By Barry Moskowitz
Queens, NY — When Joseph J. Tufano stood to speak before a
recent luncheon gathering of local technology leaders from Long
Island, NY, he had one thought in mind: each professional in the
audience represented a potential “client” of St. John’s
University.
Mr. Tufano, the University’s Chief Information Officer, was a
keynote speaker at the May 17th meeting of The Association of
Information Technology Professionals’ Long Island chapter
(AITP-LI). More than 6,000 information technology leaders from
across the country belong to the organization.
“They were definitely an impressive group,” says Mr. Tufano.
“And every one of them could one day enter into a relationship with
St. John’s. They might be able to offer our students internships or
job opportunities. More than a few of them might decide to send
their children to be educated at St. John’s.”
Knowing this, Mr. Tufano wanted to share a message: “When it
comes to technology and education, St. John’s is a force to be
reckoned with in the metropolitan area.”
“We want to put St. John’s and its students on the radar of the
New York area’s technology leaders,” says Robert A. Barone,
Assistant Dean and Director of Planning in the College of
Professional Studies at St. John’s. As a University member of
AITP-LI, Dean Barone invited Mr. Tufano to speak before the
group.
Students and faculty at St. John’s, Dean Barone notes, need to
join forces with “the movers and shakers” in technology-related
industries. “We have a lot to contribute,” says Dean Barone. “I’ll
never forget a meeting I had with the CIO of a top biomedical
organization on Long Island. He said his company actually has
trouble finding skilled computer scientists. St. John’s could fill
a real need for companies like his.”
At the meeting, Mr. Tufano and five other speakers received
plaques thanking them for their remarks. The meeting -- at
Milleredge Cottage in Jericho, NY – drew about 100 CIOs from
corporations like Computer Associates, Cisco, JetBlue Airways,
Brookhaven Laboratories and other leading corporations throughout
the metropolitan area.
“It was an impressive group,” says Dean Barone, “and everyone
was interested in what St. John’s is doing, because just about
everyone has heard of St. John’s.”
The event allowed Mr. Tufano to showcase some of St. John’s most
recent achievements in technology. For example, Mr. Tufano noted
that St. John’s is the only New York-area university ranked in
Intel’s Top-Ten “Most Unwired Colleges.” St. John’s also is named
among IBM’s “Heroes of Technology.”
Mr. Tufano paid special attention to the University’s Laptop
Program, which provides every new undergraduate with an IBM
notebook computer, and the Portable Professor Program, which trains
faculty to more effectively use technology in the classroom.
The College of Professional Studies and the University’s Career
Center coordinate St. John’s membership in AITP-LI. The University
is looking into upgrading its membership in the prestigious
professional organization.
“There are so many benefits to being involved,” says Dean
Barone. “Networking is vital at a time when the industry’s most
cutting-edge knowledge is shared through networking efforts like
this. At the same time, AITP offers scholarships, internships and
other opportunities to students.” Above all, says Dean Barone, “We
want St. John’s name to be out there.”
For Mr. Tufano, visibility is a well-earned reward for St.
John’s. “Leaders begin to look at us as being among their peers,”
he says. “We get to exchange ideas, talk about innovations. I want
people to understand that St. John’s is a top player in technology
– a peer among the best.”