With live music, food trucks, and campus spirit on full display in and around the D\u2019Angelo Center<\/a> (DAC), the celebration was as vibrant as the impact behind it. While Giving Day was certainly about food, fun, and festivities, it also served as a powerful reminder that every act of generosity, no matter what the size, helps shape a student\u2019s journey.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cGiving Day is about more than dollars raised,\u201d explained Christian P. Vaupel, Ed.D.<\/a>, Senior Vice President for Advancement. \u201cIt\u2019s a visible demonstration of our collective commitment to ensuring that our students have the resources, opportunities, and experiences they need to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n Today, 98 percent of St. John\u2019s undergraduate and graduate students receive financial aid<\/a>\u2014meaning that for many of the students attending the Giving Day festivities, that support makes the difference between whether or not they will be able to attend the University.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Amarra Lopez, a senior marketing<\/a> major at the event, that support has been transformative. \u201cI\u2019m actually an endowed scholar recipient, so I think it\u2019s super important that donors either give back or pay it forward to the next generation of students,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are doing amazing things, and that bit of financial security benefits us in many ways, from academics to extracurriculars, or just being able to live comfortably on campus. St. John\u2019s wouldn\u2019t be the way it is without our donors.\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow attendee Ishmael Faye had a similar take on the importance of supporting students through scholarships. \u201cSt. John\u2019s is a place where so many students have truly transformative experiences, and a big part of that comes from the financial support the University provides through generous donors,\u201d the senior advertising communications and public relations<\/a> major said. \u201cWithout that support, those opportunities wouldn\u2019t be possible for many students, and a lot of people would find themselves in much more difficult situations.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n On the plaza outside DAC, the celebration featured everything from gyros at Uncle Gussy\u2019s food truck and loaded fries from Taste Buddyz, to classic Mister Softee ice cream and Fasullo\u2019s Famous Zeppoles served by alumnus Glenn Fasullo \u201975CBA. Those who made a gift of $10 received a food ticket redeemable for a sweet treat, such as zeppoles or ice cream, while donors who pledged $20 or more received a lunch ticket with dessert.\u00a0<\/p>\n Back inside, Crystal Anne Dibenedetto, of Middle Village, Queens, credited the financial aid she has received with making her education possible. \u201cI\u2019m an independent student, meaning I have no financial help from my family, so I\u2019m paying for college on my own,\u201d she explained. \u201cAs a result, scholarships are essential for me to continue my studies at St. John\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Giving](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260430_giving_day_068_960x640.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Johnny](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260430_giving_day_114_960x640.jpg\")
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