St. John's is on a Mission to Ensure Student Success

Journalism students gathered Tuesday, February 5, in St. John’s University’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) on the Queens, NY, campus for the introduction of “The Journalist Series,” with WCBS News Anchor Mary Calvi as the inaugural guest speaker.

Rather than spend their winter break relaxing after a busy semester, a group of St. John’s students traveled to places like Houston, TX; St. Louis, MI; and Philadelphia, PA, for a week of outreach, advocacy, accompaniment, construction, and community building as part of the University’s Plunge Program.

Through spoken words and song, noted Haitian-American professor, anthropologist, poet, feminist, performance artist, and activist Gina Athena Ulysse, Ph.D., delivered a poignant keynote address at the 14th Annual Caribbean Writer’s Series.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in public relations from St. John’s University, Ashley J. Bhuanlall spent a year working with various nonprofit organizations that focus on helping children.

Years before he oversaw the dramatic capture of drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán while working as an agent for the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Raymond P. Donovan ’93CPS was a freshman at St. John’s University, pondering a career as a pharmacist.

Rev. John J. Holliday, C.M. reflects on his first year as University Chaplain at St. John’s.