St. John's News

Spring Break usually conjures up thoughts and images of Cancun or Fort Lauderdale, but not for a group of student leaders at St. John’s University.

These student leaders—from student government, from the Greek societies, from the L.E.A.D. (Leadership, Education And Development) program and from the Orientation program—were working far and near during their breaks and recently came together to dine and to pray and to reflect on the service projects they undertook locally, nationally or internationally.

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In his welcome to the student leaders, Darren Morton, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, said that the essence of service has its roots in the Gospel and other great religious traditions and emphasized that ministry to others is the core value of faith.

Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Vice President of Student Affairs, reminded those gathered at the dinner of the story of St. Vincent de Paul’s conversion, of his change in mission from one of self-focus (being chaplain to a rich family and enjoying all the perquisites that entails) to one of service to others, in particular the poor, and how his leading through example practically changed the face of the Church.

“The impact of Vincent’s service to the poor was not truly known at the time,” noted Fr. Maher. “But its results are now felt 400 years later throughout the world.”

Students Offered Reflections on Their Service
Judging by the reflections they offered, students were firmly connected to St. John’s Vincentian mission, which calls for becoming personally involved with the poor and providing them with service, support and practical problem solving.

“This year,” Assistant Vice President Morton says, “we started a more robust initiative of leadership in service. We wanted to truly connect students to the Vincentian charism.”

St. John’s Junior Nicole Thomas went with 10 of her peers from L.E.A.D. and three facilitators to the Romero Center in Camden, New Jersey, a city she describes as “the second poorest in the nation,” to serve the less fortunate.

Amid, she says, “9 square miles of poverty, drug abuse, ignorance, corruption, and violence…I met people who seem to have so little at first, but when you take a closer look they have all the love in the world to give. I met people who feel the pain of others and live to console it.  It is these people who walk in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul and who share their mission and purpose.” 

Nicole remains in awe of a man the children in the neighborhood called “Papa,” the owner of a local thrift store. 

“This man told us stories of children that he picked up off the streets and took care of as if they were his own.  Stories of children that he rescued from drug-addicted parents and abusive homes.  He told us about anti-drug protests that he organized and his success in deterring drug deals being made.  He touched my heart with his dedication to helping the children of his community and serving to make the world a better place.” 

The St. John’s leaders pitched in to help Papa, organizing his inventory and cleaning the store, “a small favor,” she says, “to repay him for how much he had done for us through his stories and his love.” 

Staten Island Orientation Leader Michael Valdes traveled to New Orleans during winter intersession with a group of other Orientation Leaders. There he saw the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina more than two years previous and rolled up his sleeves to gut houses and clear debris from homes destroyed by the storm. He reports that the experience has him counting his own blessings.

“Hand in hand with that appreciation, however, went a newfound admiration for the people of New Orleans. Due to the unfortunate circumstances associated with Hurricane Katrina, they were forced into a difficult situation, but it did not show. Their incredible hospitality and genuinely warm dispositions was something I looked up to. It inspired me to be more like them, and that will hopefully be reflected in our great St. John’s community.”

Sophomore Jacquelyn Torres, a sister of Theta Phi Alpha Fraternity, represented St. John's with other members of Greek Life at Give Kids the World during Spring Break. Located in Kissimmee, Florida, near Orlando, Give Kids the World is a non-profit resort for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Jacquelyn recalled mentoring and working with the children throughout the week and, in particular, one child named Caleb whom she met at the weekly “Village Idol” show (modeled after television’s “American Idol”). Being with Caleb enabled her to see the world through the eyes of a child who would never experience all the wonders and mysteries of life.

“Our last night of service, I was fortunate to see Caleb again [at] ‘Christmas Day at Give Kids the World.’  Due to lack of time in some cases for the children with a terminal disease, Christmas is held weekly on the premises so that every child experiences Christmas one last time. This is probably the best night for the families; they get to experience the true winter wonderland with snow. This experience taught me that although each of us wanted to spend so much time working with the children and their families, every bit of service in the village somehow affects and helps the children.”

Also attending the Reunion Service Dinner were student government leaders from all three New York City campuses who served during winter break. They traveled to Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, where they studied The Theology of St. Vincent de Paul (Theology 3410), at the University of Puerto Rico’s campus there and taught math and English to children at Colegio Sagrade Corazon de Jesus, a local elementary/middle school. Another service opportunity is scheduled for the student government representatives in August when they’ll go to Rome to perform a variety of service focused on the poor and homeless.

Service to Others Ripples Outward
St. John’s Executive Vice President and COO James P. Pellow, Ed.D., who was invited to the dinner, offered closing remarks to the group.

“I’d like to offer one more strand to tonight’s stories,” he said. “I ask you to consider how the core values in the great religious traditions, the conversion story of Vincent and your action of service relate to your role and purpose as students.”

“St. John’s mission,” Dr. Pellow observed, “is to prepare – in a distinctively Catholic and Vincentian way – leaders of our communities: to prepare you, our students, for successful careers or ministries in whichever occupations you choose. The proof of our success in fulfilling this mission lies in our graduates, our alumni and our students.”

“My message to you tonight is one of gratitude and respect,” he continued. “You are proof that St. John’s is helping prepare leaders who are destined to achieve success in many, many ministries. Each of your personal stories of conversion show your direct engagement in service to others – and that service is like a pebble thrown on a pond, rippling outward, in Camden, in New Orleans, in Florida, in Puerto Rico. As with Vincent, the impact of your service is yet to be fully understood.”

Mary Pelkowski, Director of Leadership Development, reports that there are more than 700 student leaders at St. John’s University and that number is expected to grow exponentially as the student leaders’ stories ripple across St. John’s campuses. St. John’s already has planned the next trip to New Orleans. “Sold out the same day it was announced,” she adds. “There’s an interest and a passion there.”

Certainly there is a passion and a commitment among the group that served during these recent winter and spring breaks. There was even conversion, which Nicole Thomas captured in her reflection: “The Plunge has taught me to live selflessly and to help others as much as I can. There is a quote written in the common room of the Romero Center that states, “So you say you love the poor… name them.”  I have found that this is what service is all about; immersing oneself in the cause that one claims to believe in.”