hen Rino Grzinic came to St. John’s University as a freshman
eager to pursue a degree in Athletic Administration in the early
1970s, he had no idea that one day he would be directly involved in
helping to ensure that the students who came after him would have
the same opportunities that he’d enjoyed. As Associate Director of
Development in the Office of Major Gifts, he interacts directly
with some of St. John’s most generous and supportive donors,
helping them to find ways that will directly impact the
University’s unique Vincentian mission.
“Relationships are the key to solicitation of major gifts,” he
said. “What we as major gift officers do is listen to the alumni
and friends who might be interested in making such a gift and try
to match their specific interests with various funding
opportunities here at the University.”
For many of these donors, their commitment is to fund scholarships
for academically qualified and financially disadvantaged students.
Grzinic noted that many major gift donors “…are very thankful for
the support that they received when they were here at
St. John’s, and now they’re in a position to show their gratitude
by doing the same for others.”
This quiet and unassuming professional began his career at St.
John’s in 2003 after spending nearly 20 years with a consulting
firm that specialized in fundraising for non-profit organizations.
His years of experience and love for St. John’s made him the
perfect candidate to join the Institutional Advancement team. “I
decided to come back to St. John’s because, for me, it was a really
unique opportunity,” he recalled. “I’ve been a donor to the
University since I graduated in 1977, and this was a chance for me
to share some of my talents in ways that would help St. John’s
continue its mission.”
Grzinic credits his former professors and staff with making a
difference in his life, and for motivating him to maintain a
decades-long connection to the University that obviously still
means so much to him.
“The people that have influenced my life the most have been the
professors and administrators that I started to meet nearly 40
years ago when I was a freshman here,” he said. “The lessons that I
learned and the examples that I gleaned from them have served my
very well throughout my entire life. I’ve always said that the
reason St. John’s is such a great place is because of the people
that are here. I see them every day going out of their way to reach
out to the students and try to help them realize their dreams. I’m
really glad to be a part of that.”
Although today’s St. John’s students are more culturally diverse
than at any time in University history, he believes that they are
really not much different than they were during his own time as an
undergraduate. “The young men and women here today are pretty much
the same as they’ve always been at St. John’s,” he noted. “For the
most part, they’re the first in their family to go to college,
they’re very hard-working, and they’re looking to get a good,
values-based education so that they can make a place for themselves
in the world. It’s nice to know that, in the ways that matter,
we’re helping the same kinds of students as we always have.”
As would be expected from his long-time association with the
Vincentian community, the spirit of caring and compassion that is
such an integral part of the St. John’s experience continues to be
an important part of his life. He is a member of The Loughlin
Society and has been certified as a graduate of the Vincentian
Mission Program, an intensive 16 month program that involves
monthly Vincentian reflections, a capstone retreat and, most
notably, 50 hours of community service, two thirds of which are in
direct service with the poor. He is also an active participant in
the annual University Service Day, volunteers at St. John’s Bread
and Life and assists at Providence House by collecting clothing and
other items for mothers and their children who have suffered from
being part of an abusive household or women who are transitioning
from prison life back into society.
Grzinic is continually impressed by the many people he meets in the
course of his duties who share a devotion to the University as
strong as his own. “There are so many good things about my job, and
the best is that I regularly get to meet people who are really
committed to St. John’s. They give of themselves so generously to
help others without any concern for their own agendas. For me,
that’s really special.”