“I am absolutely ecstatic to be teaching here at St. John’s,”
says alumni and professor Diane Hardej ’95G, ’03Ph.D. Having
been a St. John’s student herself, Dr. Hardej understands St.
John’s commitment to fostering its academic community, “I was eager
to apply for a position at St. John’s College of Pharmacy because
of its pleasant atmosphere and the collegiality I observed while
going to school.”
Dr. Hardej is currently teaching several courses including
graduate toxicology and believes that the most gratifying part of
being an educator is having a positive impact on her students’
lives, “Hands down, the most fulfilling experience in my career as
an educator has to be having students come back and tell me how my
influence, my encouragement or my instruction has made a major
difference in the course of their lives.”
Dr. Hardej believes in pushing her students to reach their full
potential, “I consider myself to be a rather demanding instructor,
but I try to do it in a way that will encourage students to be more
demanding of themselves and yet not totally overwhelm them. I
think I’ve been successful in accomplishing that, or at least I’ve
had many students tell me that the knowledge they’ve gained from my
instruction has been very valuable to them.”
Not only is Dr. Hardej an alumna and faculty member, she is also
an active participant in the University’s many community service
projects: “By participating in events like University Service Day,
I’ve tried to deliver the mission of St. Vincent to my students
through example. I always encourage my students to participate in
service events, such as “Relay for Life,” Service Day, blood drives
and other events that give back to the University community through
donations or service.”