It was her own experience as a student at St. Joseph’s College that inspired Kathleen Blumenthal to return to the institution as an employee and help others realize their potential.
These days, she’s living out her mission in a variety of roles at the College — as director of the Office for Tutoring, Academic Development and Student Accessibility Services, and PASS (Program for Access and Student Success) coordinator for the Office of the Executive Dean at SJC Long Island.
“I had such an amazing experience as a student,” said Ms. Blumenthal, who in 2008 earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a concentration in adolescence education at SJC Long Island. “I felt an affinity to the College almost immediately, and I felt as if the professors, staff and administrators truly embodied the mission of the College. I wanted to continue to give other students that same great experience I had.”
Helping Students Succeed
Across her roles, Ms. Blumenthal, 35, works behind the scenes to help students succeed in the classroom, ensuring they have their own chance at great experiences. She oversees the training of her student workers and staff, as well as developing additional services, programs and resources for students looking for extra academic support.
“It’s so important to keep our finger on the pulse of the current needs of SJC’s students, so I am always conscious of the need to develop new resources and improve our training and development for the student workers,” said Ms. Blumenthal, who earned a master’s in modern world history from St. John’s University in 2015.
“In each sector, I get to help students realize their strengths and find new or more effective pathways for learning,” she added.
Inspired by the Students
And while Ms. Blumenthal has worked at the College for 15 years now, including her own experience as a peer tutor while going to school, she remains inspired by the students and people she works with.
“Though this sounds cliché, my favorite part is working with the students,” said Ms. Blumenthal, who lives in Patchogue with her husband and their two young boys. “Given the nature of the office, I often work with students who are struggling academically, but I also learn more about why they are struggling. The factors that affect their progress go beyond the classroom.
“We have so many students dealing with personal or familial illness, having to work full time, taking care of family members, working through mental health concerns, etc.,” Ms. Blumenthal continued. “That all can impact their ability to succeed in school. Despite everything they are going through, they work so hard to keep pushing forward.”
