The annual Michaelmas Convocation is a traditional event that celebrates impressive student accomplishments. These students have been working hard since they started at Saint Peter’s to maintain high GPAs and strive for the Magis. The Michaelmas Convocation ceremony follows the medieval tradition of convening the faculty and students to start the term and is celebrated in the honor of the feast of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. At this year’s event, New Jersey Senator Sandra B. Cunningham provided the keynote address. Students received achievement awards in all academic areas, including the sciences, arts and business.
During the convocation, seniors are inducted into the oldest and most distinguished honors society at Saint Peter’s, the Most Noble Order of the Peacock (MNOP), for attaining the highest scholastic average in all courses throughout their first three years at the University. The students inducted into this year’s MNOP society were Nisharg Parikh ’19, Melanie Shiwkumar ’19, Newstein Chang ’19, Teresa Organisciak ’19, Madel Liquido ’19, Thu Anh Ly ’19, Douglas Nover ’19, Vanessa Fragiacomo ’19, Samuel Marcillo-Gomez ’19, Alexis O’Callahan ’19, Petra Calderon ’19 and Sabrina Hamdulla ’19. Many other students, including those in honor societies, were recognized.
Students and attendees also had the opportunity to hear an inspirational keynote from the convocation speaker, Cunningham. She acknowledged the hard work of the students and encouraged them to vote.
“When I look out at all these students who have worked so hard, I know we are in good hands,” she said. “America is a great country and as a great country there is a place for you to be a leader.”
President of Saint Peter’s University Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., also provided congratulatory remarks.
“Michaelmas provides a time to reflect on the deep impact of every member of the University community, for example, it helps parents realize they have done a good job and it was worth their sacrifices. For faculty, it provides fresh appreciation of their vocation, but most of all, it is intended to stir up the thoughts and feelings of students to appreciate what you have been given and how your lives have been changed,” said Dr. Cornacchia.
After the ceremony, award recipients and their families gathered in The Duncan Family Sky Room for a celebratory lunch. Following tradition, at the lunch, faculty spoke to the amazing accomplishments of the MNOP awardees. They each have their unique stories and accomplishments, including, but not limited to; Nisharg Parikh is a driving force for research in the pharmaceutical chemistry lab, coauthor of several publications and has interviews at medical schools.
“Nisharg will have a great impact in the medical field,” said his mentor, Christian Traba, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry.
Melanie Shiwkumar is a highly accomplished accounting major and business law minor. She is also the president of INFORMS, vice president of the Accounting Society, treasurer of the Business Law Association, co-founder of Math Club, interned in finance and accounting and served as an Ignite Institute fellow. Newstein Chang is a scientist with a passion for teaching the young; he is a double major in biology and elementary education and has received awards for his work in biology. He is a member of many honor societies including Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society and TriBeta Biology Honor Society. He is the public relations director of the Honors Club, event coordinator for the Student Education Association and president of Kappa Delta Pi, international honor society for education. In addition, he is a resident assistant, teaching assistant, tutor, student researcher and has taught English overseas.
“He is a friend to all,” said Sara Talis O’Brien, Ed.D., professor of education. “Newstein Chang is one of the extraordinary science educators Saint Peter’s has ever known.”
Teresa Organisciak, is the daughter of Polish immigrants, president of the Accounting Society and secretary of the Business Law Association who has done volunteer work in addition to being an avid reader, hiker and hockey player. Madel Liquido earned internships with Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse, where she was recently offered a full-time position. She is a SURGE fellow and has made presentations at national conferences. Liqduio is the president of the Math Club, serves as a peer mentor on campus and hopes to peruse a master’s degree in financial engineering. Thu Anh Ly is a biochemistry major, a member of Beta Beta Beta, Gamma Sigma Epsilon honor society and received the Ignation Flame Award for community service.
Daniel Fried, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, spoke to Thu Anh Ly’s accomplishments. “She is remarkably passionate and sets incredibly high standards for herself. She approaches her work with diligence and thoughtfulness and deeply cares about the well being for people. She will find new treatment options for her future patients.”
Douglas Nover, Cross country and track runner, excels both on and off the track, but more importantly serves as a mentor and leader as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Saint Peter’s and vice president of MAAC SAAC. He helps to improve students’ experiences and fights to break the stigma of mental illness among athletes and makes connections between the students and the community. Vanessa Fragiacomo was born in a small town near Venice, Italy and at 15 months was adopted by a young couple. At the age of 12, her parents gave up everything and volunteered to allow the Catholic Church to send them anywhere in the world as a missionary family; she moved to America, learned English, earned high grades and made a commitment to help others.
“Sadness from her adoption was the motivation for her to pursue a teaching career,” said her mentor, James Jacobson ’86, associate professor of education. “You learned from us the theories and practices of teaching; we learned from you that hearts full of hope can help the struggling learner to achieve goals beyond expectation.”
Samuel Marcillo-Gomez is a cyber security major who is also an accomplished eagle scout, computer whiz, role model and is generous and dedicated to his peers. He recently completed an internship as an information security officer for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Alexis O’Callahan majors in biology and minors in chemistry and philosophy; she is a member of Beta Beta Beta, a PSE&G STEM Scholar and president of Students for Peace and Justice Club. She has presented work at the AJCU honors conference, the Ignatian Justice Summit and the United Struggles Conference. She is an award winning writer, photographer and poet. Petra Calderon has a Venezuelan father and Japanese mother, she is fluent in Japanese, Spanish and English. She aspires to be an occupational therapist. Sabrina Hamdulla ’19 is a nursing student who comes from a family of nurses. She recently completed a nursing externship at New York City’s Bellevue hospital in their labor and delivery unit.
The MNOPs at Saint Peter’s University have all embraced the University’s motto of cura personalis or care for the whole person. The University is proud of their commitment to Jesuit values including community service and academics. Look for upcoming news of these 12 outstanding students as they will surely “set the world on fire” after graduation. To view more photos from the event, click here.
