St. John's News

St. John’s University’s School of Education Begins 100 Year Celebration

September 25, 2008

More than $450,000 Raised for Endowed Centennial Scholarship Fund to Benefit Students

St. John’s University’s The School of Education, founded in 1908 as The School of Pedagogy, begins its 100-year Centennial Celebration with a Gala Dinner and Dance to be held on September 27, 2008, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan.

The School of Education has already raised $450,000 toward an Endowed Centennial Scholarship Fund with a goal to reach in excess of $1 million to benefit current and future St. John’s students.

The Gala Dinner and Dance, a sold-out affair with more than 600 scheduled to attend, will honor the accomplishments of the following esteemed professionals:

  • Dr. John Brademas, President Emeritus, New York University
  • Mr. Peter Gelb, General Manager, The Metropolitan Opera
  • Mr. Peter Grauer, Chairman of the Board, Inner City Scholarship Fund
  • Ms. Carol Gresser, Former President, New York City Board of Education
  • Mr. Charles McQuade, Chairman of the Board, Futures in Education
  • Msgr. John J. Bracken, Vicar General for Temporalities, The Diocese of Brooklyn

Dr. Jerrold Ross, Dean of The School of Education since 1995, has provided strong leadership for and carries on the mission of the University while boasting a roster of dedicated alumni, faculty and staff.

“The rich tradition of St. John’s University’s School of Education continues into this century. Our Mission, as a global institution of higher learning, is to strive for excellence and innovation as we prepare today’s educators and administrators for success in tomorrow’s world-wide workplace,” said Dean Ross.

The School is known for its outstanding alumni, who hold prominent leadership positions in education nationwide, expert instruction and teaching methods that lead students toward successful career paths, and its quality Graduate degree programs offered at the University’s campus locations in Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and Oakdale, NY as well as its study abroad programs for in-service teachers in Europe and the Dominican Republic.

Throughout the course of the 2008-09 academic school year, The School of Education will continue its Centennial Celebration by hosting their annual Carol Gresser Forums, which bring the top names in the field of education to the St. John’s campus, as well as professional development seminars, guest lecturers, networking events and new programming initiatives.

At the present time, The School of Education is working jointly with the Department of Education in New York City to provide resources, faculty and curriculum to several Catholic Schools that are facing closure and financial hardship, as well as creating new programming to provide Middle School aged students an alternative education with instruction and class curriculum to begin in October at St. John’s Manhattan campus, and their just completed annual summer After-School All-Stars program was a huge success in providing athletic and academic learning for parents and students from the Department of Homeless Services in New York.

For more information on the Centennial Celebration, visit: www.stjohns.edu/education/celebrating100years. You can also visit The School of Education web site or contact us at (718) 990-2421.

Interested media are asked to call Dominic Scianna, Assistant Vice President for Media Relations at St. John’s University at (718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu.