The Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) is comprised of a select group of interdisciplinary St. John’s University faculty who have demonstrated teaching, research, and scholarly expertise in areas related to community service, civic engagement, and social responsibility. As part of the Office of University Mission, the FRC is responsible for community-based outcomes research conducted across all elements of the Mission sector, with a particular emphasis on those programs within the Vincentian Institute for Social Action (VISA). VISA was established in 2008 to increase the visibility of the St. John’s Catholic and Vincentian mission, including opportunities where faculty and students can explore issues of poverty and social justice. The FRC promotes research by supporting the recruitment of qualified University professors who serve as research mentors for students, offering internal faculty research grant opportunities and formally recognizing faculty excellence in mission-aligned research. The FRC also develops research initiatives through programs and community partnerships within the Mission sector.
"Funding opportunities offered by the Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) have been critical for developing my sustainable research program centered around social justice and audiology. I highly encourage all St. John’s University faculty members to consider applying to the FRC sponsored grant opportunities. They certainly have been a foundation for meaningful, community-centered research."
-Dr. Shruti Deshpande, Associate Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders, St. John's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Consortium Membership
John M. Conry, Pharm.D., Chair, FRC
Clinical Professor, Department of Clinical Health Professions
Senior Vincentian Research Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society Director, The Urban Institute College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Elissa J. Brown, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychology
Founder and Executive Director, Child HELP Partnership
St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Robert Eschenauer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Counselor Education
Senior Vincentian Research Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society
School of Education
Edrex Fontanilla, MFA
Associate Professor, Collins College of Professional Studies
Director, Game Development and Emerging Media
Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan, Ph.D.
Henry George Chair in Economics and Associate Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, Henry George Chair in Economics
Senior Vincentian Research Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business Senior Vincentian Research
Roberta L. Hayes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Institute for Core Studies
Coordinator, Scientific Inquiry Core
St John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Journal of Vincentian Social Action
The Journal of Vincentian Social Action (JoVSA) is a biannual peer reviewed scholarly publication engaging the local, national and global community on issues of poverty and social injustice. As a community, St. John’s is engaged in research and direct service to those in need. We seek insight into the causes and consequences of poverty to help alleviate suffering. The journal focuses on studies evaluating solutions to social injustice, with implications for public discourse and policy, and macro-program development. We welcome position papers on contemporary topics.
John M. Conry, Pharm. D.
FRC Chair
St. Albert Hall, Room 114
[email protected]
718-990-2486
Kara James
Senior Department Assistant
VISA Office, Lourdes Hall, 1st floor
[email protected]
718-990-5947
Request Submissions for Future Issues to John Conry at [email protected]
Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant
The Office of University Mission is proud to partner with the Sinatra family to strengthen its mission of providing an academic platform where faculty and students can explore issues of poverty and social injustice, as well as provide potential recommendations through research. The goal of the endowment is to promote outcomes-based research in the community. For almost 40 years, Dr. Richard Sinatra served as an associate dean, chair, faculty member, and program director in the School of Education. He also served as the Chair of the Faculty Research Consortium for the Vincentian Institute for Social Action from 2008 - 2015. Dr. Sinatra has long been an advocate for systemic change. This endowment is an example of his continued commitment to education and the development of research at the University.
The Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant ($2,500)
This grant supports community-based outcomes research for full-time junior (tenure-track) faculty at St. John’s University. Through outcomes research, quantitative methods are used to evaluate community-based interventions. These interventions may be from any discipline, with the specific aim of improving the areas of poverty and social justice.
