June 17, 2025
The St. John’s University family will gather to serve neighboring communities throughout metropolitan New York in celebration of the 24th annual University Service Day on Saturday, September 27. The date coincides with the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul this year. On this date, the Catholic Church annually remembers St. Vincent de Paul, the French, 17th-century priest known as the patron of Catholic charities for his apostolic work among the poor and marginalized.
“How fitting that the University community gathers for Service Day on the feast day of St. Vincent,” stated Rev. Aidan R. Rooney, C.M., M.Div., M.Th. ’78NDC, Executive Vice President for Mission, who has been a member of the Congregation of the Mission since 1980.
He continued, “It was Vincent who said, ‘We should assist (the poor) in every way and do it both by ourselves and by enlisting the help of others’—and that is what Service Day embodies.”
Service Day is held annually on the Saturday closest to the September 27th Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul, whose compassion and zeal for service inspire many to work toward social justice and poverty reduction. This special day is part of St. John’s Founder’s Week, a series of events and programs dedicated to deepening knowledge and understanding of the University’s Vincentian heritage.
“University Service Day is a great opportunity for the entire St. John’s community—especially new students—to come together and put service, one of our core values, in action,” said Alexia Dolamakian ’19TCB, Assistant Director of Social Justice, The Institute for Vincentian Impact. She is the lead organizer of Service Day, which strives to serve St. John’s surrounding communities locally, nationally, and globally.
Previous Service Day volunteers visited residents at nursing homes, enjoyed time with children in the community, served the hungry in soup kitchens, cleaned and provided landscaping at area parks, painted rooms in nearby schools and community centers, and assisted in numerous other service-oriented projects.
Last year service opportunities were offered through more than a dozen organizations and sites that included Juniper Valley Park, Kissena Synergy Park Clean Up, League of Yes, Midnight Run, St. Vincent de Paul – Friends of the Poor 5K Walk/Run, and the Sustainability Garden at St. John’s.
Volunteer service activities will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Participants are invited to check in at 8 a.m. at St. Thomas More Plaza, located on St. John’s campus in Queens, NY, to receive a T-shirt, meet their service site leader, and enjoy a light breakfast. They are encouraged to attend a ceremony at 8:30 a.m. on the St. Thomas More Plaza and a rally on the Great Lawn, where Service Day will be celebrated through music, meditation, and inspirational words before groups embark to the service sites.
Students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni are invited to register for service opportunities in advance. Save the date and complete the interest form to receive updates about specific service opportunities as they become available. Registrants are encouraged to suggest potential community partners or projects.
“Whether you participate in service activities, the ceremony, or both, your presence helps to strengthen our Vincentian mission and deepen our impact on the world around us,” stated Ms. Dolamakian.
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