St. John’s Ignites Major Fundraising Effort with Weekend of Events

On May 1, St. John’s University launched “HEARTS ON FIRE: The Campaign for St. John’s University,” a groundbreaking, $400-million, comprehensive fundraising campaign. It is the most extensive campaign in the 155-year history of the University, aimed at igniting a bright future for the Catholic and Vincentian institution.

On the heels of that announcement, St. John’s celebrated a weekend of special events that brought together students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni, and invited them to engage with this crucial effort in a meaningful way.

During a cocktail reception held in the ballroom of the D’Angelo Center on the Queens, NY, campus, it was announced that Chair of the Board of Trustees William J. Janetschek ’84CBA, ’17HON, retired Partner and Chief Financial Officer, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., gifted a $32.5 million donation—the largest single financial commitment in St. John’s 155-year history. Mr. Janetschek’s support directs approximately $25 million toward the construction of a new basketball practice facility and $7.5 million toward student scholarships. 

Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., University President, said he was first drawn to St. John’s because of the Vincentians’ enduring commitment to the founding mission of educating the children of immigrants. While other institutions sought students from higher social strata, he acknowledged, “St. John’s has stayed true to that mission for 155 years, and it’s a really hard mission.”

Fr. Shanley added, “Our challenges are in front of us—and it’s the mission that guides and inspires us. Part of what it means to teach people to lead better lives is to give them examples, to tell stories, to lift them up, and say, ‘This is what you should aspire to.’ I’m in a room tonight with many exemplars for St. John’s—people who, by their generosity, have proven that their hearts are already on fire for St. John’s.”

Fr. Shanley credited not only Mr. Janetschek, but also Board of Trustees member Margaret La Rosa D’Angelo ’70Ed, ’22HON, and her husband, Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus Peter P. D’Angelo ’78MBA, ’06HON. Their $20 million donation brought the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center at the Queens campus to fruition.

“Father just mentioned leading by example, and that holds true,” Mr. Janetschek said. “But what’s more important is to be led by example. It’s easier to do it once you see other people doing it.”

Mr. Janetschek added, “Everything we do is about the students. Everything we do here changes lives.”

He stressed that everyone who spoke that evening credits attending St. John’s with changing their lives and has committed to giving back. “That is the circle we’re looking for. Without that, nothing else really matters.”

Mr. Janetschek concluded, “I’m trying to rally the troops. This is a call to arms. The University needs financial support. The only way we’re going to change these students’ lives is to raise as much money as we possibly can.”

“This campaign is not just about a financial goal,” observed Christian P. Vaupel, Ed.D., Senior Vice President for Advancement. “It’s about impact. It carries the aspirations of generations. It begins with all of you who give generously, who lead selflessly, and all of us who love St. John’s.”

On May 2, the University hosted its annual Stormin’ Loud event, an outdoor festival on the Great Lawn the entire St. John’s community is invited to enjoy. This year’s event also served as a crucial means to engage St. John’s employees with HEARTS ON FIRE, according to Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement Scott VanDeusen.

“A big part of the event for us was getting employees in a place where they would feel that this was a celebration. It’s a launch of something that’s going to impact the entire St. John’s community,” he stressed. “We want employees to feel enthusiastic about the campaign. We want them to be cheerleaders.”

Employees received a branded “HEARTS ON FIRE” quarter-zip pullover, which Mr. VanDeusen hopes will be seen frequently on campus in the coming months.

On May 3, the University celebrated its annual Alumni Gala at the Floral Terrace in Floral Park, NY, which feted the Classes of 1975, 1980, 1985, and 2000. During the event, attended by more than 350 alumni, Trustee Kevin F. Reed ’75C, retired Managing Director, Citigroup Asset Management, and Cochair of the “HEARTS ON FIRE” Campaign, discussed the historic fundraising effort as he and his classmates celebrated their 50th anniversary.

“We have many alumni who have knocked it out of the park professionally, and they’re willing to give back,” he said. “It doesn’t matter your level of contribution. What’s important is that you give back.”

Mr. Reed added, “We can really move the needle with your contribution, whatever it is. St. John’s gave us the foundation to go on and do productive things with our lives.”

Addressing the class of 1975, Sara Hunt Munoz, Ed.D., Senior Director, Alumni Engagement, Office of Alumni Relations, said of their years at St. John’s, “It’s a connection built on shared experiences, late-night conversations, life lessons, and the sense that St. John’s is not a place you attended—it’s a part of who you are. I am truly grateful for each of you for the lives you’ve led, the wisdom you bring back with you, and the example you set for generations to come.”

Fr. Shanley told the assembly that, in many ways, the fundraising work he has done at St. John’s has been the most rewarding of his career. “Because, in many ways, the students we educate today are you 50 years ago, and are mostly first-generation college students.”

Cesar Pozo ’09CPS, President of Sigma Phi Epsilon NY Rho Alumni Chapter, observed, “Helping undergraduates who are in need helps the infrastructure of St. John’s. Our alumni bolster that infrastructure.”

Concluding the weekend, a special Mass for alumni was held on May 4 at St. Thomas More Church on the Queens campus. Rev. Aidan R. Rooney, C.M.,M.Div., M.Th.’78NDC, Executive Vice President for Misson, was the celebrant. More than 100 people attended the Mass.

During the call to worship, Ms. Munoz shared, “We come together to celebrate the launch of HEARTS ON FIRE: the Campaign for St. John’s—an initiative that speaks to the heart of who we are. It’s a campaign not only for resources, but for hope, growth, and the future of this University we love.”