. She was President of the Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society, co-President of the Psychology Club, and Treasurer of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. In addition, Gwendolyn was a member of the Caribbean Student Association, and the Environmental, Fencing Club, and Pre-Med clubs. She recently sang at the College's Charter Award Dinner. Outside of St. Francis Gwendolyn volunteers at a soup kitchen and teaches at her church. She plans to become a Pediatrician/Neonatologist and in the meantime will be working on her degree as an ABA therapist to help autistic children develop their behavioral and social skills.

Alexis is a Psychology major who received the Dr. Louis H. Primavera Medal for Excellence in Psychology. She is a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology and is now applying to post-baccalaureate programs to complete her pre-requisites for medical school.

Annais is a Math major with an Economics minor and holds the school record in Women's Track & Field for the 5k indoor and 10k outdoor events. She was also a finalist for NEC Scholar Athlete of the Year. Annais received the Award for Excellence in Mathematics and will attend graduate school at Rider University to earn a Master's Degree in teaching, with a focus on secondary mathematics.

A day before commencement, on Wednesday May 16 at 6:00pm, the College will host a Baccalaureate Mass at St. James Cathedral Basilica (250 Cathedral Place, Brooklyn, NY). The Celebrant for mass will be The Most Reverend James Massa, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Tuesday night, MCU Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones becomes home to the St. Francis College Terriers as graduates and their friends will take the field for a night of fun and games, capped off with Fireworks over Coney Island.

A full replay of Spring Commencement will be available on the St. Francis website (http://www.sfc.edu).

Among the other students graduating are:

Melissa Jagharry '18 graduates with Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Accounting. She is a member of the Accounting Honors Society, is on the Deans Lists, and received the Academic Excellence Award in Accounting – BS/MS Degree. Melissa says that weekly meetings of the Accounting Society were high points where her fellow students could give and receive support as they faced a challenging and rigorous curriculum. She credits Accounting Professor Louis D'Elia with having the biggest influence on her while at St. Francis. "There were many challenges, doubts, and failures; but twice as many rewards, successful moments, and happiness over these five years. Now my greatest accomplishment thus far is to hold my degree and be thankful for every one of those highs and lows." After graduation, Melissa will next take her CPA exam and begin working at mid-sized firm Mazars USA LLP.

Hannah Berger '18 is a Nursing major who had one externship at NYU-Langone Health in cardiothoracic surgery and another at Staten Island Hospital. As President of the Nursing Club, she led community service events like raising money for the March of Dimes at the March for Babies and preparing food to serve at St. Joseph's Soup Kitchen in Greenwich Village. She received the Nursing Leadership Award and is a member of the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society. She thanks all her Nursing professors and support staff for leading her to success at St. Francis. Hannah will be taking the NCLEX exam this summer to become a registered nurse.

Johnny Perez '18 is the Director of U.S. Prisons Program for the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, a membership organization committed to ending U.S. sponsored torture, and cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, including solitary confinement. A Criminal Justice major, Johnny served as a Safe Reentry Advocate for the Urban Justice Center's Mental Health Project. He has worked tirelessly to change the status quo of unjust policies and practices as a member of pro-social groups the Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement (CAIC), and the New York Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He is also a member of the NYC Bar Association's Correction and Reentry Committee and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Law Center. Johnny has testified at the United Nations and been interviewed by numerous news organizations around the world. Recently featured in an ad campaign that ran in the New York subway system, Johnny commented, "I remember when I was younger, I was homeless after running away from home and slept on the A train for two weeks. Today I'm still on the train, but in a different way and for a reason I never could have imagined." (Learn more about Johnny at justiceismypassion.com)

Monica Murray '18 graduates from the five-year combined Bachelor's and Master's degree program in Psychology. She transferred to St. Francis College to take advantage of small classes and devoted faculty. "I attribute much of my success to the psych department. I think I really benefited from the small class size and the motivation faculty helped to instill in me," said Murray, who will be attending Hofstra University working towards a PsyD in School-Community Psychology. She will also be working for the autism clinic based at Hofstra. Monica won the Uwe P. Gielen, Ph.D. Award for Excellence in Psychology and was part of a group of students who took first place for best poster at the 25th Annual Pace University Psychology Conference.

Marcus Da Silva '18 - Marcus came to St. Francis College from Brazil to study Economics with a concentration in Finance. He used his skills as a swimmer to earn a scholarship that afforded him the opportunity. He served as Captain of the Men's Swimming & Diving team and holds several College records at various distances. Marcus interned last summer at JP Morgan Chase and will begin working there full time upon graduation.

