March 9, 2026
St. John’s University’s second annual Employee Professional Development Day offered faculty, administration, and staff across the Queens, NY, campus the opportunity to learn about emerging workplace issues and acquire the essential knowledge and skills to enhance their job performance.
Several hundred University employees gathered in the D’Angelo Center ballroom on March 5 for a series of 12 lectures on topics ranging from workplace psychology to the best uses of artificial intelligence (AI), proper financial habits, and connecting with the University’s mission. Cosponsored by the Office of Human Resources and the Office of Employee Belonging, the event was held one day before National Employee Appreciation Day, celebrated annually on the first Friday in March.
“An event like this shows you how much St. John’s values growth in the workplace,” said Thomas Bozzo ’24M.A., Assistant Director, Mission Assessment, Office of Mission Initiatives. “In these sessions, you interact with people you might not know, but can learn from. You can then take what you have learned back to your everyday job.”
According to Keaton Wong, J.D., Associate Vice President for Human Resources, the idea for a professional development day emerged from a survey done by Human Resources and the Office of Equity and Inclusion in Summer 2024. The inaugural event, in March 2025, attracted more than 200 employees; the 2026 event was even more popular.
Representatives from St. John’s employee benefits partners, including insurers Aetna, Cigna, and New York Life, financial services firms Fidelity Investments and Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), and NY 529, New York State’s college savings program, spoke to employees about health care and retirement issues, and more.
New to the agenda in 2026 was a networking hour, during which employees could mingle with representatives from 20 University offices and departments over light snacks and soft drinks. “We wanted employees to have the opportunity to find out more about what other offices and departments do,” Ms. Wong explained. “So, they can, for example, come to the Employee Belonging table and find out more about what programming is coming from Employee Belonging, or learn more about, say, Human Resources.”
For the second straight year, the most popular lecture was dedicated to best practices in AI use. Delivered by members of the Office of Information Technology, the lecture reinforced the University’s commitment to AI as an efficiency tool, but reminded employees of its limitations.
“AI behaves as it has been taught,” said Roger S. So, Ed.D., Director of Emerging Technologies, Office of Information Technology, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Accountancy, The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. “As a result, there are limitations and biases. AI will make mistakes, so you must be careful.”
Joining Dr. Soo were Lauren Drakakis, IT Systems Architect, and David Park, Multimedia Engineer, both from the Office of Information Technology. Ms. Drakakis and Mr. Park discussed some of the ethical issues associated with AI use while demonstrating ways employees could integrate it into their daily responsibilities to enhance efficiency. Ms. Drakakis cautioned employees always to proofread AI-generated reports. “Once you sign it, you own it,” she said.
Workshops were divided into three categories—Skills Building, Technology, and Well-Being. Included among the Skills Building category was a workshop on psychological safety in the office, designed to promote leadership, help employees manage change, and inspire them to be better team members.
“Change is inevitable, growth is optional,” said Kelly Valentin, Associate Director of Training and Development, Office of Human Resources. “When employees feel safe at work, they are more willing to talk honestly, and that talk can lead to change.”
A pair of sessions offered under the Well-Being umbrella encouraged employees to connect with the University’s Vincentian mission in ways that respect colleagues and showcase a common purpose.
“Engaging and learning together is a part of belonging, and belonging is Vincentian,” said Leticia Romero, Associate Director of Equity and Inclusion, Office of Multicultural Affairs. “In connecting, we demonstrate what it means to be a community, which is part of our mission.”