November 13, 2008
The Second Annual Endowed Scholarship Dinner was celebrated on
October 28, 2008 in the Mattone Family Atrium at St. John’s School
of Law amidst a torrential rain storm that did not dampen the
enthusiasm of the students and stewards.
Stewards and Students alike shared with Law School
Administration their appreciation for the opportunity to turn an
often transactional arrangement into a relationship.
Throughout the nation students receive and fund scholarships, but
many never have the opportunity to associate a name with a
face. That is not the case at St. John’s Law School.
The students were excited to get “matched up” with their steward
and to sit down and enjoy some time to share past experiences and
dreams for the future. Stewards also treasured the chance to
meet “their student” and learn about their experiences here at the
Law School.
George Richardson, Executive Director of Development and Alumni
Relations, opened the program for the sixty plus students and
stewards in attendance, by reminding attendees, “…endowed
scholarships are not just names on a piece of paper. They are
real people who personally or through other people created
scholarships in order to make a tangible difference in the lives of
deserving students.”
Speaking on behalf of the students was scholarship recipient
Kristin Roshelli (2L) a graduate from the University of
Pennsylvania, a registered nurse and a retired Captain of the
United States Air Force. She was also the founding president
of the newly formed student run Armed Forces Society. Ms.
Roselli spoke about her life before and during law school and
thanked the scholarship donors for their generosity which made the
scholarship possible. To many scholarship recipients, the
scholarships reduce the financial burden associated with being a
law student. Ms. Roshelli closed her remarks with, “One of
the great aspects of St. John’s Law is certainly the alumni who are
so supportive of the students and the Law School. As the next
generation of St. John’s Law alumni, we feel honored to earn a
scholarship and understand how helpful it is to receive financial
support. We hope to be scholarship donors in the future and
continue the supportive network that you have created.”
During the events closing remarks, Vice Dean Andrew J. Simons
praised the accomplishments and academic prowess of present day
students. He mentioned to those in attendance of the proverb,
“it is better to give than to receive,” and further stated, “but
I'd like to paraphrase it to say that ‘it is good to give, and it
is good to receive.’ It is good for the alums to give because
it supports their alma mater and helps the students reduce their
debt and dependency on loans, and it is good for the students
because they obtain some financial support and learn the benefits
of contributing to their alma mater, something we hope they will do
as they develop their careers in the law."
If you would like to learn more about how you can support our
students by establishing an endowed scholarship, please contact
George Richardson at (718) 990-5792 or at richardg@stjohns.edu.