Success Stories

Growing up in Nepal, Gautam was fascinated by computers. The Class of 2015 co-valedictorian began building websites in fifth grade and liked the fact that he could create applications other people could see and appreciate. Virtual reality, according to Gautam, is the ultimate form of communication. “It has the capability to engage the senses of the user in a way that a traditional screen or audio speaker cannot, by immersing all of one’s senses in computer generated stimuli,” he said.

Gautam predicts unlimited potential when VR advances to fully replicate the five human senses in an immersive environment. “I can see economies and schools developing in virtual reality. I cannot attend a class in Stanford one day and come back to Jersey City the next day, but in virtual reality, people will be able to do that,” he noted. Other advancements, like the development of artificial smell and touch, have a direct application to safely train firefighters, medical clinicians and even bomb squads.

As a student, Gautam worked part time at Indicative, Inc., in New York, a software firm developing the next generation of web and mobile analytics for business. He was hired in May as a full-time software engineer, and envisions a future in which he will contribute to the development of virtual reality technology.

“My goal would be to create or to bring VR along to be of use in your day-to-day activities,” he said. “One device that can be used anywhere and everywhere.”

He said the cura personalis he received at Saint Peter’s has been an incredible blessing. “Saint Peter’s went out of its way to make things possible for me. When I first came here, I was afraid to ask anyone for a favor because, I thought, ‘Why would someone go out of their way for me?’ I now see that things are possible. You just have to show that you want it badly enough and things will happen for you. Saint Peter’s made me think, ‘things are possible; just come and talk to us.’”

A member of the honors program, Zeoli found time to sing with the Aidan C. McMullen Chorale, perform in numerous Argus Eyes productions, work in the Office of Campus Ministry and participate in three Global Outreach service trips to Ecuador and Mexico, all while maintaining a high G.P.A. She was one of 10 undergraduates welcomed last fall to the Most Noble Order of the Peacock, the University’s top honor society, and she landed a highly competitive internship with the United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations during her last undergraduate college semester.

Zeoli worked in the Development and Humanitarian Rights section of the Mission, which she describes as an amazing experience, “That has shown me how to work in international politics and how to function within a large international organization.”

Zeoli is headed to The Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., in the fall, and said she would miss the many people at Saint Peter’s who shaped her path. “Campus Ministry was easily my favorite part of Saint Peter’s, and every single person there made a positive impact on my life,” she said.

Zeoli also values the relationships formed with faculty. Assistant Professor of Political Science Alexander Mirescu, Ph.D., informed her about the Mission internship “and called everyone he knew” to make the opportunity possible.

The internship meant Zeoli had to go into Manhattan every day after class, leaving no time to meet on campus with her thesis advisor, Associate Professor of Political Science Alain Sanders, Ph.D. “Once a week, Dr. Sanders would call me from home to review my thesis,” said Zeoli. “The faculty here go above and beyond to help you.”

As an undergraduate, Niraula worked closely with Associate Professor of Mathematics and Physics Wei-Dong Zhu, Ph.D., in the Center for Microplasma Science and Technology (CMST) within the University’s Department of Applied Science and Technology. The duo confirmed and built upon previously established models related to the self-organization of microplasma, the fourth state of matter, with potential applications to improve water purification, medical treatment and even television and screen displays.

In 2014, Dr. Zhu and Niraula co-authored a paper in Plasma Source Science and Technology, an international journal dedicated to non-fusion aspects of plasma science, that detailed their method and observed two new self-organized patterns of microplasma. Their protocol and findings are an essential road map for researchers to observe and design more efficient experiments in the future.

With funding from the Independent College Fund of New Jersey and under the mentorship of Dr. Zhu, Niraula made another breakthrough this year. His honors thesis, “Experimentation and Modeling of Self Organization in Cathode Boundary Layer Discharge in Noble Gas,” was the first successful attempt to use krypton to observe the same pattern and structure of microplasma (previous experiments used the noble gas xenon).

Pushing the envelope of discovery has been extremely gratifying, Niraula said. “When I observed the structure of microplasma in krypton gas, I was really excited because it had never been done before. Even Dr. Zhu was excited. He said to me, ‘You are the first person who saw this.’”

The finding has already influenced research at the CMST, inspiring the testing of multiple gases to create established patterns of microsplasma self organization. “In the scheme of things, microplasma is relatively new,” said Niraula. “There’s not a whole lot of direct application from our studies; it’s about understanding the plasma. We know we’re going in the right direction and the combination of gases is interesting. Maybe it brings us closer, or has the potential for a more direct application.”

After graduation from Saint Peter’s, Niraula will spend six months to a year working on the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chilé, a scientific collaboration led by Princeton University that is observing and measuring distant galaxies in the universe.

A student researcher in the Department of Physics at Princeton University for the past three years, Niraula assisted with the design and testing of various components used in the telescope. He is excited to be onsite with the study, gaining hands-on experience and a broader understanding of astrophysics and cosmology, which he plans to study in graduate school.

