Alumni Newsletter - St. John's Prep

4
S T . J O H N ’ S P R E P
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
Alica Abella SJP'86 Appointed To
Presidential Commission
Dr. Alica Abella has been appointed by
President Barack Obama to the President's
Advisory Commission on Education
Excellence for Hispanics.
Dr. Abella is currently Executive Director of
the Innovative Services Research Department
at AT&T Labs Research and she also chairs
the AT&T Labs Fellowship program.
Previously, Dr. Abella served as Group
Manager and Principal Member at AT&T
Labs Research. She also serves as Executive
Vice President for the Young Science
Achievers Program, where she encourages
high school-aged women and minority
students to pursue careers in science and
engineering. Dr. Abella has been recognized
as one of the Top Five Women of the Year
by Hispanic Business Magazine and was the
recipient of the Pioneer Award from the
Women of Color STEM Conference and the
Latinos in Information Sciences and
Technology Association Leadership of the
Year Award. She holds a B.S. degree from
New York University, and an M.S., M.Phil,
and Ph.D. from Columbia University.
Robert Sorensen MC '70 Retires as
NYU Head Coach
Robert Sorensen has retired after 32 years as
Head Coach of The NYU Swim Team.
During Sorensen's 32 years, he coached 38
NCAA qualifiers and 30 All-Americans while
recording a 198-122-1 (.618) career record in
dual meets. NYU has had an NCAA qualifier
in 11 of the last 12 years, as well as in 20 of
the last 22 seasons.
“It has been an honor to have coached at
NYU for over 30 years. I feel proud to have
touched the lives of so many student-athletes
and hopefully helped instill values that carry
on after their competitive experience is
complete,” Sorensen said. “While I will no
longer be coaching, I look forward to
continuing to assist the Department as
Natatorium Manager and in my role as an
educator.”
Sorensen and his assistants received University
Athletic Association (UAA) Coaching Staff
of the Year honors twice during his tenure, in
2005-06 and 2007-08. The '05-06 season
culminated with the Violets' third consecutive
Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC)
Division III Championship.
The '07-08 campaign was arguably the most
successful of Sorensen's decorated career,
with eight of his swimmers qualifying for the
NCAA Division III Championships. NYU
placed ninth at the meet, its highest finish
ever.
Sorensen began his coaching career at the
Boy's Club of Queens. Two years later
became coach at Mater Christi High School,
his alma mater. He also served as an assistant
at the Flushing YMCA in addition to terms
as president and vice president of
the Metropolitan Collegiate Swimming
Conference.
A 1970 graduate of St. John's University with
a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science,
Sorensen co-captained the Red Storm's swim
team and was a Metropolitan Conference
champion in the 200-yard butterfly. He
earned a Master of Arts degree in physical
education at Teachers College of Columbia
University in 1982.
CLASS NOTES 2012
Edwin N. Rowley, Ph.D SJP ’64 wrote
“Life is good in Texas. I've served as
department chair and president of the
faculty senate. In 2008 I was ordained a
deacon by the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
The greatest joys are baptizing babies, joining
couples in marriage
and preaching the
gospel. Thanks to
St. John's for its
foundation and
direction.”
Joseph D. Feaster,
Jr. MC ’67 was
sworn in as
Joseph D. Feaster, Jr.
MC ’67
Stoughton,
Interim
MA.
Town
Manager on April 3, 2012. Feaster is an
Attorney and Counsel to the law firm of
McKenzie & Associates, P.C. in Boston. He
previously served as the Interim
Administrator of the Boston Housing
Authority, as Chair of the Boston Board of
Appeal and as an Assistant Secretary and
General Counsel in the Commonwealth’s
Executive Office of Administration and
Finance.
Maureen Duddy MC ’74 relocated to
central Virginia from NYC, where she is an
"au pair" for airedales that her friend shows
and breeds. Maureen wrote: “Sure beats
working in an office. The puppies/dogs are
so happy to see me (as I am the food
goddess).”
Keila Davis SJP ’06 will attend Brown
University for Graduate School in Fall 2012.
She will study for a Masters in Public
Humanities.
FACULTY NEWS
At the end of the school year, five members
of the faculty were honored. Honorees who
retired at the end of the year were Valerie
DeAngelo who retired after 28 years of
dedicated service as a teacher of French and
Spanish and Department Chairperson and
Stephen Pardalis who retired after 27 years as
a mathematics teacher and Chairperson.
Also honored for 25 years of service were John
Fox of the Science department, Denise Hillig of
the Matematics Department, and Mary
O'Donoghue of the Religion Department.
~2012 SUMMER ALUMNI NEWSLETTER MEMORIAM~
Sal Allocco
Christine (Zmirak) Berrios, MC '70
Elizabeth Bodai, SJP '87
Robert Borzone, SJP '58
Thomas Furlong, SJP '57
John Gruttola, MC '74
Florence (Cotugno) Guigliano, MC '69
William Houston, SJP '51
John Lucas, SJP '57
Edward Sullivan, SJP '54
Lester Wareham SJP '70