When Thomas Canale ‘13Ed first considered attending St. John’s
University, his focus was on becoming a lawyer. But after attending
an open house at the University, he had a change of heart.
“St. John’s has an excellent law school, and that’s what drew me to
the University in the first place,” said the native of Massapequa,
NY. “Then I went to an open house and I met Dean Ross and I
was inspired,” he added, referring to Jerrold Ross, Dean of
The School of
Education.
Fast forward two years, and Tommy (as his friends and professors
call him) has shifted gears once again. Now, he is focusing on
pursuing a career in psychology. “I really want to help people with
their problems,” he said. “My plan is to become either a
developmental or clinical psychologist.”
Despite that fact that his career goal falls outside of the realm
of education, Tommy is putting his studies in the School of
Education to good use. “Even though my plan is to become a
psychologist, my course work in the School of Education has really
helped me to learn how to learn,” he said. “It’s also given me the
tools I’ll need down the road to show others how to understand and
cope with things they might find difficult.”
An active member of the St. John’s community, Canale is a
Dean's Scholar, the highest academic honor in the School of
Education. “When I first came to the school, I thought I would love
be a part of the Dean’s Scholars,” he said, looking back on his
first exposure to the organization. “Then I learned that you needed
a 3.75 GPA to be considered and at the time I thought ‘well, that’s
impossible.’” Tommy far exceeded the minimum requirements of the
organization, earning a perfect 4.0 in his freshman year. This
stellar academic achievement has also earned him a position in
Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in
education.
A commuter student, Tommy takes advantage of all that the Queens campus has to
offer. “The D’Angelo Center is great. I
was there for the opening and it’s amazing. Marillac Hall has
changed, too, in the time I’ve been here. The constant improvements
really fuel your passion for the University.”
When he’s on campus and in need of a break, Tommy finds solace in
St. Thomas More Church. “I
go there a lot during midterms and finals. It doesn’t matter what
denomination you are, it’s great to have a quite place on campus to
clear your mind and meditate.”
Tommy also serves as president of the local chapter of Active Minds, a mental
health advocacy group. “Our primary goal is to raise awareness for
mental health,” he said. “We work with students to let them know
that I’s okay to suffer from depression and that you can live with
it and work through it.”
Of all the changes Tommy has experienced during his time at St.
John’s, the most meaningful is the change he’s seen in himself.
He’s far more confident and outgoing than he was just two years
ago.
A pivotal moment in his transformation came during his freshman
year in the classroom of Dr.
Mary Beth Schaeffer, Assistant Professor, Department of
Curriculum and Instruction. “I was one of only two freshmen in
a class of mostly juniors and seniors,” he said, looking back.
“There was a heated debate and after 15 minutes, I offered my
opinion. It was completely different from what everyone else was
saying and Dr. Schaefer looked at me and said, ‘Tommy, you’re
absolutely right.’”
“She e-mailed me that night to tell me how proud she was of me. It
was really powerful,” Canale added. “It was an epiphany to me that
I was smart enough to be in college. It made be believe that I
belonged here.”