Spring 2007 Vol. 8, No. 3
Storing
Memories
Blending
family and
success
Congratulations Class of 2007!
Dear Friends,
Those of us who spend our lives within the world of higher education know that
summer is a time of retrospection and transition. The more relaxed pace of these
few months allows us to evaluate the milestones of the recently completed academic
year while considering the opportunities and preparing for the challenges of the
one which lies ahead.
The 2006-2007 academic year was immensely satisfying, and every indication
suggests that the University is poised for even greater success in the days ahead.
I thank you, our loyal alumni, for playing such a vital role in everything that we
have accomplished.
The articles that appear in this issue reflect the undeniable reality that our
Vincentian values are as powerful a motivating force today as they were when
St. John’s admitted its first students 137 years ago. Those values provide a
continuity of purpose that is, at the same time, both subtle and profound, and
lives within anyone who has ever been a part of the St. John’s experience.
You will read of Leo Pierce, a graduate of the Class of 1939 who rose from
humble roots in Brooklyn to found what would become one of the world’s largest
business records storage and management facilities. His financial success led
him to establish the L.W. Pierce Family Foundation and endow a scholarship at
alma mater, giving back to the University that believed in him over 70 years ago.
I also call your attention to the profile of Alfred “Fred” Cerullo III, a double
alumnus who lives the St. John’s mission of caring for others through his position
as president and chief executive officer of the Grand Central Partnership,
a not-for-profit corporation that administers programs and services within one
of New York City’s largest business improvement districts.
Our mission serves as a major premise of the University’s financial planning
decisions, because even at the bottom line everything that we do is about peo