The School of Education to Host 100th Anniversary Convocation

St. John’s University’s The School of Education will host its 100th Anniversary Convocation on Thursday, November 13 at 8 p.m. in Bent Hall on the Queens campus.   As the School of Education continues to celebrate its centennial, this special convocation will honor four women who have made significant contributions in the field of education.

Margaret “Peg” D’Angelo ‘70ED will be awarded with the St. John's University President's Medal, while Carol A. Gresser ‘59ED; Shirley A. Griggs, Ed.D., and Josephine M. Pacini will each be conferred with the degree of Doctor of Pedagogy.  These honorees have enriched St. John's University with their contributions and services to education.

The School of Education at St. John's University will celebrate its 100th Anniversary throughout the 2008-2009 academic school year.  Under the leadership of Dr. Jerrold Ross, Dean since 1995, The School of Education kicked off its 100th year with a Gala Dinner at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan, followed by a visit by Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein, and will host additional events planned to celebrate the historic anniversary.

D’Angelo, who is currently serving as the Chair for The School of Education’s Centennial Leadership Committee, will be honored with the President’s Medal for her humanitarian efforts.  This medal is given to an individual who has achieved exceptional personal and professional success, and/or rendered outstanding service to the University or society.  

Pacini is a distinguished educator who has spent her life sharing her love and enthusiasm for languages with students of all ages and backgrounds, stressing both the beauty of language and the diversity and wonder of other cultures.  Her exceptional career in teaching languages includes various schools throughout New York City and her passion to share the joys of culture and language has made a significant difference in the lives of countless students.

Gresser, a former President of the New York City Board of Education and Professor of Education at St. John's University,  is a stalwart advocate for students throughout New York City, where she has worked diligently on their behalf and utilized her many talents to brighten their educational futures.  She displayed leadership in handling an expense budget over $9 billion and successfully leading two chancellor searches.  In 1998, The School of Education established the Carol Gresser Forum, which brings guest lecturers to campus twice each year to discuss the state of education in New York City Public Schools.

Griggs has been involved with The School of Education since 1969 and is Professor Emerita of Counselor Education.  A passionate educator, she has written several books that examine and investigate ways to improve teaching styles, research and education for teachers to effectively teach their students.  Professor Griggs has established a memorial scholarship for The School of Education students to take advantage of as these students grow into future educators. 

For general information on this event, or any other 100th Anniversary events, please contact Gail Osnato, Director of University Events 718-990-1358.  For media inquiries please contact Dominic Scianna, the Assistant Vice President of Media Relations at St. John's University 718-990-6185 or sciannad@stjohns.edu.  Please visit www.stjohns.edu/news.