Terrier Volume 78, Number 1 - Spring 2014 | Page 3

Patrice Green ’16, Jon Pepaj ’15 and Sarah Bernard ’16 at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

M E S S A G E F R O M P R E S I D E N T B R E N D A N J . D U G A N ’68

At St. Francis College, one of the most important ideas we teach our students is that
no matter what you decide to do in life, always make sure you leave the world a better
place than when you got here. For 46 years, Dr. Francis J. Greene embodied this idea.

S

adly, this past spring was his last one as a full-time

spent his life helping others as a firefighter until he lost

Professor of Fine Arts at the College. Dr. Greene

his life on 9/11 (Page 11).

certainly made St. Francis College a better place,

Moving to the classroom, we want to thank professors

and I am a better person for having known him. We are

like Alison Dell, who inspired her biology students to

fortunate that, as Professor Emeritus, Dr. Greene will

compete with vigor in two online, international science

still be teaching a class or two each semester even as

contests. She then watched them outperform thousands

he pursues his own interests (Page 5).

of others around the world (Page 2).

In this issue, you’ll also meet several current students

In athletics, the Terriers brought home two conference

and alumni who are also fulfilling this ideal.

championships, in Men’s Soccer and Men’s Water Polo

After a rocky beginning at St. Francis, Elizabeth

(Page 12). We’re building Terrier Pride across the program

Peralta ’15 has really hit her stride (Page 7). Peralta

with new records being set in almost every sport.

discovered a love for history and founded a chapter of the Society

As I walk our halls every day and talk to our students, staff, and

of Claudel. She and her fellow students now help tutor children in

faculty, I am so proud of all the good things that are happening here

East Harlem.

on Remsen Street and I can assure you that the stories you will read

As an undocumented immigrant, Cesar Vargas ’05 has faced hurdles
every step of his academic and professional career (Page 10). He’s
turned those obstacles into the Dream Act Coalition and is now on the
forefront of the national fight for immigrant rights.
Our 53rd Annual Charter Award Dinner saw the creation of two new

in this issue of Terrier are typical ones for our community.
I encourage you to keep checking our website and to follow us on
social media to learn about everything that’s going on at St. Francis.
Sincerely,

scholarships and overall donations of more than $720,000 (Page 6).
The Tom Brokaw Veterans Scholarship and a second scholarship
named for alumnus Kenneth D. Daly ’88 both point to your amazing
faith, generosity, and support of our Franciscan mission.
Liz Mindlin ’81 decided that a scholarship in her brother’s name,

Brendan J. Dugan ’68
President

The Edward Day Scholarship, was the best way to honor a man who

ST. FR ANCIS COLLEGE TERRIER | SPRING 2014 | 1