SJC Brooklyn hosted a luncheon Tuesday to showcase its adult and professional programs to long-time educational partners of St. Joseph’s College.
“It is our hope that you see us as an effective team player,” said Sharon Didier, Ph.D., co-director of graduate management studies at SJC Brooklyn who organized the event together with Carolyn Gallogly, Ph.D., associate professor of human services.
“The collaborations that we see include open dialogue to inform us of the training that reflects the changing needs in the professional environment,” Didier added.
Representatives from several organizations that have corporate partnerships with St. Joseph’s – including National Grid, the New York Police Department and Catholic Charities – attended the event in The Parlors in Tuohy Hall.
Terry Yarde, 41, a customer and community manager at National Grid, spoke of the quality and convenience of receiving a St. Joseph’s education through the school’s partnership with her employer.
“It was the right fit for me,” said Yarde, who last month earned a bachelor’s in organizational management and is pursuing a master’s degree. “All of my teachers really cared about me and wanted to make sure I was successful.”
SJC Brooklyn graduate Terry Yarde, an employee of National Grid.
Yarde’s co-worker Christine Gueli, 24, who works in government relations, will begin St. Joseph’s executive MBA program this fall.
“It’s a great opportunity to receive help with tuition and receive a great education,” Gueli said.
Susan Mendoza, executive director at Moravian Open Door, a transitional housing facility for homeless individuals aged 50 and older, spoke of the outstanding work experience she had with an SJC Brooklyn human services student who interned at Moravian during the spring semester.
“She fit right in to what I call ‘the MOD (Moravian Open Door) family,’” Mendoza said. “We actually designed a program for her, where she would work with our clients, assisting them with finding housing. She was very proactive.”
Important Connections
Christine Murphy, vice president for enrollment management at SJC Brooklyn, spoke on how critically important it is for St. Joseph’s to be engaged with the community.
“Connecting your students, your employees, your managers and your organization to ours is something that’s really important to us,” Murphy said. “It helps us in our mission to transform lives.”
