September 3, 2013
There are good teachers. There are great teachers.
And once in a while, there are teachers like Marilyn Verna '66Ed, '96Ed.D., who are in a class all their own.
Marilyn spent her entire professional life in the classroom, and whether she was teaching Mathematics to fifth graders or Educational Research at the college level, she made sure that there was always something unique about the way she interacted with her students.
"No matter where I was teaching, I always tried my best to be more than simply someone who provided information," she says. "That's necessary, of course, but for me it wasn't sufficient. One of my goals was to make every student feel special, to believe in themselves and come away from my class really feeling that they could accomplish great things if they set their mind to it. I did that whether I was teaching gifted students or those in Special Education, and in my heart I know that it made a difference."
The Secret to Success
Looking back over a lifetime on the teacher's side of the desk, Marilyn credits her years as an undergraduate on the Schermerhorn Street campus of St. John's University as the time when she realized that the best teachers were the ones who connected with their students on a human level. She recalled that from her first days at the University, there was a genuine sense of warmth that made her feel that she had become a part of a very loving family.
"St. John's prepared me very well for my career," she notes. "And it wasn't just about what went on in the lectures. There was a real camaraderie among everyone there, a real closeness that was something I've never found anywhere else. It's so different at St. John's from any other school I've ever attended. It was like that when I was an undergraduate, and it was still like that when I went back many years later for my doctorate. Going back to St. John's was like coming home, and it was like I had never left. We were a family again."
As with any family, staying in touch is important, so it comes as no surprise that this loyal alumna stays in contact with many of the friends that were so important to her as an undergraduate. She is particularly close to a woman she met when they were filling out their programs prior to attending their first class as St. John's students. Although separated by both time and distance, Marilyn is happy that they have stayed in touch and remain friends to this day.
She is also proud that she has remained connected to many of her former students, particularly those who sat in her classes so many years ago.
"To this day, I still meet with some of the students who were in one of my fifth grade classes from the early 1970s," she says. "And it makes me so happy to see them and learn about what's going on in their lives. I've always told my students that they were the best, and that they needed to believe in themselves. I recently heard from a retired police officer who was one of my students many years ago. He told me that he never forgot what I told him, and that it made such a lasting impact on his life. That was probably one of the nicest things I've ever heard, and I owe it all to St. John's."
Giving Thanks by Giving Back
Marilyn believes in giving back to the University in a variety of ways. She has made gifts to St. John's Library and is an active member of The McCallen Society, believing that by establishing her legacy at St. John's she will be showing her lasting appreciation to the University while also reaching out to future students who may one day follow in her footsteps. An outgoing person by nature, she also enjoys the many opportunities to socialize with other alumni at numerous McCallen Society events throughout the year.
"I love being a member of The McCallen Society," she remarks. "Whenever a group of us get together, it's like it was only yesterday that we were all back on campus. Even if we don't know each other, there's a connection that we all have to St. John's, and that bond is what makes us feel like we're old friends. The University has done so much for so many people, and I'm happy to do what I can to keep that greatness alive, not just for today but as far as we can see into the future. For me, St. John's will always be a family – and it's a nice family!"
If you would like to make a long-term commitment to supporting the St. John's family, please contact our Planned Giving office at (718) 990-7562 or [email protected].