Prudential, a Fortune 500
called on them often to help
company. Koster earned
during my 42-year career.”
her bachelor’s degree in
Koster said words like
business administration
teamwork, collaboration,
and an associate’s degree
and communication are
in computer technology at
common parlance in the
St. Francis and in 2012
business world, but those
received an honorary
are real concepts she
doctorate of humane letters
learned and practiced
from the college while serving
at St. Francis College.
as the honoree of the Charter
Award Dinner, the premier
Throughout the
annual scholarship fundraising
years, St. Francis was
event for the college.
constantly exploring
“Women today have a
chance to look at other women
and developing
Students and Sisters in the classroom, 1965. Sisters were welcome to enroll as of 1953.
who have traveled the path,”
ways to advance the
said Martinez-Saenz. “I always find it fascinating to hear about
educational opportunities for its students. In 1977, Montage,
Barbara’s experience being in classes where she was the only woman.
the college’s literary magazine, was published for the first
There’s an interesting dynamic. Who did she look up to? The educators
time. In 1984, in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of
were mainly Franciscan brothers. Now, there’s a vibrancy and for
me that’s important.”
St. Francis receiving its charter as a college, a comprehensive
Koster came to St. Francis thanks to winning a two-year scholarship
fundraising campaign was launched. The funds raised
to study in the newly launched Systems Analysis and Design program
went to renovations of the McGarry Library and the McArdle
at the NYC Catholic School Science Fair. Brother George Larkin, OSF,
Student Center.
helped her get a work-study scholarship for books and fees. She worked
in the financial aid office. Ultimately, the two-year scholarship turned
here was also an effort to create new endowed scholarships, and
into a four-year scholarship.
over the past 34 years, 180 full and partially endowed scholar-
“Since we were the early classes of women being admitted into the
ships have been established. The Honors Program accepted its
college, one could say it was fun, but a huge challenge for me, who
first
class
in 1984.
chose to be in technology and business,” Koster recalled. “There were
As of the mid-1990s, the student body reflected the diversity of
many times I was the only female in my classes. The professors were
Brooklyn, something that continues to make the college a vital, thriving
kind, but also really tough on me to get me ready for the business world
environment. When Martinez-Saenz became President at the start
I was entering. Dr. Willis and Professor Petrucelli pushed me beyond
of the 2017–18 academic year, the 19th President in St. Francis history,
the limits I thought I had, supported me the entire time and ensured
he brought his commitment to the three major pillars of higher educa-
I was skilled and ready to succeed.”
tion: student access, retention, and student success.
Brother George listened to Koster on her toughest days and the
Diversity and inclusion are crucial, and Martinez-Saenz said he
career office gave her leads to find her first job. She met a lifelong friend
appreciates
that accepting women was a fundamental step in creating
in Philosophy class, a woman who became a teacher working with
a diverse environment
autistic children.
with multiple perspectives.
“The professors and friends
“Those of us who learned from our parents how to work
During young people’s
I made have lasted a lifetime,”
hard,
needed
the
chance
to
show
everyone
what
we
could
formative years—the years
said Koster. “I counted on and
they spend at college—
do and how we could play an integral part in the future…”
they are becoming adults.
—Barbara G. Koster ’76
T
BELOW:
Remsen Street campus under construction, 1967.
The first year of enrollment open to women, other than
Sisters, was 19 6 8. That first year, 13 women enrolled in classes.
R I G H T:
6
ST. FRANCIS COLLEGE TERRIER | WINTER 2018, VOLUME 82, NUMBER 1