With the start of the 2025-2026 school year, St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) hosted its annual orientation events for transfer and new students across its Brooklyn and Long Island campuses. Students heard from administrators, had the opportunity to meet with faculty members, learned about the many resources offered at SJNY and toured the University’s buildings and facilities. Beyond the logistics, orientation also presented students with opportunities to meet their classmates and get a head start on building potentially lifelong relationships.
Brooklyn and Long Island
Sessions were held on the Long Island campus in Patchogue, NY on Aug. 27 and 28, and on the Brooklyn campus on Sept. 2.
At the Aug. 28 and Sept. 2 events, SJNY President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., welcomed students with words of encouragement and promised them that even if they are unsure of what they wanted out of life, St. Joseph’s would be there to guide them.
Hot Wyngz, the official Golden Eagles mascot, welcomed students into the Danzi Center for orientation.
Leadership from student life — Janelle Hill, associate vice president of student life, and David Gonzalez, interim assistant vice president for student life, leadership and intercultural engagement — discussed the importance of immersing oneself into college life outside of the classroom, through clubs, organizations, service events and on-campus activities.
Current SJNY undergraduate students played a large role over the course of the day, serving as orientation leaders. They assisted in moving the new students to different scheduled events around campus, served as tour guides and answered questions about classes, clubs and other topics on the minds of SJNY’s Class of 2029.
Leadership from across the University were also on hand to welcome students and provide information, including Heather Barry, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs; Executive Deans Eileen Jahn, Ph.D., and Phillip Dehne, Ph.D.; Rory Shaffer-Walsh, vice president for institutional advancement; faculty; and representatives from Admissions, Athletics, the Center for Counseling and Wellness, Campus Ministry, Financial Aid, Student Involvement, Leadership and Intercultural Engagement and Security.
Students met with department chairs or faculty advisors to learn more about their chosen major, and also received advice on strategies for college success.
Service Opportunity
In addition, students were introduced to the five pillars of St. Joseph’s University: integrity, intellectual rigor, spiritual depth, social responsibility and service.
In Brooklyn, orientation also included a service opportunity. Students helped fill 120 backpacks with school supplies and a signed card for the recipients offering encouragement and support. The backpacks were distributed to underserved students in Brooklyn and Queens at sites with a connection to the ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY.
Students enjoyed a tour of campus in picturesque Clinton Hill in Brooklyn.
Orientation offered a welcoming introduction to life as an undergraduate at SJNY.
“St. Joe’s is very welcoming and I’m excited to be a part of it all, especially for my later years in early childhood education,” said Alexa Siscaretti, a first-year child study major. “I’m excited to meet new people and join new clubs, especially the drama club.”
Orientation was the first time on campus for Destiny Farley, a third-year student who is studying in Brooklyn this semester through the student exchange program run by the Association of Colleges of Sisters of St. Joseph. Having only viewed the Clinton Hill campus through virtual tours, she scoped out a place to study and prepare during the first day of class — the patio area outside St. Angela Hall.
For Erika Hendrickson, a first-year on the Long Island campus, orientation reinforced her choice to attend St. Joseph’s rather than another university in New York State.
“I was actually almost fully committed to another school until one of my teachers in high school, who attended St. Joe’s, told me to check it out because they were really good for education,” she said. “I came and took a tour and the campus was so lively compared to any other campus I had seen before. It was one of things when I walked on the campus, I knew this was where I was going to thrive.”
Between transfer and new student orientation, approximately 740 students took part in sessions across both campuses.
“New student orientation is all about connection, exploration and support. By the time students leave we want them equipped and ready to start the year, and arguably more importantly, to connect with other students so they can create a sense of belonging,” said Gonzalez.
This summer, the University also hosted pre-orientation events for students wanting to get an even greater head start on the semester.
SJNY student orientation leaders for this year’s sessions were: Lucky Ahmed, Joella Azar, Michaela Barresi, Xavier Belfon, Scott Bisiani, Karen Bravo, Cody Bruen, Taylor Burns, Suraj Chaudhary, Victoria Corcoran, Jathziry Cruz, Sophia Diprima, Jolie Ferreiro, Isabella Fitzgerald, Maria Fouyolle, Michael Franz, Bryan Frascogna, Enrique Gress, Vanessa Guarnieri, Gavin Hughes, Payton Lancer, Sophia Longo, Citlali Lopez, James Macdonald, Anna Makarouna, Madison Mattera, Nicholas Mirabella, Nyla Moore, Tara Murphy, Meghan Nolan, Reanna Noon, Samantha Santoro, Emma Sasso, Audrey Scott, Jennifer Sraji, Ruth Urbano, Jeslyn Vulin, Madison Wolf and Rebecca Zultko.
See photos from Long Island and Brooklyn’s orientation events:
