Dr. James P. Pellow describes himself as “driven to succeed, to
make a difference, to serve others and to make vision become
reality,” He has used his creative genius and exceptional
energy for more than two decades to do precisely that.
Spirit of Service Award Video Presentation
Pellow earned his B.B.A. in 1983 and his M.B.A. in 1986, both
from Niagara University. Like St. John’s, Niagara University is
sponsored by the Vincentian community, and it was as a student that
he initially became immersed in the values of St. Vincent de Paul.
That commitment to service has remained with him to this day.
After a stint in the financial services industry, he began what
would become a stellar career in higher education. He started as
Controller of St. John’s University, assuming positions of greater
importance and serving for more than a decade as Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating Officer before leaving last June to
assume his current position as President and CEO of the Council on
International Educational Exchange.
During his time at St. John’s Pellow was instrumental in
transforming the University from a relatively local commuter school
into an institution with a worldwide reputation for academic
excellence coupled with a commitment to social justice. His many
accomplishments leave no doubt that although he will be forever
remembered as a very special member of the St. John’s family; his
influence has extended well beyond the boundaries of the
campus.
In 1996 he co-founded the New York City chapter of After School
All-Stars, a national charity that provides literacy programs for
thousands of inner-city youth each year. In 2006 he was a driving
force that led the University to assume legal responsibility for
St. John’s Bread and Life, the largest soup kitchen in Brooklyn and
one of the borough’s most comprehensive and successful social
service providers. The next year he headed an effort to expand the
focus of St. John’s study abroad programs to include both greater
access for students at all income levels and a commitment to
service that would allow students to carry the Vincentian message
throughout the international communities in which they were
studying. In 2009, he was instrumental in forming a partnership
between the University and the New York City Department of Homeless
Services to provide an opportunity for homeless and formerly
homeless individuals to earn an Associate Degree, breaking the
cycles of poverty and homelessness through higher education.
Probably his most visionary achievement was the Vincentian
Institute for Social Action (VISA), launched at St. John’s in 2009
and designed to foster collaboration between students and faculty
on research and service projects that will identify the causes of
poverty and seek to develop practical solutions. VISA also serves
as the coordinating entity for the University’s academic service
learning activities, an innovative program in which service is
combined with reflection and thereby enriches a student’s
educational experience while fostering the development of faith and
values.
In recognition of his myriad accomplishments, in May a grateful
University awarded Pellow the prestigious President’s Medal.