Laura Dimante '18 is a Political Science major with a minor in history. An international student from Latvia she transferred to St. Francis to play Tennis for an NCAA Division I team and take advantage of the opportunities New York City offers. She played first singles for the team this year, helping them to one of their best records in College history. Laura made the Deans List and was part of the Model UN Club. She will next go to graduate school to study International Relations: International Security at the University of Groningen in Netherlands.

About David Ushery

Emmy award-winner David Ushery is the co-anchor for NBC 4 New York's 11:00am and 5:00pm weekday newscasts. An integral member of the NBC 4 New York news team, Ushery has covered many of the largest and most visible breaking news stories across the Tri-State region - and around the world including Hurricane Sandy, the Newtown Connecticut elementary school shootings; the emergency landing of US Air Flight 1549 in the Hudson River and the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

Ushery co-anchored the weekend editions of "News 4 New York" at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and was host of the Emmy-nominated "The Debrief with David Ushery."

Ushery joined NBC 4 New York from WABC-TV, where, during his 10-year tenure, he rose from general assignment reporter to full-time anchor of the early morning and noon broadcasts and was the primary fill-in anchor for the evening newscasts. Well respected for his work as a reporter, Ushery provided extensive, in-depth reporting of the shooting death of Amadou Diallo and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Known for his passion for volunteerism and tireless service to the local community, Ushery is a much sought after emcee and keynote speaker for area schools and nonprofit events. He has been repeatedly recognized for his commitment to NBC 4 New York's viewing audience and has been honored with multiple awards.

The Network Journal and Black Professionals Business Magazine named Ushery one of its "40 Under-Forty" for his journalistic accomplishments. The Israeli Consulate in New York City honored him for his comprehensive, fair and balanced reporting on issues that affect all New Yorkers.

Ushery, a Harry S Truman Scholar, is a graduate of the University of Connecticut. In June, 2014 Ushery received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from St. John's University in New York. He is married and has a son.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu

St. Francis College alumnus and Coney Island historian Mike Quinn '98 researched and resurrected the original Feltman's Coney Island Hot Dog, which has been named the one of the 12 best things to eat in the summer of 2017 by Zagat's, the #7 best hot dog in the country by the Daily Meal, and "Most likely the best hot dog you'll ever eat in your life," by Gothamist.

(Learn about Feltman's Historic Hot Dogs)

Quinn came to St. Francis College April 17, 2018 to discuss Feltman's and the broader history of Coney Island as part of the Senior Citizen lecture series "From New Nation to World Power: Culture, Politics, and Society in the United States, 1789-1896."

The series is coordinated by St. Francis College History Professor Sara Rzeszutek and sponsored by the Department of History, the Senior Citizen Lecture Series, and the Center for Women's and Gender Studies.

St. Francis College welcomed back several recent graduates who are all working as Teachers in the New York City to speak to current Education majors about their experiences at a Graduate Panel Forum hosted by education honor society Kappa Delta Pi on April 9, 2018.

(Meet the Returning Teachers)

The panelists spoke about how they got their jobs, their roles and responsibilities and offered tips on what students can do to follow in their footsteps.

The panel was organized by SFC Education Professor Peter Leibman '71 as well as officers from Kappa Delta Pi.

As his 17+ year run as Director of Alumni Relations comes to a close, Dennis McDermott '74; St. Francis College's fast-talking, always welcoming, and only SFC player to have their basketball jersey retired; welcomed back the Golden Terriers from the Class of 1968 to celebrate their 50 year reunion.

(Watch Dennis McDermott & President Martinez-Saenz)

President Miguel Martinez-Saenz also addressed the audience, his first Golden Terriers luncheon since becoming President almost a year ago.

Other alumni from the classes of 1953, 1958 and 1963 were also in attendance at the lunch. More than 125 people in all showed their Terrier pride.

Mr. McDermott is retiring June 1, 2018 and wanted to use the opportunity to thank all his fellow alumni for they camaraderie, memories, and most of all, for an end to the requests for SFC gear.

He also thanked Donna DeSiena, who was the Alumni Relations Assistant for 17 years and Vanessa De Almeida '00, who has spent 16 years as Assistant Director of Alumni Relations for doing all the work while he got all the credit.

OPEN HOUSE - MAY 14 (5:00pm) & July 31 (6:00pm)

Part-Time, Flexible Program Offers Full-Time Advantages

Health Care institutions make up the top five employers in New York City and New York State and now St. Francis College offers a way for you to take advantage of the numerous jobs in the industry with its new Master's Degree in Management.

From Clinic Administrator to Program Manager and everything in between, this flexible, part-time program provides a clear pathway to improve your skills as a business leader and gives you the experience to advance in your current job or make a mid-career switch. The program also provides valuable tools for Non-Profits, Small Business, and Entrepreneurs.

