ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW STUDENT CENTER AT SJC LONG ISLAND

November 23, 2020

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – November 23, 2020 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) has announced plans for a new $17 million Student Center to be constructed at SJC Long Island in Patchogue to serve the institution’s growing student population. The Student Center will be financed by the College’s bond issue and will be the first new building constructed on the SJC campus in 18 years. 

“We are extremely excited about our new Student Center project," said SJC President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D. “It will benefit our students, faculty and staff, but also the entire Long Island community. Although the current pandemic discourages us from being in the same physical space now, I know that this situation will soon pass. St. Joseph's wants to be ready for the future, and this Student Center will assist us in our goal to bring a first-class educational experience to our students, and provide a valuable resource to the greater public.”

The two-story 32,000 square-foot multimillion-dollar Student Center will include a dining area, art gallery, new chapel and office for campus ministry, veterans lounge, spirit gift shop, E-sports unit, computer and lounge spaces, conference and meeting rooms and offices for faculty, staff and student clubs. 

“As chairman of the board of trustees and an alumnus of SJC, I am proud of how much my alma mater continues to grow and expand,” said Christopher R. Carroll, ’88, Esq., chair of SJC's Board of Trustees. “I look forward to watching the new student center project’s progress over the next few years. This addition will be a wonderful space for future students and the entire SJC community.”

Construction is expected to begin in 2021 and anticipated to be completed within the next few years. The College has been working closely with the Town of Brookhaven and Village of Patchogue officials during the planning process for this project, which also includes a major sewer project currently underway.

“St. Joseph’s College has played a vital role in the revitalization of the Village of Patchogue,” said Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri. “The addition of the Student Center creates that sense of community needed on all campuses and adds to the vitality of the Greater Patchogue Community. I commend and thank Dr. Boomgaarden and the College’s Board for their continued investment in their College and our community.”

Through SJC's Office of Student Involvement, Leadership and Intercultural Engagement, student life at SJC is diverse and abundant, offering students countless opportunities to become involved.

"The new center will provide students with much-needed space," said Janelle Hill, associate vice president for student life at SJC Long Island. "We are eager to share this new space with future generations of SJC students where they can create memories, build community and learn from one another.”

For more information about St. Joseph’s College, visit sjcny.edu. 

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.