| Recipient Name | Year Awarded | Research Topic | College | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Freeman, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2022 | Does Clay-based Language Stimulation Enhance Children's Vocabulary and Syntax? | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| 2021 | Efficient Roles of Vlogs to Improve Social Inclusion in Tourism for the Disabled | Collins College of Professional Studies | Queens | |
| 2020 | Language Outcomes for Children’s Use of Creativity through Open-Ended Materials during Language Stimulation | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens | |
| Gary E. Martin, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2018 | Girls with Intellectual Disability: Communication Skills in an Underrepresented Research Population | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Staten Island |
| Shruti Deshpande, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2017 | A Sustainable Hearing Conversation Project for Liberty Partnership’s Program’s High School Students Implemented by Audiologists and Audiology Students Through Academic Service-Learning: A Symbiotic Impact | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Elizabeth Brandolo, PhD, Professor | 2017 | Discrimination and Depression: Testing a Social Cognitive Model | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| William Reisel, PhD, Professor | 2016 | Developing a Pilot Study for Expanding an Ongoing AS-L Community Partnership with Central Family Life Center of Staten Island. | The Peter J. Tobin College of Business | Staten Island |
| Christine Chim, PharmD, Clinical Assistant Professor | 2016 | The Impact of a Pharmacist and Pharmacy Students Engaging with Northwell Health’s Communities via Home Visits | College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Queens |
| John W. McKenna, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2015 | Qualitative Study of Teacher Preparation and Provision of Special Education Services | School of Education | Queens |
| Michael Downton, PhD, Assistant Professor (with Judy Chen, EdD, SOE) | 2015 | A community of reflective teachers: Cultivating reflective practice to impact student teacher’s self-efficacy | School of Education | Queens |
Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant
For almost 40 years, Richard Sinatra, Ph.D., served as an Associate Dean, Chair, Program Director, and Professor in The School of Education. He also served as the Chair of the Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) for the Vincentian Institute for Social Action (VISA) from 2008 to 2015. Dr. Sinatra has long been an advocate for systemic change. This endowment is an example of his continued commitment to education, the development of research at the University, and generous mentorship of junior (tenure-track) faculty.
VISA is proud to partner with the Sinatra family to provide an academic platform where junior (tenure-track) faculty can explore issues of poverty and social injustice, as well as provide potential recommendations/solutions through community-based outcomes research.
Purpose of Grant
The purpose of this grant is to support junior (tenure-track) faculty who are planning to develop or replicate interventions and test their efficacy. This research may be from any discipline, with the specific aim of directly addressing mission-related poverty and/or social justice problems. These interventions can be educational, psychological, economic, etc. Given the complexity of intervention research, this may be an opportunity to collect pilot data for a larger trial.
The FRC particularly welcomes applications from junior faculty who have developed a community partner collaboration and who are now looking to embed/enhance an outcomes evaluation to address a clearly articulated research question(s). The FRC will place grant award priority on applications that identify a sound research question and appropriate methodology to address the question during the grant period. Lastly, the role of the FRC is to provide guidance to grant awardees, including guidance with enhancing research methodology and plans for statistical analysis.
Eligibility
Full-time junior (tenure-track) faculty at St. John’s University are eligible to apply for this grant. Applicants can be individual or collaborative, but the principal investigator must be tenure-track faculty.
Grant Award Amount (Grant period: 1 Year)
$2,500
Application Deadline
February 23, 2024
Questions
For any questions on this grant opportunity, please contact Kara A. James, Senior Secretary, at [email protected] or 718-990-5947.
Award Notification Date
The Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant is a competitive, application-based award.
Criteria for Grant Proposals
Empirical question being asked is related to intervention outcomes
Proposal must clearly outline the specific aims and hypotheses, research design, participants, measures, intervention, and statistical methods including power analysis/sample size, timeline, and budget
Show feasibility (e.g., by including a letter of commitment from community partners)
Include description of current internal/external funding for the project (if applicable)
To be considered for the grant, submit the following information and documentation through this form:
Cover page
Abstract
Summary of the proposed project in 200 words or less
Proposal
In 3-5 pages, provide specific information on the proposed research project. Please include the following sections:
1. Background and significance (i.e., theory and/or previous research)
2. Specific aims and hypotheses
3. Research design
4. Participants (including power analysis when relevant)
5. Measures (including description of reliability and validity)
6. Proposed intervention
7. Statistical methods
8. Projected dissemination of outcomes
9. Timeline (including IRB submission)
10. Detailed budget (including personnel, supplies, equipment, conference presentation travel only, etc.)
- Funding Guidelines
Grant recipients must conform to the University guidelines on purchasing when using funds. Grant funding cannot be used for transportation, donations, contribution to existing programs or gifts, or anything not specified in the approved application or pre-approved by the FRC.
