Founded in 1968, the President's Society at St. John's University represents the highest honor available to its students. It serves as a platform for members to act as ambassadors during various events, helping to connect with the university's alumni network. Membership is seen as a stepping stone for future opportunities.

Recently, the President's Society inducted 22 new members during its 58th annual Induction Ceremony at the D’Angelo Center on the Queens, NY, campus. This year's cohort included five student-athletes. At the event, outgoing members were also acknowledged for their service.

University President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. emphasized during his remarks, “The overwhelming spirit of the evening is gratitude.” He reiterated the organization's mission to represent the university to top donors, which is essential to maintain the commitment to excellence at St. John's. “We carefully choose the students who become members, and it takes hours upon hours because there are many applications and much work that needs to be done,” he said.

Fr. Shanley further noted the importance of showing donors a return on their investment. “That’s who they want to interact with to see that the investment they’ve made in St. John’s is turning out the amazing people who become members of the President’s Society," he explained.

One of the outgoing members, Interdisciplinary Business major Daniel Sánchez, shared his experience and encouraged the new members to engage deeply with the opportunities presented to them. “My experience in the President’s Society has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Sánchez shared. He advised new members to show genuine curiosity and to seize every opportunity to learn from the guests they meet at events.

Daniel Haynes, '20CCPS, '23GCCPS, an alumni speaker and Founder and CEO of Turning Words into Windows, LLC, spoke about the enduring value of this community. “I found my voice, my calling, and a deep sense of community,” noted Haynes, underlining the importance of ongoing alumni support and engagement with incoming society members.

Incoming members conveyed their eagerness to represent the university at prestigious gatherings. Justin Berman, a Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology major, saw this as a broader platform to represent fellow students. Yechao Li, involved with ROTC and Legal Studies, expressed a desire to give back to an institution investing considerably in its programs. Sarah M. Rao, an International Management major, and Ezgi Yasar, a Business Analytics major, both echoed sentiments of gratitude toward the university and a desire to contribute to its future endeavors.

Overall, the induction celebrated the connection between students, alumni, and St. John's University's mission of fostering both professional growth and community engagement.