Alumnus Named 2015 Small Business Champion

May 04, 2015

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – May 4, 2015 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce that Juan Carlos Pocasangre, M.S., E.M.B.A. ’05, was recently honored with the 2015 Minority Small Business Champion Award by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s New York District Office. This award honors individuals who have fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of small business opportunities for minority entrepreneurship.

Pocasangre, quality assurance coordinator for the City of New York’s IDNYC program and vice president of the Brooklyn Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was born in Guatemala. He earned a B.A. in General Business from Excelsior College in Albany, New York, and both an M.S. in Organizational Management and an Executive M.B.A. from SJC’s Brooklyn Campus.

“Juan Carlos is a great friend of St. Joseph’s College and a shining example of an alumnus who is living out the values of this institution,” said Mary Jo Chiara, associate vice president of alumni relations and stewardship. “We are so proud of his accomplishments and congratulate him on this tremendous honor.”

As quality assurance coordinator, Pocasangre’s role is to ensure that essential services are provided through the IDNYC, a government-issued photo identification card for all New York City residents. Cardholders can access services and programs offered by the City and local businesses. IDNYC enhances public safety and helps New Yorkers gain access to all City buildings that provide services to the public.

When he is not working in the community, Pocasangre is fueled by his passion for learning. In recent years, he has learned how to swim and scuba dive, drive a motorcycle, perform CPR, ice skate and ski. He also enjoys spending time with his young nephew. In 2010, Pocasangre obtained a Master of Theology and Divinity from The College of the Open Bible and he is a chaplain of the United Missions International Outreach, Inc.

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 more than 35 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.