Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

St. John's University recently held a ceremony to honor the contributions of Italian Americans to New York City. The event took place at the D’Angelo Center on October 23, drawing over 200 attendees to the Queens campus.

The celebration was part of Italian Heritage and Culture Month, acknowledging the lasting impact of Italian immigrants on New York City. Among those present were Honorable Donovan Richards Jr., Queens Borough President, and Joseph Sciame ’71Ed, President and Chair of the Italian Heritage and Culture Committee of New York, Inc.

Borough President Richards remarked on the unique qualities of the Italian American community in Queens: “From its devotion to family to its dedication to preserving culture, there’s no community like Queens’ Italian American community,” he said. “The ‘World’s Borough’ simply would not be the diverse and dynamic place it is without the longstanding influence and contributions of Italian Americans—a community we are proud to celebrate every year.”

This year's celebration also marked the 500th anniversary of Giovanni da Verrazzano's entrance into New York Harbor in April 1524. The Florentine navigator's legacy continues through the bridge named after him that connects Brooklyn and Staten Island.

During the event, five individuals were honored for their contributions to Italian American culture, including four alumni from St. John’s University.