Alexandra Cicala ‘27TCB, ‘29L Pursues a Career in Corporate Law Through St. John’s Interdisciplinary Business/Juris Doctor Program

As a high school student creating and debating policies with peer delegates at the Conference on National Affairs (CONA), Alexandra Cicala already knew she was interested in becoming a lawyer. Her experiences with CONA also inspired an entrepreneurial interest in student financial literacy. So, when it came time to choose a college, Alexandra was pleased to find that St. John’s University offered a way for her to pursue both interests. Through its 3+3 B.S./J.D. joint degree program, she could earn a B.S. in Business from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from St. John’s Law in just six years.

“The 3+3 program was a key factor in my decision to attend St. John’s because it aligns with my interests in business and law,” Alexandra says. “I first learned about it at an open house for high school students, through conversations with Tobin Professors Niall C. Hegarty and Biagio Pilato, who teach in the school’s Thomas J. Cox Business Honors Program.” Accepted to St. John’s University as a Cox Honors student, Alexandra looked forward to applying to St. John’s Law in her junior year through the Red Storm Scholars Program, which gives qualified St. John’s undergraduates a special pathway to Law School admission.

During her three undergraduate years, Alexandra was deeply engaged in academic, leadership, and entrepreneurial pursuits. Among other activities and achievements, she served as a Resident Assistant, Student Ambassador, and Global Ambassador and was inducted into the President's Society, the highest honor society at St. John's University. ​With support from the University's Venture & Innovation Center (VIC), she secured a $20,000 grant from Maspeth Federal Savings Bank to develop uFinLit, a financial literacy app for college students that she launched at St. John's last year. She also conducted related research under the guidance of University professors Tracey L. Freiberg,  Joseph G. Kenny, Basilio G. Monteiro, and Ansel Schiavone, presenting her work through the Cox Honors Program.

At the same time, with guidance from University professors, including Tracey L. Freiberg,  Joseph G. Kenny, Basilio G. Monteiro, and Ansel Schiavone, she founded and developed uFinLit, a financial literacy app for college students that she launched at St. John’s last year.

“The Cox Honors Program supported my entrepreneurial journey by assisting with beta testing and conducting additional research for uFinLit,” Alexandra shares. “I’m very grateful for the incredible opportunities it provided—from attending site visits in Manhattan, the financial capital of the world, to presenting business research to the CEO of Kerry Dairy at the company’s Ireland headquarters. The program helped foster my global business perspective and develop my critical thinking and leadership skills.”

Alexandra now brings that business and entrepreneurial insight to her studies at the Law School, where she is already contributing to the community as a 1L representative of the Corporate and Securities Law Society, Venture and Investment Law Society, and Intellectual Property Law Society. “I’m excited to chart my path as a corporate lawyer,” she says. “As an entrepreneur, launching my financial literacy app sparked my interest in helping companies navigate the complexities of operating and growing a business. I’m particularly interested in mergers and acquisitions and excited to keep building toward the career in law and business I envisioned when I first chose St. John’s.”