St. Thomas Aquinas College Forges Alliance with St. John’s University

Sparkill, NY (September 23, 2005) -- St. John’s University Provost, Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D and St. Thomas Aquinas College’s (STAC) Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, L. John Durney, Ed.D., officially signed an alliance on Wednesday, that will allow academically talented students at STAC to take entry level graduate courses in specific areas of study in the Graduate Division of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Alliance, signed at the St. Thomas Aquinas College campus in Sparkill, NY, was made possible by the dedication of many and was spearheaded by St. John’s Assistant Dean and Director of Special Academic Programs, Patrick Pearse McGuire, Ed.D. and Vice President for University Ministry and Interim Vice President of Student Affairs, Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., D.Min., who both were in attendance for the historic occasion.  Dr. Xiangping Kong, Director of Institutional Research and Program Development at STAC was also instrumental in this Alliance. 

The signing also makes it possible for undergraduate students at STAC interested in library science to take a limited number or select number of graduate library science courses and upon graduation from STAC, seek admission to the library science program with accumulation of up to 12 credits. Students studying in the library science program can take courses to prepare them to work in a variety of library settings such as public, school, academic and special libraries as children’s librarian, school media specialist, reference librarian, as well as an academic or special librarian.

“As a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas College, I know firsthand the quality education they provide. Students are more than adequately prepared to make that next step into graduate education,” said current St. John’s library science graduate student, Lauren Cully. “Students who decide to take part in this new program will help to enrich the academic community at St. John’s with their own ideas and way of thinking, as well as bring new concepts and challenges back to their classroom at St. Thomas.”

For more information and photos from the event, please contact, Dominic Scianna, Director of Media Relations at (718) 990-6185 or at sciannad@stjohns.edu.

(Click image to view full size) L. John Durney, Ed.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, St. Thomas Aquinas College
(Click image to view full size) Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D, Provost, St. John’s University and L. John Durney, Ed.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, St. Thomas Aquinas College
(Click image to view full size) L. John Durney, Ed.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, St. Thomas Aquinas College
(Click image to view full size) (Left-Right): Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Vice President for University Ministry and Interim Vice President of Student Affairs, Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D, Provost, St. John’s University, L. John Durney, Ed.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, St. Thomas Aquinas College
(Click image to view full size) Julia A. Upton, RSM, Ph.D, Provost, St. John’s University
(Click image to view full size) Officials from St. Thomas Aquinas College and St. John’s University at the signing of an alliance allowing students at STAC to take graduate entry level courses at St. John's University
(Click image to view full size) Officials from St. Thomas Aquinas College and St. John’s University at the signing of an alliance allowing students at STAC to take graduate entry level courses at St. John's University
(Click image to view full size) Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Vice President for University Ministry and Interim Vice President of Student Affairs