One of the 1,891 recipients of academic degrees at St. John’s University’s Queens campus commencement on May 19 was an alumnus who got his first diploma there in 1984. The graduate then was Robert Brennan, who is now Bishop Robert Brennan upon whom the university conferred a Doctor of Sacred Theology degree these 40 years later.

Douglas Oldmixon, a retired member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and his wife Jo-Dee Benson consider themselves to be patriotic Americans who are devoted to supporting the nation’s military.

About seven years ago, high school students in a small city along Lake Ontario in upstate New York were assigned a project. Their teacher told them to pretend they were members of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party and argue for, or against, the Holocaust’s Final Solution. 

Between piano, taekwondo, and academics, siblings Koey and Keo Ma have devoted themselves to their passions. Even though they are young, the St. Mel Catholic Academy students have spent hours at the ivories learning new songs or in the dojo becoming black belts. 

Ever since he was very young, Noel Guzman has been determined to not stop until he gets his questions answered. He is a self-described discerner, who uses logic as his guide through the confusion of life.