Tradition and Progress. These two ideals were at the forefront of the 2012 Michaelmas Convocation on Wednesday, September 26, held to honor students who have excelled academically throughout the 2011-2012 school year. While the Convocation is a longstanding tradition, this year marked another milestone in Saint Peter’s long and rich history – it was the very first Michaelmas Convocation held as Saint Peter’s University.
As “Pomp and Circumstance” played in the background, honored students, administration and faculty marched into the Victor R. Yanitelli, S.J. Recreational Life Center for the Academic Processional, which officially began the ceremony. Peacock pride filled the RLC in countless ways – from the award recipients, to the proud parents in attendance. This pride was verbalized by MG George R. Fay, AUS ’70 (Ret.) during his Convocation Remarks.
“I have always been a proud alumnus of Saint Peter’s, a proud Peacock!” he announced to the audience.
Fay received a bachelor of science degree in economics at Saint Peter’s in 1970, and went on to join the United States Army as a second lieutenant. He said, “The Army War College teaches that leadership has three elements: character, competence and the ability to encourage the heart. Saint Peter’s instilled each of those elements in me even before I pinned on the Gold Bars of a second lieutenant.”
In the Army, Fay rose through the ranks until his retirement from military service as a major general in 2008. Fay served in a variety of locales and positions within the world of military intelligence, including as the lead investigating officer into the military intelligence involvement in the detainee abuses at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq. Fay said the leadership skills and values he learned at Saint Peter’s helped him a great deal during this time. “Moral courage is having the intestinal fortitude to do the right thing yourself and recognizing your responsibility to insure that your organization does the right thing,” he said. “Saint Peter’s expects that of you.”
His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon.
In his current civilian career, Fay is the executive vice president of Worldwide Property and Casualty Claims at CNA Insurance.
Fay attributed his professional successes to the values he learned at Saint Peter’s, as well as in the Army. He said, “I have had a very exciting and rewarding insurance career, and I was fortunate enough to be given the great honor and privilege to serve the American people in the United States Army and the United States Army Reserve for 38 years. My Jesuit education here at Saint Peter’s was the foundation for those professional accomplishments.”
For their commitment to this same Jesuit education, 11 senior students were inducted into the oldest scholarship society at Saint Peter’s during the Convocation – the Most Noble Order of the Peacock (MNOP). This honor is bestowed to top students for attaining the highest scholastic average in all courses throughout their first three years at the University. As fellow students, parents and others looked on, Taofik Oladipupo, Semiray Kasoolu, Nicholas Pucci, Jamie Lisanti, Ayush Neupane, Alexander Frakes, Zhenyi Zhang, Yanitsa Toneva, Nicholas Lambrianou, Michael Marmora and Ali Hassan were welcomed into this year’s MNOP society.
In being inducted into the society, Lisanti accomplished a dream she set out to achieve when first entering Saint Peter’s. “When I was a freshman and heard about this honor, I told myself that I wanted to try my best to get it while still balancing playing soccer and all of my other extracurricular activities. Now as a graduating senior, I am proud to say I have maintained my high GPA.”
Fellow inductee Semiray Kasoolu also realized a personal goal in becoming a member of the MNOP. “I’m an international student from Bulgaria [and] joining the ranks of all the top undergraduates throughout the University’s history is a way for me to give back to the University and in justifying their admission and scholarship decision three years earlier.”
Throughout the Convocation, additional students received achievement awards in all academic areas, including the sciences, arts and business, among many others.
Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University, congratulated the students, faculty and parents on their successes. He encouraged the students to be prepared for where life may take them by “studying and becoming as well educated as you can be. By listening and getting to know your teachers. By welcoming your experiences and embracing challenges. By being generous of mind and spirit. By developing an interior life through reading and writing, reflection and prayer.”
In closing the Convocation, this advice served as a powerful message to students – through hard work, dedication and discipline, life is limitless.
Pictured are the MNOP inductees with Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University. First row, from left: Dr. Cornacchia, Taofik Oladipupo, Jamie Lisanti. Second row: Nicholas Lambrianou, Michael Marmora, Ali Hassan. Third row: Semiray Kasoolu, Alexander Frakes, Zhenyi Zhang, Ayush Neupane. Top row: Nicholas Pucci.