Dr. Gempesaw named to “Queens Power 50” list by City and State New York

November 4, 2016

Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D., President of St. John’s University, was recently ranked #6 on the City and State “Queens Power 50” list and was a featured panelist at a networking breakfast celebrating the honorees.

The “Queens Power 50” list is published by City and State New York, a must-read media publication that covers government and politics and business in New York.  The list featured leaders of private industry, business executives, members of the public sector, non-profits, leaders in higher education, labor organizers, and local community activists.  With a focus on borough leaders who are not elected officials, the list represents and celebrated the diversity that is a trademark of the economic vitality of Queens County, often referred as “the World’s Borough.”

In the citation highlighting Dr. Gempesaw, City and State wrote:

“The Catholic Church is a powerful institution in all five boroughs.  In Queens, its influence is seen best in the Church’s jewel of higher education, St. John’s University.  It is the nation’s third-largest Catholic University with more than 20,000 students, most of them on the Queens Campus.  But while its Catholic ties are important, the school has impact far exceeding its Vincentian mission.  The hiring of Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw in 2014 signaled a shift in the history of the University.  He is the first professional educator and lay person to run the institution, focusing heavily on improving the educational environment for students as well as expanding on partnerships with the community and abroad.  The campus is an anchor of economic development in the heart of the borough and Gempesaw had made integration of the campus and the community a key part of his vision for the school.”

                -City and State Magazine, October 31, 2016

At the standing-room only breakfast held fittingly in the shadow of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge at the Ravel Hotel in Long Island City, Dr. Gempesaw participated in the breakfast “Power Panel.”  He shared how Strategic Priority 4: Expand global and community partnerships is a testament to the ongoing commitment of the University and its Catholic, Vincentian mission to reach beyond our gates and beyond our borders.