BROOKLYN and PATCHOGUE, NY – January 24, 2005 – St. Joseph's College has received three grants from New York State for 2005, totaling $40,000.

A grant of $30,000, secured by New York State Senator Caesar Trunzo (R- Suffolk) and awarded from the New York State Department of Education will be used to create Smart Classrooms on the Patchogue Campus.

The Smart Classroom is a fully integrated, technological classroom that provides pre-service teachers with the chance to use, explore and experiment with technology that they will encounter in the classroom. Reports from numerous educational organizations, including the National Education Association and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, all point to a deficiency in preparing pre-service teachers to integrate technology into the classroom environment. Since the many of St. Joseph’s students are interested in Child Study or secondary education, and most become certified teachers in the New York metropolitan area, the College seeks to address this issue by creating Smart Classrooms for future teachers.

A second award of $5,000 from the Department of Education was secured by New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery (D-Brooklyn). The third grant, a Local Initiative Grant in the amount of $5,000 was secured by New York State Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol (D-Brooklyn). Both grants will fund upgrades for the Brooklyn campus’ science department including technological advancements for the chemistry department.

“We are thrilled by the dedication of Senator Trunzo, Senator Montgomery and Assemblyman Lentol in obtaining these funds for St. Joseph's College,” said Sister Elizabeth A. Hill, CSJ, JD, president of St. Joseph's. “We are proud to be able to work with our representatives to continue to provide our students with the top-of-the-line facilities they need for a superior education.”

About St. Joseph's College

St. Joseph's College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. With campuses located in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn and in Patchogue, Long Island, the College offers degrees in 21 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs through its School of Arts and Sciences and its School of Adult and Professional Education. Graduate degrees are also offered including an Executive MBA, a Master of Science in Management, and a Master of Arts in Infant/Toddler Early Childhood Special Education.