Employees Honored for Dedication to University’s Core Values

St. John’s University recently honored 34 VIPs—that is, Values and Inclusion Program (VIP) award recipients—at a reception held on April 16 in the Writing Center on the Queens, NY, campus.

The annual recognition program gives all members of the University community the opportunity to nominate employees whom they feel demonstrate a commitment to inclusion in the workplace or learning environment through their expressions of the University’s Core Values: Truth, Love, Respect, Opportunity, Excellence, and Service.

Leticia Romero, Associate Director, Office of Employee Belonging, and Rachel Pereira, Ed.D., Esq., Vice President, Office of Equity and Inclusion, congratulated those gathered.

Dr. Pereira began her remarks with a call to action: “In today’s world—where polarization can replace dialogue, and where headlines often pull us apart rather than bring us together—there is an urgent need to anchor ourselves in something deeper. Now, more than ever, we are called to dig into our mission—to stand for equity, model inclusion, and lead with love, even when it’s hard, even when it’s not popular.”

She continued, “To live our mission is to do so not in words, but in actions. It’s quiet, consistent, and deeply human.”

Keaton Wong, J.D., Associate Vice President, Office of Human Resources, followed with her own remarks to the VIPs and presented each with a certificate and gift of appreciation. Ms. Wong shared quotes from the nominations and acknowledged the large number of student nominators this year.

“I think this shows us that our students care about the work we do every day, and that the way in which we do that work really matters,” she said. “You matter.”

If you wish to recognize an employee for their inclusive actions as expressed by the Core Values, a new nomination period opens this fall. There are plans to display photos of the 2025 Values and Inclusion Program recipients in a gallery-style exhibit in the Writing Center during the summer.