November 21, 2011
Part of the
Vincentian
Institute for Social Action (VISA), the Advantage Academy was
created through a partnership between St. John’s University and New
York City’s Department
of Homeless Services (DHS). This ground-breaking degree
program offers associate degrees to homeless and formerly homeless
individuals through the College of Professional Studies.
The Advantage Academy granted associate degrees in business
administration to its inaugural class of 13 graduates this past
May. The program has already made a positive difference in the
lives of New Yorkers who once had little hope of attending
college.
Today, many of those graduates are now gainfully employed or
planning to continue their education. “It’s been a real blessing,”
said Megan Gonzalez ‘11CPS, a member of the Academy’s first
graduating class. “Thanks to the support I received in the Academy,
I have the confidence and the credentials of a college degree.”
After earning her associate’s degree in May, the 20-year-old
Academy graduate began applying for managerial positions. She
secured a position as an assistant manager at a T-Mobile store in
Philadelphia, where she has her own apartment.
Other Academy graduates have secured managerial positions with
retail giants such as Target and Starbucks.
A Brighter Future
“The Advantage Academy is a very meaningful investment that the
University and the City have made in the future of its neediest
citizens,” said Kim Toro ‘98Ed, ‘00GEd, the Academy’s Program
Manager. “It’s the first program of its kind at any college or
university.”
Through its partnership with DHS, St. John’s created an academic
program for students wrestling with the difficulties of
homelessness. To give students the stability to succeed, New York
City made a commitment to pay their housing costs while they are in
school. The program also receives support from the Oak Foundation, a private
charitable foundation that assists with student development
retreats, individualized assistance from a career counselor and
access to an emergency fund and a speaker’s bureau.
The second cohort of 25 students will graduate in May 2012. Like
the first cohort of students, they learned about the opportunity
through the city’s shelter system. This larger cohort reflects an
enhanced application process. “We are continuously improving the
program to meet the changing needs of the students we serve,” said
Ms. Toro. The changes clearly are working, as the current grade
point average for the second cohort is above 3.0 with an 80%
attendance rate.
Confidence to Start Again
For Sherry Bryant, the mother of two children, the Advantage
Academy offered a second chance for a college education. “I’m
thankful to God for this opportunity,” said Ms. Bryant, who hopes
to pursue a marketing career upon graduation. “Being able to study
at St. John’s has given me back my self-confidence.”
“When I found out I was accepted, it was almost surreal,” said
Ramona Gordon, who travels to the Queens campus
each day from the Bronx. “I do get exhausted at times — four hours
on the train, being a mom — but the opportunity to earn this degree
means so much to me.”
For Robert Becker, who also commutes from the Bronx, the
Advantage Academy may pave the way to a dream job in publishing. “I
love to write,” he said. “I believe my courses are giving me the
business and professional knowledge to turn my interests into a
solid job.”
Academy students demonstrate an impressive commitment to their
studies, noted
May Webber, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Philosophy and
Chairperson of the
Division of Humanities in the College of Professional
Studies.
“I’ve been teaching at St. John’s for 30 years,” said Dr.
Webber, “and teaching in the Academy has been one of my most
rewarding experiences at the University.” The Academy’s students
show “an eagerness to participate, an appreciation for this
opportunity” that is uplifting, she said.
“For most students at St. John’s, going to college is a
‘given,’” said Dr. Webber. “For these students, it is not a given.
Their appreciation is evident in the enthusiasm and commitment they
bring to their classes.”
For more information about the Advantage Academy, please contact
Kim Toro at 718-990-3415.