The View from Student AffairsA Blog by Fr. James Maher, Vice President for Student Affairs Posted by: Fr. James Maher | January 30, 2009 Welcome back for the Spring 2009 semester. As you settle into the new term, I would like reflect on some of the new things that should have a positive impact on your education at St. John’s University. Providing you with the best environment to learn and study is a primary goal for the University. Listening to students, last semester we heard that many of you wanted a place where you can engage in quiet study late at night or in the early mornings. The Office of the Provost has worked with a number of offices to keep the Quiet Study room on the first floor of the Queens Library open 24 hours during the Spring of 2009 semester. Although this area is open to St. John’s University students only, we are hoping that it will meet the needs of both the early risers who want to prepare for classes before the rest of the library opens at 7am and those night owls who work best after the usual 11pm closing time. Please see here for a complete listing of Queens Library hours during the Spring term. The Academic Lectures Series allows us to provide you with a fully-integrated educational experience both in and out of the classroom. Highlights of the Spring Semester include educator and activist, Jonathan Kozol; the renowned poet Nikki Giovanni; business columnist Joe Nocera; Jose Obando and his Salsa Group; Frank Warren, the creator of the popular Post Secret blog; Cancer Researcher Dr. Roberta Hayes; and the service learning pioneer Dr. Edward Zlotkowski. Getting involved with a student organization is a wonderful way to gain skills and valuable experience while making friends that may last you a lifetime. In order to see what opportunities await you, please attend one of the Activities Fairs on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 on the Staten Island and Queens campuses. There is nothing like the sense of school pride that develops when you are part of the thunderous applause at a St. John’s University Basketball game. January and February offer many opportunities to cheer on our Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams For those students looking for something to do on the weekend, I am sure you will enjoy attending our new Saturday Night Java Johnnie’s Coffeehouse series. This FREE program will feature live music, poetry, open mics, Karaoke etc… from 5pm to 7pm on Saturdays. What a great way to connect with other students in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. One little known fact is that on any given weekend the majority of our resident students are actually still on the Queens campus. This program is a wonderful invitation to come out of your rooms and meet each other! This coming Sunday, February 1, 2009 is Super Bowl Sunday. Both the Queens and Staten Island campuses are throwing the best Super Bowl parties in town. So whether you are a fan of the Steelers or the Cardinals or even if you just want to munch on some traditional football snacks with your friends, don’t miss this chance to have some fun! I hope to see you at these and the many other programs that we will develop for you during the Spring Semester. It is my sincere wish that this new term allows you to engage and grow in ways that exceed all of your expectations. Please feel free to post your comments on the blog. It is your input that helps us to create a vibrant campus community. Good luck this semester!Comments | Post a Comment