One of the hallmarks of all great universities is the commitment to pursue the highest level of quality in all aspects of the educational experience. The best professors inspire students with their unending quest for truth as they seek to enhance the knowledge base for all humanity. In turn, dedicated students seek to emulate and even surpass these dedicated academicians as they strive to forge their own pathway into the world outside the classroom.During the past few months St. John’s University professors and students have received a variety of accolades attesting to the superior teaching and learning that have earned St. John’s a reputation as one of the world’s most respected universities. Five of the University’s faculty members were recently included in The Princeton Review’s Best 300 Professors. This exclusive list was compiled from information regarding more than 42,000 professors teaching at thousands of colleges and universities from across the country and around the world. After examining additional input from students and administrators, the 300 professors were selected by the editorial staff of The Princeton Review. The St. John’s professors who received this exceptional designation were Regis Clifford, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Economics; Joyce Boland DeVito, Esq. ‘81SVC, Professor of Business Law; Thomas M. Kitts, Ph.D. ’77C, Professor of English; James O’Keefe, Ph.D. ’79SVC, Professor of Criminal Justice and Andrew Russakoff, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems and Decision Sciences. The equation of academic excellence is balanced by a variety of factors. Sharing the importance of superior teaching performance is the ability to conduct funded research designed to increase the world’s knowledge in ways that ultimately make a significant difference for us all.Exemplifying St. John’s status as a leading research university is Simon Moller, Ph.D., a Professor of Biological Sciences in St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dr. Moller was awarded a $900,000 research grant from The Research Council of Norway. The grant supports his research on mechanisms involved in the onset of Parkinson's Disease. Those stricken with the illness suffer from tremors and other motor difficulties that gradually worsen. By identifying those molecular and cellular triggers, the research may lead to earlier diagnoses and new forms of treatment. Through his research, Dr. Moller hopes to uncover early stage biomarkers that can lead to new medications and treatment methods. The grant will allow the Department of Biological Sciences to employ four postdoctoral researchers, underwrite the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment and create more opportunities for research-based education. A significant indicator of the University’s academic success is also reflected in the achievements of our students. St. John’s was recently notified that seven students were selected to conduct research and teach overseas as recipients of Fulbright Student Grants, the largest U.S. international exchange program for students and young professionals who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership potential.This is the largest number of Fulbrights ever awarded to St. John’s students in a single year. The University had 13 finalists, also the largest number ever. Although seven grants were awarded, one student ultimately declined. The students who were awarded and have accepted their grants include Sarah Alam ’12C; Boris Chiporukha ’10G; Jessica Corsaro ’15GEd; Patrick Homeyer ’12C; Katelyn Liesner ’12C and Kelly Rivera ’02CPS, ’11GEd. The powerful combination of exceptional professors and gifted students ensures that St. John’s will continue to build on its foundation of educational excellence while achieving additional academic success in the future.