December 15, 2009
On Thursday, December 10, 2009 more than 60 young alumni
gathered to reconnect with friends, network and stay connected to
St. John's University at the Hip Hop Holiday Happy Hour at the
famed 40/40 Club in New York City. 
Photo Gallery
The 40/40 Club provided the perfect backdrop for recent
graduates to mingle with old friends and meet other young alumni.
For many, like Eklea Cakuli '04C the Happy Hour offered an
opportunity to experience the club for the first time. “I was
interested in coming to 40/40,” she said. “I think it’s a
great idea to have these events at exciting places around New York.
I would love to see it expanded to places close to the Queens and
Staten Island campuses.”
This was Cakuli's second Young Alumni Happy Hour, and she came
with her friend JeanPaule Christie '04C. While students,
Cakuli and Christie were Vice President and President respectively
of the Future Alumni Association [FAA] and acknowledge that their
participation in the organization is one of the reasons why they
remain connected to each other and alma mater. “This is my
third event,” said Christie. “I love coming to these gatherings and
seeing friends. Being an alumnus is a very different experience
from being a student; you have to try harder to keep in touch with
the people you saw every day.”
“These are great opportunities to see old friends,” agreed
Jonathan Crisol '08TCB. “It’s very important to stay connected to
St. John's. I did so much as a student for the school and do
not want to lose that bond.”
Crisol's sentiments were echoed by several alumni who were also
very active as students. Kudakwashe Chibanda '09TCB
participated in activities as an undergraduate that included being
a member of The President’s Society, the Mock Trial Team and
serving as a Resident Assistant. “It’s easy to lose contact after
graduation,” she noted. “This is my first event and I wanted to
make an effort to stay a part of the St. John’s community. I had
many wonderful experiences at St. John’s and was helped by a former
professor to find my first job in my field. I plan on staying
connected and hope to help grant some of the opportunities I’ve had
to other students.”
The popularity of the Young Alumni Happy Hours has continued to
grow with each event. Christian Dowdy '04C has not been to
campus in three years, but stays connected to St. John’s through
his friends. “Before these [Happy Hour] events, my friends and I
got together on our own when we could. Now we can get
together with a group of alumni on a regular basis. It’s also
great talking to the newer graduates about all the changes
happening on campus.”
Elisa Douglas '05C, Assistant Director, Student and Young Alumni
Engagement, Office of Alumni Relations is pleased with the response
to these monthly events. “We had a very pleasant turn out
tonight and for all the Young Alumni Committee events,” she said.
“The success shows how much our alumni value the relationships they
made at St. John's. We wanted to end 2009 with another successful
event and this was the perfect venue. I hope our alumni will
continue to come to future gatherings and bring more of their
friends. We're welcoming next year with a champagne toast at Flute
Gramercy on January 21, 2010 and look forward to seeing even more
familiar faces.”