April 30, 2012
Carnival rides, mouth-watering barbeque food and reconnecting
with old friends on a beautiful spring afternoon: just a few of the
highlights from this year’s Alumni Great Lawn Party (GLP).
Photo gallery
With
approximately 2,000 alumni and friends in attendance, the event
featured a wealth of activities and games for the whole family.
Many of the kids proudly wore “Future St. John’s Alumni” t-shirts
as they waited in line for the swing carousel, while the adults
reminisced over zeppoles and fried oreos.
“I came to this event last year, and my family had a blast,” said
Tom O’Grady ’92SVC. “My kids love all the rides and they keep
asking me, ‘Dad, you really went here for college?’ and I tell
them, ‘Yeah, isn’t it great?’ So I think the Alumni Great Lawn
Party is extra special because it gives the kids something to look
forward to and something to shoot for down the road.”
For Bill (’71CBA, ’78MBA) and Ellen Fornaro ’78MBA, the event was a
great opportunity to return to the campus where their relationship
first started.
“We met in Management class right here in the summer of 1976,”
Ellen recalled. “The campus holds a very special place in our
hearts, so it’s always great to be back, especially on such a
beautiful day.”
Bill joked, “And there’s one thing that hasn’t changed since we
were students back in the ’70s: this cool breeze! This weather
couldn’t be better.”
For
John Lloyd ’90CBA, ’95MBA, the GLP was a perfect chance to check
out all of the latest additions and renovations to campus. In the
17 years since he graduated, the University has added notable
landmarks such as St. Thomas More Church, the D’Angelo Center and
the Residence Village.
“I’m very impressed with the way this campus has expanded,” Lloyd
said. “It makes St. John’s an even more compelling option for
students, and this event really accentuates how beautiful the place
is. My kids sure are happy to be here, with all the food and
rides.”
He joked, “Too much food and too many rides can be a dangerous
combination for kids if you don’t monitor it! But, in all
seriousness, this is a wonderful way to spend a day.”
Raymond Carpentieri ’79C, the owner of Atlantic Toyota on Sunrise
Highway in Amityville, showcased a late-model Camry and Prius on
the Great Lawn throughout the event. Carpentieri was happy to talk
with guests about a special rate that he’ll soon be offering at his
dealership – exclusively for alumni and friends.
“This place was my home away from home for four years of my life,”
Carpentieri said. “As an alumnus, I want to give back to the
community, so I’m here to inform the guests of the exclusive
discounts I’ll be offering for them. This is a wonderful event and
hopefully the start of a great relationship between Atlantic Toyota
and St. John’s.”
Two
special events took place during this year’s party: the Residence
Life Reunion brought former Resident Assistants together to
reminisce about their time in the dorms, while the Celebrating
Charisse Willis birthday party allowed alumni from The School of
Education to purchase candles and sing “Happy Birthday” to Charisse
Willis ’89SVC, ’91GEd, ’95PD, Associate Dean of The School of
Education.
“This really brings me back down memory lane,” Willis said shortly
after being serenaded. “These students have touched my life, and
events like this, where you see the children running around, really
bring you back to life. This is why we do what we do as educators,
and it’s an amazing feeling.”
In addition to alumni parents and their children, there were also
many recent graduates in attendance. For Pasquale Passarella ’09C,
who just recently finished up his last semester of medical school,
it was his first time back on campus in nearly three years.
“It’s so festive and there is such a broad range of ages among the
guests,” Passarella noted. “I came back because I wanted to see how
everyone was doing, meet up with some old friends and check out the
places on campus where I used to hang out.”
He added, “I met some of my best friends here and I learned a lot,
so this whole event brings back so many great memories. It was just
a fun afternoon for everyone here.”