A combination of Brooklyn's business elite, celebrity chef David Burke, top students and a collection of generous friends and family of St. Francis College came together to raise $485,000 at the 50th Annual Charter Award Dinner on April 14 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

As an homage to the forgotten and seldom talked about minor characters in novels, speaker Kate Christensen (2008 PEN/Faulkner Award winner), read three scenes from her various books as the latest speaker in the Walt Whitman Writers Series as St. Francis College on April 11.

A spirited debate on the maturity of men and their place in society was held at St. Francis College on April 4, featuring social critic Kay S. Hymowitz, author of Manning Up: How the Rise of Women Has Turned Men into Boys and two St. Francis professors; Chair of the Psychology Department Michele Hirsch and History Professor Eric Platt.

More than 150 people from around the world, including 90 St. Francis College students from ten academic departments, came to the College on April 2nd to attend the conference, Women's Health: Science, Technology and Society. The conference, which was chaired by Dr. Irina Ellison, Assistant Professor of Biology and Health Promotion at St. Francis College and Vice President of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS) Metro NY Chapter, took a unique approach to women's health by examining the subject through a variety of disciplines including basic science, psychology, sociology, history, public health, philosophy, nursing and medicine.

Time is running out for writers to submit their books for the second edition of the St. Francis College $50,000 Literary Award, one of the richest literary prizes in the United States. Submissions from a mid-career writer for their third to fifth book are due May 1, 2011.

Fans and followers of celebrated American playwright Arthur Miller came out to St. Francis College on March 30 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Broadway premiere of his play An Enemy of the People.

The New York State budget is passed but the debate over what's in the budget and how it will affect people across the state and the future economy remains a pressing issue. A lively discussion on those positions took place March 29 at St. Francis College between E.J. McMahon of the Manhattan Institute's Empire Center and former Westchester Assemblyman Richard Brodsky. Fred Siegel, visiting professor at St. Francis moderated the panel.

Setting out to reshape the context of women artists in the music industry, Le Tigre came together in the late 90's with a combination of danceable music and overtly feminist lyrics. Band member Johanna Fateman and the director of the documentary Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre: On Tour, Kerthy Fix, talked about the movie at a standing room only screening and question and answer session on Wednesday, March 23 at St. Francis College.

St. Francis College's Director of Alumni Relations and Graduate of the Class of '74, Dennis McDermott was honored as the Irishman of the Year at the Tenth Annual St. Patrick's Day Breakfast hosted by Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes, Al O'Hagan and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz on Thursday, March 17 at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

On March 17, a crowd of students, faculty, and members of the community gathered in the Maroney Forum for Arts, Culture & Education at St. Francis College for a reading by author Nahid Rachlin from her book, Persian Girls: A Memoir, followed by a Question & Answer session, book signing and reception in the theater's lobby. The intimate setting was appropriate for a reading that delved deep into the author's personal life.