October 06, 2009
Meet Sherwin Cadore, 2009-10 President’s
Society Member
This spring, 29 new members were inducted into St. John’s
University’s President’s Society. This most prestigious
organization is made up of students whose scholarship, integrity
and maturity are accompanied by leadership skills demonstrated by
their significant contribution to the extracurricular life at St.
John’s.
Founded in 1968 to showcase the “best and brightest” among the
student body during a tumultuous time when the national perception
of college students was vastly negative, the President’s Society
still represents all that is best in St. John’s students.
The
new Society members — 19 female and 10 male — are now considered
staff in the office of University President Rev. Donald J.
Harrington, C.M. During the upcoming year, they will typically
attend 15-20 presidential functions, acting as hosts for honored
guests who might include world or national leaders, Board members,
industry titans, and St. John’s alumni and friends.
Interested students apply for membership in the Society in their
third year and serve during their fourth year. Three equally
important criteria are considered: academic achievement (generally
a 3.5 grade average); a comprehensive knowledge of the University
and an ability to articulate it fluently; and sustained leadership
within the University that includes service both on and off St.
John’s campuses. Members are selected by a committee of University
administrators after an intensive application and interview
process.
Serving as a Role Model: Sherwin Cadore, ‘10
When he arrived for Freshman Orientation at St. John’s University,
Sherwin Cadore listened to strong messages of support and
encouragement from Orientation leaders, faculty, administrators and
others from every corner of the University. He heard the messages,
but wasn’t sure if he believed them.
“I asked myself, ‘How much of this can be real?’” In his time at
St. John’s, Sherwin set out to answer his own question, adding that
“I’ve never been disappointed.”
Four years have passed, and Sherwin credits many members of the St.
John’s family for his recent induction into the President’s
Society. “Since freshman year I wanted to be more than just a
student coming to class who only had a loose connection with the
University.”
A
Management major in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business,
Sherwin had a mission when he arrived at St. John’s. He wanted to
know what made students excel. “It didn’t take long for me to put
two and two together. You extend yourself beyond the classroom,
engage in extracurricular activities that support your academic
goals and give you a practical outlet. That’s a recipe for
success.”
Several friends of Sherwin’s were members of the President’s
Society and encouraged him to apply. “I became excited at the
opportunities being in the President’s Society offered me, and what
you can accomplish as a member” — including serving as a role model
for others.
Being a role model means that people look to you for answers and
direction, Sherwin observed. “You’re really conscious of your
actions, how you carry yourself and the things you value.”
Reflection and Support
From the beginning of his career at St. John’s, Sherwin embraced
the Vincentian ideal of service to those less fortunate.
Orientation leaders encouraged him to develop that sense of mission
and he did so by distributing food to homeless New Yorkers through
“midnight runs” and serving in soup kitchens. He participated in
Academic Service-Learning as a freshman as well. Of his experience
with service, he observed that what stayed with him the longest was
the reflection that followed.
Sherwin praised St. John’s for helping develop his desire not only
to perform service, but to consider the meaning and impact of those
works. Reflection “is really the greatest part of (service),” he
said, adding that “it guides my direction for the next step.”
Many fellow students and faculty members have gone “above and
beyond the call of duty” mentoring Sherwin and helping shape his
St. John’s experience. “For those students that want the extra
support, (the University) makes sure it’s there. Each of these
individuals has touched a different part of my student
experience.”
Along with these activities, Sherwin said his undergraduate
experience at St. John's was made even more vibrant by additional
opportunities to mentor his fellow students. For example, during
his three years as a tutor at the Institute for Writing Studies,
Sherwin helped students strengthen their skills at composing essays
and research papers. He also is helping students adjust to college
life as a Senior Resident Assistant in Hollis Hall.
From extracurricular activities to the classroom, Sherwin said, the
support system at St. John’s has prepared him well for leadership
roles in the future. “The things I’ve done here have made me more
confident. And if I don’t know the answer to something, there are
resources all around me and people willing to help.”
Sherwin noted that whether seeking guidance from the Freshman
Center, the deans of The Tobin College of Business or the Career
Center, he has built relationships with people from each area and
can rely on any of them for advice and counsel. “Every experience
has been foundational,” he said.
Adding that he was “embraced from the very beginning,” Sherwin
noted that one of his earliest experiences of the supportive
environment fostered at St. John’s was with his first Resident
Assistant.
A native of Trinidad who had never been to the U.S. for an extended
period of time, Sherwin understood how important an RA was to his
college experience. “I was such a skeptic, but this guy was so
excited to meet me. He introduced himself and told me if I had any
problems he was there for me.” That positive experience inspired
Sherwin to become an RA himself.
Never too Busy
Sherwin has successfully juggled his academic schedule with his
duties as an RA, an Orientation leader and a member of several
extracurricular groups. This year, he will assume the Presidency of
the Management Society, an organization he credits with helping him
navigate toward the future.
Membership in the Society complements the preparation Sherwin gains
from his professors, who are business practitioners as well as
teachers. “Getting involved really supports what I do in the
classroom,” he said. “And we have fun. We partner with faculty,
alumni and other student organizations to bring out the core
aspects of management and its applications in everyday life.”
Time management has never been an issue for Sherwin. “I feel like
the less I have to do the worse I am at it. Too much free time
allows you to procrastinate. You know you have so much going on,
and you feel that positive pressure. It makes you really conscious
of your time and keeps you focused. That pressure inspires and
motivates me and keeps me on the right track.”
If he ever happens to feel overwhelmed or stressed, however, “I
know all the areas of the University where I can find help.” That
knowledge keeps him grounded, he stressed: “there are so many
opportunities and so much help at St. John’s that students always
have somewhere to turn.”