ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK TO RECEIVE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD

May 30, 2023

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – May 30, 2023 – St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) is pleased to announce that the University will receive the 2023 Long Island Smart Growth Award for Community Leadership for its long history of community involvement. The award will be presented by Vision Long Island at the annual Smart Growth Awards on Friday, June 16 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.

Through community sponsorships and partnerships in the Patchogue and local communities, the University is highly involved in community programs across Long Island. With the Patchogue campus located one mile from the vibrant center of Patchogue’s downtown, the University played a vital role in the Village’s revitalization efforts and is a regular sponsor of the Patchogue Theatre, Plaza Cinema and Media Arts Center, various programs for the Patchogue-Medford Library and Patchogue’s beloved Alive After 5. In the surrounding communities, the University sponsors countless organizations and various causes, including, but not limited to, the Gateway Playhouse, Suffolk County Marathon, the Long Island Ducks and Sisters of St. Joseph. Located next to the Patchogue Lake, the Department of Biology at St. Joseph’s regularly conducts water research, testing and cleaning of the lake, as well as trail cleanups around the lake and community, improving the quality of life for the species in the lake.

“On behalf of the St. Joseph’s community, I want to thank Vision Long Island for the honor of receiving the Community Leadership Award,” said Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., president of St. Joseph’s University, New York. “This recognition is a testament to our longstanding partnerships in the communities we serve. Congratulations to our fellow honorees and thank you, Vision Long Island, for making a positive impact for residents in our region.”

The University is also being recognized for its state-of-the-art Student Center opening in Fall 2023 on its Patchogue campus, the first new building constructed on the campus in 18 years. Construction of the Student Center utilized green building development with energy efficiency, conforming to New York state’s 2020 Energy Efficiency Code. Among the sustainable features are solar shading devices, daylight and occupancy light controls, low flow plumbing fixtures and a continuous air barrier that limits air infiltration.

Also included was a major sewer project in which the University worked closely with the Town of Brookhaven and Village of Patchogue officials, ensuring the campus is connected to the Patchogue sewer system, eventually diverting 48,536 gallons of wastewater per year from campus septic systems into sustainable treatment. The project has enabled potential sewer connections for approximately 125 residential homes in the surrounding neighborhood.

“This award recognizes our continued support and partnership with so many organizations within the Village of Patchogue and the surrounding communities,” said Gail Lamberta, Ph.D., St. Joseph’s associate dean for community development, professor and chair of recreation and leisure studies, and coordinator of experiential learning. “Our faculty, staff and students have actively participated in numerous programs and initiatives that have improved the quality of life for our local community organizations and residents.”

For more than 20 years, Vision Long Island has been honoring individuals, organizations and projects that advance the growth of Long Island’s downtowns and infrastructure. Specific focus areas include transit oriented development, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, traffic calming, transportation enhancements, clean energy and community based planning.

St. Joseph’s University, New York, formerly St. Joseph’s College, underwent an historical designation change last year from College to University — a status granted by the New York State Department of Education and New York State Board of Regents in April 2022.

For more information, visit sjny.edu.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH'S UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK
St. Joseph’s University, New York 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 University 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 its Brooklyn, Long Island and online campuses, the University offers degrees in more than 100 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.