Charter Day Celebrates Brooklyn Community
In a celebration of scholarship and leadership, St. Francis College proudly celebrated its 131st Charter Day convocation by recognizing St. Francis’ top students as well as Brooklyn’s educational, community, and business leaders on May 1.
The event began with a welcome from President Brendan J. Dugan ’68. David Lönnberg, President of the Duns Scotus Honor Society followed by welcoming the new class of Duns Scotus Members.
The college’s new CIO, alumna Madalyn Hanley ’80 then awarded St. Francis students Wanda M. Guevares, Krystal Maldonado, and Festim Noka with a National Grid Scholarship and Internship for the coming school year. Before coming to St. Franics, Hanley worked at National Grid for 34 years, most recently as Global Vice President for IT. She is one of more than 100 graduates who went to work for the company and its precursors, Brooklyn Union and KeySpan. This is the tenth year that National Grid has awarded the internships and scholarships to St. Francis College students.
The Keynote Speaker & Honorary Degree Recipient for Charter Day was Frank DeRosa, who spent more than 30 years as Director of Communications for the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. DeRosa was introduced by Monsignor John J. Bracken a member of the St. Francis Board of Trustees.
An Honorary Degree was also awarded to Madeline Scotto, a life-long educator who at 100 years old is now the Math Bee coach at St. Ephrem’s Elementary School in Dyker Heights where she taught full time for 60 years. Scotto was introduced by the Chair of the English Department Richard Giaquinto.
Andrew Kimball, the CEO of Industry City received the St. Francis College Entrepreneurship Award. At Industry City, Kimball will oversee a 12-year, $1 billion redevelopment of the site that will create 20,000 jobs.
The St. Clare Medal of Service was awarded to Detective Salvatore Ferrante and Detective Fredrick Mitchell of the 84th Precinct. A Special Tribute to the 84th Precinct was also presented to Captain Sergio Centa.
The College also honors its own on Charter Day, offering special recognition to faculty, administrators and staff who have served at St. Francis for 15 and 25 years.
Duns Scotus Honor Society Inductees
Founded in 1935, the Duns Scotus Society is named for the Blessed Duns Scotus, a Franciscan scholar and champion of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception. Election to membership in the Society is based on scholastic standing, participation in extracurricular activities, evidence of loyalty to the ideals of St. Francis College and demonstration of a true Franciscan spirit.
Duns Scotus Inductees
Chantell Manola Chimbo
Nicole Donatantonio
Dragana Dzigurski
Stephanie Shereene Fevrier
Katie Ann Fox
Lisa Marie Geraci
Katherine H. Hickman
Phoebe Wai-Yin Lee
Ashley Morgan McAvoy
Kelsey Papanicolaou
John Adrian Sundqvist
Liam Kendall Veazey
Taylor Lynn Watson
Honorary Duns Scotus Inductees
Alexandria Egler (Religious Studies, Office of the President)
Bro. Geoffrey Clement (History)
Pax et Bonum Medal
Instituted by the Board of Trustees and named from one of the earliest greetings of St. Francis of Assisi, this medal recognizes and honors those members of the faculty who have completed 15 or 25 years or more of dedicated, loyal preeminent service at St. Francis College. “Peace and Goodness” is a simple yet meaningful expression of the objective of Franciscan educators.
15 years
Frank D'Esposito (Information Technology)
Jennifer M. Lancaster, Ph.D. (Chair, Psychology)
Jaskiran K. Mathur, Ph.D. (Sociology & Criminal Justice, Director, Professional Studies)
Sandra Westcott, DPS (Information Technology)
25 years
Bro. Edward Wesley ‘68, OSF, Ph.D. (English)
President’s Award
The President’s Award was instituted in 1972 to honor non-instructional personnel and the significant contribution they make to St. Francis College. The award recognizes administration and staff who have 15 years and 25 years of meritorious service.
15 years
Ghazala N. Afzal (Academic Enhancement)
Romona Caramico ’11 (Admissions)
Steven L. Catalano (Institutional Research)
Donna M. DeSiena (Alumni Relations)
Angel R. Devarez (Facilities)
Alexandria M. Egler (President’s Office, Religious Studies)
Ronald Ganulin (Athletics)
Dennis J. McDermott ’74 (Alumni Relations)
Matthew J. Sherwin (Academic Enhancement)
Charter Day commemorates May 8, 1884, the day the Legislature of the State of New York granted an official Charter to the Board of Trustees of St. Francis Monastery allowing the College to formally award degrees to students. The St. Francis Academy was founded almost thirty years earlier in 1859 by two Franciscan Brothers who were sent to Brooklyn from Ireland with the mission of educating the borough’s working class people.
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