"Because it's part-time, our MS in Management lets you keep working while you gain new skills that you can immediately take to the office," said Marie Segares, St. Francis College Management Professor and Director of the MS Management Program. "Our goal is to move people through the courses in a fast, efficient way that gives them the best opportunity to complete their Masters and kick their career into a higher gear."

Over a two and half year period, students will take 10 courses plus a capstone where they will work in a team to solve real problems with a real non-profit organization. All student must take both online and hybrid classes which require weekly visits to campus in Brooklyn Heights. The classes run 6 to 8 weeks long with all hybrid classes held in the evening.

The curriculum includes 6 foundation courses including:

• Organization and Strategy
• Marketing for Managers
• Accounting for Managers
• Information Systems for Managers

Once the core classes are completed, students select a concentration in Health Care Management of Business Management. Health Care courses include:

• U.S. Health Care Delivery
• Health Care Finance and Reimbursement

Business courses include:

• Fundamentals of Project Management
• Organizational Development and Change Management

"What's unique about our program is that we include courses in Information Technology and Project Management," added Professor Segares. "Especially with IT, managers play an ever more important role in how information systems drive a company's mission. Being able to understand IT as well as how to manage big projects is crucial."

Learn more about the Master's Degree in Management at one of two open houses:

• Monday, May 14 at 5:00pm
• Tuesday, July 31 at 6:00pm

Or contact Prof. Marie Segares directly at msegares@sfc.edu or 718-489-2025.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City's five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201

www.sfc.edu

College Consensus Looks at Rankings and Student Reviews

Putting together rankings from various publishers and student reviews from a variety of sources, the organization, College Consensus, has named St. Francis College as the 6^th Best Regional College in the North.

In an attempt to feature colleges that other rankings may overlook, College Consensus says it examines everything from academic reputation to student satisfaction, from social mobility to affordability, writing on its website, "College Consensus' ranking of the Best Regional Colleges-North recognizes the undergraduate colleges that do the job of preparing an educated workforce."

"Making a list that recognizes our mission and work is an acknowledgment of the effort put forth by the faculty, students and administrators at St. Francis College," said President Miguel Martinez-Saenz. "But what is more meaningful is what our students do with their education. Their success is our biggest reward."

Professor Emeritus Francis J. Greene returned to St. Francis College April 23, 2018 to deliver the lecture "St. Francis of Assisi: Sacred Art of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque Eras."

(Watch Franciscan Sacred Art)

Francis J. Greene Ph.D., Professor Emeritus at St. Francis College, retired in 2014 after teaching at the College for 46 years. He served as Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages, Fine Arts and International Cultural Studies for

31 years and, during that time, created a new major in International Cultural Studies with three tracks in European Studies, Latin America and the Caribbean, and International Business. Dr. Greene was a founding member of the College Honors Program and served as its first Director and again later for a total of ten years. He also served as co-Director of the Study Abroad Program, helping to expand greatly the number of students studying abroad. For many years Dr. Greene served on the Board of the United Nations Association of New York and as its Vice-President. He has been widely honored within the College and in the larger academic world, having been named, in the year 2000, Outstanding Professor in New York State by the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching and Learning. He has published and lectured extensively on 19^th century architecture, as well as on the architecture and stained glass of Brooklyn. In the past decade his research and teaching have increasingly been focused on Franciscan art and architecture over the centuries. His essays on sacred art are regularly published in Magnificat and he currently teaches courses on Franciscan art and other sacred art and architecture at the Franciscan Center of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Manhattan.

APOLOGIES FOR THE VIDEO: Due to the darkness in the room, the camera kept refocusing. We hope you don't find it too distracting from the amazing information that Dr. Greene provides.

St. Francis College proudly welcomed author and English Professor David S. Reynolds to share his thoughts on Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman and the Civil War on April 24, 2018 as part of the Spring 2018 Senior Citizen Lecture Series, From New Nation to World Power: Culture, Politics, and Society in the United States, 1789-1896.

(Learn About Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman & the Civil War)

David Reynolds is Distinguished Professor of English at the CUNY Graduate Center. He has written extensively on the literature and history of the nineteenth century, including: Mightier than the Sword: "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and the Battle for America;

Waking Giant: America in the Age of Jackson; John Brown, Abolitionist: The Man Who Sparked the Civil War, Killed Slavery, Seeded Civil Rights; and Walt Whitman's America: A Cultural Biography. He is the winner of the Bancroft Prize, the Gustavus Meyer Outstanding Book Prize, the Ambassador Book Award, and has been named to the New York Times notable books list for several of his publications.

The Senior Citizen Lecture Series was coordinated by History Professor Sara Rzeszutek and sponsored by the Department of History, the Senior Citizen Lecture Series, and the Center for Women's and Gender Studies