The College adds 18 new undergraduate courses in biology,
English, government and politics, history, mathematics, physics,
psychology and sociology. A Master of Science in Biology with a
concentration in biotechnology and a Master of Arts degree in
Criminology and Justice were also implemented.
Undergraduate enrollment rises, up 12% from Fall 2001.
The Center for Psychological Services and Clinical Studies
celebrates its 15th anniversary, having provided psychological
services to the community while serving as a training site for our
doctoral students in clinical and school psychology.
Student Shari Lee, who is studying library and information
science, is awarded a Gates Millennium Scholarship, a program set
up to reduce the financial barriers to a college education for
outstanding minority students from low-income families. In March,
Ms. Lee met with Bill and Melinda Gates to discuss the impact of
this program on her life and as a student at St. John’s.
Cristina Ridgely, who is pursuing a degree in the joint BA/MA
program in History and a minor in Africana Studies, completes a
semester long internship at the Kenya Mission to the United
Nations. She will spend the fall term studying abroad in Ghana.
Cristina is a Ronald E. McNair Scholar for the 2003-2004 academic
year. This Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program established by the
U.S. Department of Education assists first generation/income
eligible college students and groups traditionally underrepresented
in graduate education. She is one of 15 students accepted
annually.
A Revitalized Honors Program
St. John’s Honors Program has a new headquarters, a new commons and
a new curriculum. With these changes St. John’s has welcomed a
wealth of new Honors students. Dr. Lisa M. Dolling, Executive
Director of the program, boasts, “We have students here that could
have gone to Vassar and Boston College and Holy Cross and NYU…that
turned down scholarships to Villanova to come here because of the
Honors Program.”
The Honors Program features seminar-style courses; opportunities
for advanced research and in-depth discussions with Honors
professors; and the camaraderie of a diverse, close-knit community
of other remarkable students.
All course work prepares students for a “capstone experience.”
This is where the writing, research and critical thinking skills
gained are applied to an independent project of the student’s own
design.
The program offers a wide variety of special programs, services
and facilities as well. Most notable are the Preferential Residence
Hall Assignments. Honors students who live on-campus have the
option of selecting a “quiet” wing of the residence hall where they
can live among students who also seek a more “study-friendly”
atmosphere.
The revitalized Honors Program brings to the University a
stronger learning environment and improved academic resources. The
Program sponsors and promotes extracurricular activities at the
University, from guest speakers to reading groups. This is yet
another outstanding academic program that provides every student
with greater academic and cultural opportunities here and after
they leave St. John’s.
A Historic Fulbright
Dr. Konrad Tuchscherer, Assistant Professor of History at St.
John's University, is awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to conduct
research in Cameroon during the 2003-2004 academic year.
Tuchscherer, a specialist in African history and languages, will
conduct fieldwork on vanishing African alphabets in the western
grassfield region of Cameroon. In 1999, Tuchscherer discovered the
characters of an extinct writing system known as “Bagam.”
Tuchscherer is one of approximately 800 U.S. faculty and
professionals who will travel abroad to some 140 countries for the
2003-2004 academic year through the Fulbright Scholar Program.