Growing up with learning disability, people often counted out Olivia Cassone ’24. Determined to prove them wrong, Cassone wanted to show the world that she was more than “just good enough”—a phrase she often heard others say about her.
Today, Cassone stands at the precipice of her greatest achievement: in May 2025 she will graduate from the University of California, Berkeley with a master’s in mechanical engineering. This feat is a testament to her years of hard work, dedication and focus, which she directly attributes to her time at St. Joseph’s University, New York.
“I was so lucky to come to St. Joe’s,” Cassone said, reflecting on her time at the University.
Growing up in Sag Harbor, NY, Cassone attended Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) before transferring to SJNY. Initially enrolling as a mathematics education major with a minor in special education, Cassone wanted to teach and mentor children who might be contending with the same learning challenges she faced in school.
But as she started her junior year, Cassone shifted gears when Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Tom Mainiero, Ph.D., offered some life-changing advice.
“Tom Mainiero is the professor who changed everything for me,” Cassone said. “He not only taught me math, but he believed in me, supported me through every challenge and wrote the recommendation letters that helped me move forward.”
Dr. Mainiero convinced Cassone to put teaching on hold and focus on another field: engineering. Taking her mentor’s advice, Cassone switched her major to mathematics with a minor in psychology and set her sights on pursuing a master’s degree at a top engineering school.
Olivia Cassone ’24 (left) and Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Tom Mainiero, Ph.D. (center) at the 2024 Student Research Symposium.
While her close connection with SJNY’s faculty helped her excel academically, she grew socially as well. Though the Mathematics Club and the National Mathematics Honor Society, Cassone forged close friendships that she holds dearly to this day.
In addition, Cassone credits SJNY faculty who felt like family, including Stephen Capitano, M.P.S., CASAC (psychology lecturer), Dr. Edward Vinski (chairperson and associate professor of education), Dr. Paul F. Ginnetty (professor of psychology) and Victoria Hong, M.B.A., Ed.D. (chairperson, assistant professor and director of M.S. in Cyber Security).
“As someone who was scared to leave home, St. Joe’s truly felt like one. And my professors felt like parents,” Cassone said.
As SJNY’s commencement neared, Cassone received the news that she had been admitted into UC-Berkeley, one of the best engineering schools in the country.
Despite all of her achievements, self-doubt and homesickness crept in when she arrived on the West Coast. And just like her time at SJNY, the University’s faculty was there to help, albeit from a distance.
“I found myself overwhelmed and 3,000 miles from home. After just two weeks, I seriously considered dropping out. I felt like an imposter and didn’t know where to turn. So, I reached out to Professor Tom, pouring my heart out in an email,” Cassone said.
According to Cassone, Dr. Mainiero replied the next day with encouragement.
“His words kept me going during one of the most difficult times of my life, and I’ll never forget that,” Cassone shared.
In a letter to SJNY President Donald R. Boomgaarden, Ph.D., Cassone personally expressed her gratitude for her time at the University and detailed many of her academic achievements as a result of her experiences on campus.
Cassone shadowing a surgery in Guangzhou, China in January 2025.
“Since graduating in May of 2024, I’ve been fortunate to work on exciting projects in controls and robotics and biomedical engineering, including research focused on improving surgical precision through robotic systems,” Cassone penned.
She continued, “The problem-solving skills and perseverance I developed at St. Joe’s have been instrumental in my journey, and I am so proud to be an alum of this incredible university.”
So, what comes next?
Aside from the obvious “find a job” answer, Cassone wants to channel her mechanical engineering education to help design prosthesis for children with disabilities. Inspired by a story involving her own family, she hopes that one day her work and research in this area will change countless lives.
If her time at SJNY and UC-Berkeley are indicators, when it comes to future achievements, Cassone has proven she will continue to be better than good enough.
