Message from President Miguel Martinez-Saenz, Ph.D.
To all in the St. Francis College family,
N
ow that our fall semester at St. Francis College has come to a close—with a student body that is among the
most diverse and high-achieving in our history—I wanted to touch base with just a few quick updates about the
important work being done by our incredible faculty and staff, work that our believers make possible. Thanks in
large part to our strong partnerships with our alumni, parents, friends of the college, including our widows and widowers,
foundations, corporations, and elected officials from all levels of government, St. Francis has been able to grow our
academic programs, expand and upgrade our facilities, and ultimately earn national recognition that reinforces the many
special things happening right here in Brooklyn. As you know, while we may be a small school, we dream big. That’s why
I’m particularly excited to share these latest milestones:
SFC ranked in top 15 nationally
for student economic mobility by
The Chronicle of Higher Education
I truly believe that going to college is
only meaningful if we can deliver on
the promise of student success…both
during their time on campus and,
importantly, beyond. That is why I am
so proud to report that The Chronicle
of Higher Education recently named St. Francis College as
one of the top 15 colleges in the entire nation for student
economic mobility. They measured the percentage of college
students born between 1980 and 1982 to households in
the bottom 20% for income and who then reached the
top 20% for individual earnings in 2014 (meaning they
would have attended college in the early 2000s). St. Francis
ranked number three in the United States among four-year
private institutions, reinforcing our long-held belief in the
transformational potential of higher education.
However, The Chronicle also highlighted a recent paper
by the National Bureau of Economic Research indicating
that fewer students from low-income families are enrolling at
high-mobility schools. This is obviously a discouraging trend,
which is why our commitment to providing a high-quality,
private college education that everyone can afford continues
to be our enacted mission, a mission that the Franciscan
Brothers of Brooklyn started 160 years ago. With your ongoing
loyal and generous support, all can be assured that we remain
laser focused on remaining a “college of opportunity.”
SFC Innovate opens at Industry City to connect
students to the innovation economy
That core focus on opportunity and access is perhaps nowhere
more concretely illustrated than in the opening this fall of SFC
Innovate at Industry City in Sunset Park. SFC Innovate is a
new center dedicated to enhancing hands-on, co-curricular
experiences and career exploration which will connect students
to New York’s leading edge innovation economy.
The office, a partnership between St. Francis College and
Ikove Venture Partners, will give students the opportunity to
ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE TERRIER | WINTER 2018, VOLUME 82, NUMBER 1
intern with startup companies and
network with the hundreds of compa-
nies based at Industry City. Two
“Entrepreneurs in Residence” will
serve as liaisons between the College
and more than 450 businesses and
will assist student entrepreneurs in
developing business skills including
leadership, self-reflection, managing
others, and communication.
Again, if we hope to continue making economic mobility a
reality for our students, then we must engage in a thoughtful
manner with those sectors of our economy demonstrating true
growth potential and offering real pathways to success. We are
confident that SFC Innovate can open that door to the innovation
economy and I look forward to sharing additional updates on
its success in the coming months.
Our 160/50 Celebration
This year we remember, celebrate and believe! We remember
it all began in 1858 when a group of Franciscan Brothers came
to Brooklyn and opened this institution in 1859. We celebrate
160 years of changing lives through the gift of an SFC education
and in a special way the last 50 years when lay women joined
the religious women who were the trailblazers, all enhancing
the student body and student experience of the College. Finally,
we believe the best is yet to come. Please be sure to read the
160/50 article to learn more about this milestone year and
the activities associated with the celebration.
Opportunity, innovation, and integration make us who we
are—you and all believers in our Big Dreams make it all
possible. For this and so much more, the students and all in
the St. Francis College family, offer our heartfelt thanks.
In peace and friendship,
Miguel Martinez-Saenz, Ph.D.
President, St. Francis College
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