March 9, 2026<\/p>\n
St. John\u2019s University\u2019s second annual Employee Professional Development Day<\/a> offered faculty<\/a>, administration, and staff across the Queens<\/a>, NY, campus the opportunity to learn about emerging workplace issues and acquire the essential knowledge and skills to enhance their job performance.<\/p>\n Several hundred University employees gathered in the D\u2019Angelo Center<\/a>\u00a0ballroom on March 5 for a series of 12 lectures on topics ranging from workplace psychology to the best uses of artificial intelligence (AI), proper financial habits, and connecting with the University\u2019s mission. Cosponsored by the\u00a0Office of Human Resources<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Office of Employee Belonging<\/a>, the event was held one day before\u00a0National Employee Appreciation Day<\/a>, celebrated annually on the first Friday in March.<\/p>\n \u201cAn event like this shows you how much St. John\u2019s values growth in the workplace,\u201d said Thomas Bozzo \u201924M.A., Assistant Director, Mission Assessment, Office of Mission Initiatives<\/a>. \u201cIn these sessions, you interact with people you might not know, but can learn from. You can then take what you have learned back to your everyday job.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Keaton Wong, J.D.<\/a>, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, the idea for a professional development day emerged from a survey done by Human Resources and the\u00a0Office of Equity and Inclusion<\/a>\u00a0in Summer 2024. The inaugural event, in March 2025, attracted more than 200 employees; the 2026 event was even more popular.<\/p>\n Representatives from St. John\u2019s employee benefits partners, including insurers\u00a0Aetna<\/a>,\u00a0Cigna<\/a>, and\u00a0New York Life<\/a>, financial services firms\u00a0Fidelity Investments<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America<\/a>\u00a0(TIAA), and NY 529<\/a>, New York State\u2019s college savings program, spoke to employees about health care and retirement issues, and more.<\/p>\n New to the agenda in 2026 was a networking hour, during which employees could mingle with representatives from 20 University offices and departments over light snacks and soft drinks. \u201cWe wanted employees to have the opportunity to find out more about what other offices and departments do,\u201d Ms. Wong explained. \u201cSo, they can, for example, come to the Employee Belonging table and find out more about what programming is coming from Employee Belonging, or learn more about, say, Human Resources.\u201d<\/p>\n For the second straight year, the most popular lecture was dedicated to best practices in AI use. Delivered by members of the Office of Information Technology<\/a>, the lecture reinforced the University\u2019s commitment to AI as an efficiency tool, but reminded employees of its limitations.<\/p>\n \u201cAI behaves as it has been taught,\u201d said\u00a0Roger S. So, Ed.D.<\/a>, Director of Emerging Technologies,\u00a0Office of Information Technology<\/a>, and Adjunct Professor,\u00a0Department of Accountancy<\/a>,\u00a0The Peter J. Tobin College of Business<\/a>. \u201cAs a result, there are limitations and biases. AI will make mistakes, so you must be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n Joining Dr. Soo were Lauren Drakakis, IT Systems Architect, and David Park, Multimedia Engineer, both from the Office of Information Technology. Ms. Drakakis and Mr. Park discussed some of the ethical issues associated with AI use while demonstrating ways employees could integrate it into their daily responsibilities to enhance efficiency. Ms. Drakakis cautioned employees always to proofread AI-generated reports. \u201cOnce you sign it, you own it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Workshops were divided into three categories\u2014Skills Building, Technology, and Well-Being. Included among the Skills Building category was a workshop on psychological safety in the office, designed to promote leadership, help employees manage change, and inspire them to be better team members.<\/p>\n \u201cChange is inevitable, growth is optional,\u201d said Kelly Valentin, Associate Director of Training and Development, Office of Human Resources. \u201cWhen employees feel safe at work, they are more willing to talk honestly, and that talk can lead to change.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n A pair of sessions offered under the Well-Being umbrella encouraged employees to connect with the University\u2019s Vincentian mission<\/a> in ways that respect colleagues and showcase a common purpose.<\/p>\n