Dr. Andrew J. Bartilucci Auditorium Dedicated

Before a gathered crowd of family, friends, faculty, administrators, and staff at St. John’s University’s Queens campus—brought together for the renaming of the St. Albert Hall Auditorium to the Dr. Andrew J. Bartilucci Auditorium—the 101-year-old witness to one-half of the life of a University began his brief remarks with soft-spoken words of gracious thanksgiving.

“Thank you all for being here,” he said. “It was my privilege to be part of St. John’s.”

That this beloved centenarian would insist on standing to deliver personal remarks is a fitting metaphor for how he has stood up for St. John’s for the last eight decades.

That support was highlighted by Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President, who described Dr. Bartilucci as, “one who represents the greatest generation: those who served their country and then came back to build it up. Central to the building of St. John’s was the College of Pharmacy—and he put it in a very strong position so that it is one of the crown jewels of St. John’s today.”

Anne Y. F. Lin ’84P, ’86Pharm.D., FNAP, Dean and Professor, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, delivered remarks detailing his personal approach to mentoring students into pharmacy professionals. “I can think of no other person more appropriate for this learning space to be named after than Dr. Bartilucci because everything he did reflects his commitment to and care for his students and faculty. His care and concern for his students continue even after graduation. I can personally attest to this.”

She continued, “Dr. Bartilucci was my Dean when I was a pharmacy student and hired me for my first faculty position. A few years after I was on faculty, Dr. Bartilucci retired from the Dean’s position and assumed an administrative role at St. John’s, and I left the University in 1996. But despite how busy he was, for more than 30 years, to my surprise, Dr. Bartilucci followed my career and would send me congratulatory notes every time he read something about what I was doing.”

“I will never forget how surprised and touched I was when immediately after the public announcement of my election as President of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy was made, I received a note from Dr. Bartilucci. He was the first person to congratulate me and to tell me how proud he was. When I had the honor of attending his 100th birthday celebration, it was amazing to see other former students also in attendance. His connection to us is a testament to his care for his students and we can only aspire to be like him. This is why naming a learning space in his name is so appropriate.”

Dr. Bartilucci graduated from the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions in 1944 and then entered the US Navy. After his discharge, he worked as a pharmaceutical chemist before earning a master’s degree at Rutgers University and a doctorate at the University of Maryland.

He soon returned to St. John’s and began a long and distinguished career as a faculty member and administrator. When appointed Dean at 34, he was the youngest pharmacy dean in the United States.

Dr. Bartilucci served as Dean of the College for an unprecedented 34 years, guiding it to national prominence; moving the pharmacy program from Brooklyn to Queens; developing new academic programs in various health and science professions, including clinical laboratory science, pathologist assistant, physician assistant, and toxicology; and inaugurating creative initiatives such as the Self-Pace program to expand educational opportunities for the disadvantaged.

After leaving the Deanship in 1988, Dr. Bartilucci assumed new administrative roles at St. John’s, including Vice President for Health Professions, Clinical Services, and Research; Acting Dean of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and Executive Vice President of the University. He has also served as Chairman of the New York State Board of Pharmacy and Chairman of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s Committee on Education. He retired and was named Dean Emeritus for the College of Pharmacy and Executive Vice President Emeritus of the University

In 2007, St. John’s University acquired Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers’ School of Allied Health Professions in Fresh Meadows, NY. That building, located approximately 1.5 miles from the Queens campus, was renamed after Dr. Bartilucci.

At the conclusion of the Spring 2024 semester, the programs and employees housed in the Dr. Andrew J. Bartilucci Center began to relocate to the main campus. The auditorium was renamed to preserve the legacy of the Bartilucci name. Formerly known as B70 and B75, it is the second largest classroom on campus with 273 seats.

Simon G. Møller, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, lauded Dr. Bartilucci. “Like its namesake, the Dr. Andrew J. Bartilucci Auditorium has had, and will continue to have, a tremendous impact on so many of our students—as have you, Dr. Bartilucci. We thank you and your family for your past and continued positive impact and support.”

The Catholic and Vincentian mission of St. John’s is especially important to Dr. Bartilucci, as it was to his loving late wife, Lucy, pictured on the bottom right of the previous page. The proud parents of three daughters—all of whom are St. John’s graduates—the Bartiluccis are the patrons of the bronze statue and grotto of St. John the Baptist in front of St. John Hall. In recognition of his selfless service, the Congregation of the Mission elected him an affiliate, “a rare distinction bestowed on members of the laity.”

Dr. Bartilucci’s distinguished career has resulted in various recognitions, including honorary degrees from Union and Niagara Universities; the first American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education Distinguished Service Profile Award; and with the Pietas, President’s, and Outstanding Administrator Medals; the St. Vincent de Paul Medal; and the Medal of Honor from St. John’s University. He is a longstanding member of The Loughlin Society, and his generosity and philanthropy were celebrated when he was inducted into the Heritage Circle.

Remembering and honoring our predecessors provides a sense of continuity and hope. It reminds us that we are part of a larger story, and that the lives and experiences of others continue to live on through us.

The story of Dr. Bartilucci is a vital chapter in the story of St. John’s.