May 12, 2010
St. John’s University’s successful Vincentian Mission
Certificate Program (VMC) celebrated the graduation of its third
cohort during a special ceremony held May 5 at the D’Angelo Center.
Hosted by Reverend Patrick Griffin, C.M., Executive Vice President
of Mission and Branch Campuses, the event honored more than 30 new
alumni.
Photo
Gallery
The
16-month program, which is open to staff, faculty and
administrators at St. John’s, focuses on three major components:
education, service and reflection. In addition to training
sessions, participants are required to do 50 hours of community
service, much of it in direct service to the poor. Monthly
reflections are held where participants share with their fellow
colleagues the impact the experience has had on their lives.
Fr. Griffin told the new graduates that if St. Vincent de Paul were
alive, “He would rejoice that people like us are studying about the
Vincentian charism in the midst of a program like the VMC.” He
added, “Vincent would rejoice that humble, simple service was being
provided for people in need.”
Observing that the educational component of the VMC makes
it unique, Fr. Griffin stressed that having participants reflect on
the service they perform is critical. “It’s not enough to do
something that is worthwhile. We must think about its meaning in
our lives, not just in the lives of those being served.”
Rino Grzinic, Associate Director for Development in the Office of
Institutional Advancement, called the VMC a “life-changing
experience,” and encouraged his fellow graduates to write the next
chapter in the history of their Vincentian journey by encouraging
all their colleagues to participate in this “very worthwhile
program.” A fourth VMC cohort has already started its
journey.
QUEENS
Mark Andrews
Laura Andrews
Clare Byrne
Janet Carl
Soraya Casanova
Kim-Marie Cespedes
Donna Danahy
Abigail Furness
Kate (Catharine) Giancatarino
Rino Grzinic
Kathryn Hutchinson
Marie Mark
Linda Miller
Rev. Robert Pagliari
Stephen Ptacek
Matthew Pucciarelli
Tara Sanon
Joseph Sciortino
Charisse Willis
Bernadette Zacharuk
STATEN ISLAND
Connie DeSimone
Kerri Dishuk
Teresa Gallishaw
Theresa Gallo
Melissa Gibilaro
Denise Hopkins
Andriana Lewinsky
Thomas Marlow
Dorothy Oliva
Nemaris Rodriguez
Isabel Scandaglia
Crystal Vera
Dianne Villar