Q&A with Darius Penikas ’08M.S.Ed., ’19Ed.D., LEAD Honoree

Darius Penikas ’08M.S.Ed., ’19Ed.D., Principal of Archbishop Molloy High School, will be among several alumni honored by The School of Education (SOE) at the 15th Annual Leaders in Education Awards Dinner (LEAD) on April 16 at the Stewart Manor Country Club in Stewart Manor, NY.

Congratulations! What does it feel like to receive this award?

Thank you! It is a great honor! I am very humbled and grateful to have been considered for and then selected for this award. I have such great respect and admiration for St. John’s and the Vincentian Mission so it is one of the highest honors of my professional career. It also has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my career and all the wonderful students, colleagues, and friends I have had the pleasure of working with along the way. I feel truly blessed.

Can you please tell us a little about yourself and your current profession?

I am in my 11^th year serving as the principal of Archbishop Molloy High School. Molloy is a wonderful school of around 1,500 students from every corner of Queens, Brooklyn, Nassau County and Manhattan. It is an incredible place where I work with an extremely talented faculty, incredible students, and a top-notch administrative team. Before Molloy I served as the Assistant Principal for Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Activities at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School in West Islip, NY. I started my career as a social studies teacher at West Hempstead High School and spent over a decade at St. John’s Prep in Astoria, Queens where I taught social studies, coached volleyball, baseball, and basketball, and was the Sophomore Dean for six years. I am an adjunct assistant professor at Molloy University in their Graduate School of Education and served as an adjunct at St. John’s University from 2020-2022. 

How has a degree from The School of Education (TSOE) impacted your career path?

My degrees from TSOE have provided me with the knowledge and confidence necessary to take on difficult challenges and the drive to work to create programs and initiatives to provide students with better and more effective educational experiences. The combination of tremendous academic knowledge with real-world experiences and great professional relationships provided me both the inspiration to become an educational leader and the support system necessary to achieve success. 

Were there any professors in The School of Education (TSOE) who influenced your life?

Absolutely, Barbara Cozza, Ph.D., and Rene Parmar, Ph.D., were very influential, not just through their teaching but also (and perhaps even more importantly) their counsel, encouragement and support. 

What are your most cherished memories from your days as a student in The School of Education?

During the entirety of my career as a student at SJU I was a working professional, and I feel this provided me with a unique experience. What comes to mind are the relationships and discussions with colleagues and the ability to be a part of an educational community in which you explore a topic in the evening and then directly apply it the next morning. It was a great opportunity to be able to meld academic research with daily educational practice. SJU also provided a community where I could bring my questions and challenges and always get great advice.

What wisdom would you like to share with the next generation of alumni?

Working in education is truly a blessing. The days can be long and there are certainly plenty of challenges but the opportunity to help a young person learn, grow, and develop will provide you with a sense of meaning and accomplishment that is unmatched. I would also encourage future educators to embrace innovation and joy in their work and always remember that, at its heart, education is about relationships.