Grant Recipient Responsibilities
Provide a report each semester for the duration of the project (a template will be provided to endowment grant recipients) for review by the FRC
Participate or present during St. John’s University Research Month (April 2025)
Submit a final report upon completion of the project (September 1, 2025)
Submit an article for publication to VISA’s Journal of Vincentian Social Action (http://scholar.stjohns.edu/jovsa/) or an appropriate journal to the researcher’s discipline (December 1, 2025)
Acknowledge the support of the Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant through the Vincentian Institute for Social Action at St. John’s University in all papers and presentations relating to this project.
Faculty Research Consortium Grant
The Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) is comprised of a select group of interdisciplinary St. John’s University faculty who have demonstrated teaching, research, and scholarly expertise in areas related to community service, civic engagement, and social responsibility. As part of the Office of University Mission, the FRC is responsible for community-based outcomes research conducted across all elements of the Mission sector, with a particular emphasis on those programs within the Vincentian Institute for Social Action (VISA). VISA was established in 2008 to increase the visibility of the St. John’s Catholic and Vincentian mission, including opportunities where faculty and students can explore issues of poverty and social justice. The FRC promotes research by supporting the recruitment of qualified University professors who serve as research mentors for students, offering internal faculty research grant opportunities and formally recognizing faculty excellence in mission-aligned research. The FRC also develops research initiatives through programs and community partnerships within the Mission sector.
Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) Grant ($5,000)
| Recipient Name | Year Awarded | Research Topic | College | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shruti Deshpande, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2023 | Play it by Ear: An Intervention Program to Enhance Hearing Health Access and Equity for Young Children from Diverse Communities | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Elizabeth Brandolo, PhD, Professor | 2020 | Evaluating Strategies for Disseminating Scientific Information about the Mental Health Effects of Discrimination | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| 2019 | Academic Service Learning as a College Readiness Strategy: Creating an Assessment Dashboard for St. John's University SI Campus "Difference Makers Program" | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Staten Island | |
| 2019 | Health and Nutrition for Homeless Mothers and Children | School of Education | Queens |
Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) Grant
Established in 2019, the FRC Grant supports community-based outcomes research for full-time tenured faculty at St. John’s University. This research may be from any discipline, with the specific aim of improving the areas of poverty and social justice.
Purpose of Grant
The purpose of this grant is to support tenured faculty who are planning to develop or replicate interventions and test their efficacy. This research may be from any discipline, with the specific aim of directly addressing mission-related poverty and/or social justice problems. These interventions can be educational, psychological, economic, etc. Given the complexity of intervention research, this may be an opportunity to collect pilot data for a larger trial.
The FRC particularly welcomes applications from tenured faculty who have developed a community partner collaboration and who are now looking to embed/enhance an outcomes evaluation to address a clearly articulated research question(s). The FRC will place grant award priority on applications that identify a sound research question and appropriate methodology to address the question during the grant period. Lastly, the role of the FRC is to provide guidance to grant awardees, including guidance with enhancing research methodology and plans for statistical analysis.
Eligibility
Full-time tenured faculty at St. John’s University are eligible to apply for this grant. Applicants can be individual or collaborative; the principal investigator must be a tenured faculty member.
Grant Award Amount (Grant period: 1 Year)
$5,000
Application Deadline
February 23, 2024
Questions
For any questions on this grant opportunity, please contact Kara A. James, Senior Secretary, at [email protected] or 718-990-5947.
Award Notification Date
The FRC Grant is a competitive, application-based award.
