SJC CELEBRATES CLASS OF 2020 AND STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERS

May 20, 2020

BROOKLYN and PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – May 20, 2020 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce SJC Brooklyn’s valedictorian, Amarfi Collado, and SJC Long Island’s three student speakers, John Davis, Rachel Sullivan and Joyce Sullivan. These four students were scheduled to speak at the Commencement ceremonies that were to be held on May 20 in Brooklyn and May 27 on Long Island.

SJC Brooklyn Valedictorian Amarfi Collado earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice. She was also valedictorian of her high school graduating class and was a member of SJC Brooklyn’s Academic Center for English Language Studies (ACES) program. Amarfi plans to pursue a career in counseling. 

John Davis is an army veteran who earned a B.A. in History with a Concentration in Adolescence Education. He was accepted into Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where he is expected to major in international education.

Rachel Sullivan earned a B.A. in Religious Studies and Philosophy, and Psychology. She plans to earn a master’s degree with the goal of returning to higher education as a professor or in a student leadership and involvement role. 

Joyce Sullivan earned an M.S. in Human Services Leadership with a GPA of 4.0. She has worked as a corporate compliance specialist at the Developmental Disabilities Institute, Inc., for 15 years. 

“I am pleased to celebrate our valedictorian and commencement speakers for all their wonderful accomplishments,” said Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., president of St. Joseph’s College. “This is a tremendous milestone in students’ lives and we are so proud of this year’s resilient and impressive Class of 2020 graduates.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and SJC’s commitment to social distancing, the College placed its in-person ceremony on hold until a later date. The College is working on plans to recognize its graduates in lieu of the actual physical ceremonies. SJC will be recognizing and celebrating its graduates through a series of acknowledgement events and will hold a traditional commencement when it is once again deemed safe and allowable by health and government officials. 

For more information, visit sjcny.edu/2020. 

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in 50 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.