From the Director of Engagement and Annual Giving
I
would like to express how excited I am to have joined St. Francis College as the Director
of Engagement and Annual Giving this past summer. I come to SFC with almost 20 years of
experience working in higher education, the majority in Advancement and Alumni Relations.
Very early in my career, it became apparent to me that there is enormous potential within the
unique connection between alumni and their alma mater. It then became my life’s work to help
alumni leverage this relationship. The key is simply becoming engaged with the college in
whatever way works best for you.
Whether you walked across
are ways that you can serve.
the graduation stage just a
We look forward to sharing
couple of years ago or if that
such opportunities with you
memory is now very distant,
throughout the year.
you are what made and what
Every academic institution
continues to make St. Francis
will tell you that keeping
College a special place. On
in touch with alumni is an
your journey through life, SFC
enormous challenge. This
will always be part of your story.
challenge is a major priority
With the coordinated efforts
for our team. Please take a
of the Alumni Association
minute to visit sfc.edu/alumni/
Board of Directors, President
contactus/alumniupdate
Miguel Martinez-Saenz, Ph.D.,
to provide us your updated
SFC Engagement and Annual Giving Team:
the deans and administrators
personal and professional
Benjamin Ciesinski, Stephen DeSalvo, and Vanessa De Almeida ’00.
of all the academic depart-
information.
ments, and student services, we are planning new programs,
I always look forward to hearing from alumni, whether it is
events and benefits with real impact.
a great story or any suggestions you may have; I am interested
We invite you to reimagine the ways you can stay connected
in how you think the alumni association should evolve over
and involved. SFC needs all of our alumni actively engaged as
the next few years. So please do not hesitate to contact me
our ambassadors to continue to be a thriving institution. There
at [email protected] or 718.489.5361.
are a number of volunteer opportunities available to our alumni.
— Stephen DeSalvo
No matter where you live or how much time you have to give, there
Director of Engagement and Annual Giving
A graduate of Siena College, a fellow Franciscan institution, Stephen DeSalvo studied history and political
science while playing Division I football and volleyball there. In his spare time, he was also Student
Government President in his senior year.
Stephen comes to St. Francis College with a wealth of experience
in advancement and alumni relations. Most recently he served as
Executive Director of Institutional Advancement
and Alumni Relations at DeVry Medical
International, which includes Ross University
School of Medicine, Ross University School of
Veterinary Medicine, and American University
of the Caribbean. Before that he was Director
of Alumni Relations at Manhattan College, Iona
College, Mount Sinai Medical Center/School
of Medicine and Pace University.
Athletics is still a big part of his life. He is
currently the Director of Volleyball for the Catholic
Youth Organization (CYO) program at his parish,
St. Stanislaus Kostka, Maspeth, having previously coached
volleyball at Manhattan College. He is also a certified basketball
and volleyball official throughout Queens,
Brooklyn, and Long Island. Off the court,
Stephen is a Eucharistic minister and a
member of the Lion’s Club International.
He enjoys cooking and all things sports
(especially the Yankees!).
Stephen lives in Maspeth, Queens with
his wife of eight years, Amanda, two daughters,
Sienna Mae (7) and Giavanna Rose (3), and
one dog, Rocky. ●
Stephen DeSalvo with his daughter, Sienna Mae,
and Rocky the Terrier.
2
ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE TERRIER | WINTER 2018, VOLUME 82, NUMBER 1