Criteria for Grant Proposals
Empirical question being asked is related to intervention outcomes
Proposal must clearly outline the specific aims and hypotheses, research design, participants, measures, intervention, and statistical methods including power analysis/sample size, timeline, and budget
Show feasibility (e.g., by including a letter of commitment from community partners)
Include description of current internal/external funding for the project (if applicable)
To be considered for the grant, submit the following information and documentation through this form:
Cover page
Abstract
Summary of the proposed project in 200 words or less
Proposal
In 3-5 pages, provide specific information on the proposed research project. Please use the areas below to guide your submission:
1. Background and significance (i.e., theory and/or previous research)
2. Specific aims and hypotheses
3. Research design
4. Participants (including power analysis when relevant)
5. Measures (including description of reliability and validity)
6. Proposed intervention
7. Statistical methods
8. Projected dissemination of outcomes
9. Timeline (including IRB submission)
10. Detailed budget (including personnel, supplies, equipment, conference presentation travel only, etc.)
- Funding Guidelines
Grant recipients must conform to the University guidelines on purchasing when using funds. Grant funding cannot be used for transportation, donations, contribution to existing programs or gifts, or anything not specified in the approved application or pre-approved by the FRC.
Grant Recipient Responsibilities
Provide a report each semester for the duration of the project (a template will be provided to grant recipients) for review by the FRC
Participate or present during St. John’s University Research Month (April 2025)
Submit a final report upon completion of the project (September 1, 2025)
Submit an article for publication to VISA’s Journal of Vincentian Social Action (http://scholar.stjohns.edu/jovsa/) or an appropriate journal to the researcher’s discipline (December 1, 2025)
Acknowledge the support of The Faculty Research Consortium Grant through the Vincentian Institute for Social Action at St. John’s University in all papers and presentations relating to this project.
VISA Reception and Research Forum
The Faculty Research Consortium is proud to host an Office of University Mission Faculty Reception and Research Forum every fall and spring semester.
This event provides a platform to promote faculty dialogue across disciplines that have participated in, or are interested in, VISA programs. St. John’s faculty members have participated in VISA programs which include Academic Service-Learning, the Ozanam Scholars Program, faculty research/service at community partner sites, and VISA-funded research projects. These meetings provide an opportunity to showcase faculty research and scholarly accomplishments.
2021's Event was held virtually. Please click on the link below to view!
https://sju.webex.com/sju/ldr.php?RCID=d30387f862f146f3840218cc013a97fb
2022 Fall Faculty Luncheon!
2023 VISA Reception and Research Forum
The Faculty Excellence Award in Community-Based Outcomes and Poverty Research
The Faculty Excellence Awardin Community-Based Outcomes and Poverty Research has been developed by the Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) in an effort to annually identify an exemplar from the full-time faculty at St. John’s who best exhibits excellence in community-based outcomes and poverty research. Nominations are solicited from the deans and chairs of various schools/colleges of the University. The FRC reviews all nominations from the University community and selects one award. The recipient is recognized at the annual Office of University Mission's Reception and Research Forum. The award recipient also receives a plaque commemorating this award.
| Recipient Name | Year Awarded | College | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regina Ginzburg, Pharm.D., CDCES, BC-ADM | 2023 | College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Queens |
| April Rodgers, MD, MPH, MBA | 2022 | The Collins College of Professional Studies | Queens |
| Shruti Balvalli Deshpande, Ph.D., CCC-A | 2022 | St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| 2021 | The Peter J. Tobin College of Business | Queens | |
| Manouchkathe Cassagnol, Pharm.D., BCPS, AACC Clinical Professor | 2020 | College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Queens |
| Christine Chim, Pharm.D., Associate Professor | 2017 | College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Queens |
| John William McKenna, Ph.D., Assistant Professor | 2016 | The School of Education | Queens |
| Mary Beth Shaefer, Ph.D., Associate Professor | 2014 | The School of Education | Queens |