Physics, he believes, makes us better. “There is an intrinsic value to understanding the origins of the universe and how it evolved to its current state that is simply exciting,” he said. “You want to explore more. Physics, or any other science, is part of who we are and who we want to be.”

Then, in the spring of 2014, Singh was named co-valedictorian of his class as he graduated with a B.A. in economics.

After graduation, Singh was recruited as an extern in the finance division of Pfizer, which led to a full-time position as a finance associate. “After two internships in financial institutions, I thought I would end up having a career in the financial industry,” he said. “But, I ended up in a pharmaceutical company because they recruited at Saint Peter’s. I have loved my experience working in a company that makes a real difference in people’s lives.”

Singh expressed his gratitude for the excellent career guidance he received from Crescenzo Fonzo, director of career services, and Peter M. Gotlieb, Ed.D., associate dean for experiential learning and career services, as well as his academic advisor, Rachel Wifall, Ph.D., associate professor of English and director of the honors program, and senior honors thesis advisor Edwin T. Dickens, Ph.D., professor and chair of economics and finance. “Dr. Dickens helped me develop a strong interest in economics and monetary policy,” he said.

After graduating from Saint Peter’s with a double major in communication and marketing, Lisanti earned her master’s degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, a route recommended to her by Saint Peter’s University Lecturer of Communication Ernabel Demillo. “She brought me to the school to give it a look and basically said, ‘This is something you should do.’ I always wanted to pursue journalism, but I did not foresee how sports and journalism could intersect for me.”

Nutrition and personal fitness were vitally important to Lisanti as a soccer player, and have become the focus of much of her writing. Her recent work, which can be found at si.com/author/jamie-lisanti, explores the training techniques and nutritional strategies of some of the world’s top athletes.

As a student, Gautam worked part time at Indicative, Inc., in New York, a software firm developing the next generation of web and mobile analytics for business. He was hired in May as a full-time software engineer, and envisions a future in which he will contribute to the development of virtual reality technology.

“My goal would be to create or to bring VR along to be of use in your day-to-day activities,” he said. “One device that can be used anywhere and everywhere.”

He said the cura personalis he received at Saint Peter’s has been an incredible blessing. “Saint Peter’s went out of its way to make things possible for me. When I first came here, I was afraid to ask anyone for a favor because, I thought, ‘Why would someone go out of their way for me?’ I now see that things are possible. You just have to show that you want it badly enough and things will happen for you. Saint Peter’s made me think, ‘things are possible; just come and talk to us.’”

She planned to enter the seminary after Saint Peter’s, but earned a second undergraduate degree in international business in case graduate school didn’t work out. It did. Jones Adeosun is now a candidate for a Master of Divinity from the Divinity School at Yale University, a three-year program that prepares students for ordination and parish ministry in various Christian denominations.

Jones Adeosun will be an ordained minister in the American Baptist Church. She is also exploring other avenues of spiritual leadership following a Youth Ministry Initiative fellowship and internship that involved revamping a youth ministry program at a Baptist church in the New Haven area. “I really got to use my education early on—to preach and to teach,” she said. The experience also brought to light the lack of a published curriculum for Baptist educators, and Jones Adeosun would like to contribute resources and materials that help religious educators transform youth ministries.

Jones Adeosun married her husband, Ayobeji, in March. Since the couple reside in New York, she commutes to classes in New Haven, but she has still found time to visit friends and professors at Saint Peter’s. “We’ve come a long way,” Jones Adeosun observed. “The vision for Saint Peter’s future has really come to fruition.”

She arrived in Zambia in June 2013. Kai is a health improvement coordinator tasked with carrying out social and behavior change activities for improved public health and building the capacity of community partners and service providers. In her nearly two years of service, the Saint Peter’s alumna established a youth health services program at a local clinic, trained peer educators in HIV prevention, facilitated nutrition rehabilitation for mothers of malnourished children and started a girls empowerment club at two local schools. “Some days, I wonder if all my efforts are really making a difference,” Kai said. “Other days, I am assured that my presence alone in the community is enough to incite some behavior change.”

A sociology major and business management minor at Saint Peter’s, Kai said classes, internships and service trips like Global Outreach Ecuador were just a part of her preparation for the Peace Corps. “The best preparation is having the passion and mindset that you can make a difference,” she noted. “The encouragement of Saint Peter’s faculty gave me the confidence to believe that I have a part to play in a world that is far larger than the walls of my immediate surroundings.” Living and working in Zambia has also helped Kai focus on life after the Peace Corps. “As volunteers, we engage with groups from the village level up to the state level and with other NGOs,” Kai explained. “From this, I’ve learned that development work is not a romantic act of saving the poor, yet I am now certain that this is how I want to continue my career.”

At Proskauer, DePizzo is a third-year associate in its Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity groups, where he advises corporate buyers and financial buyers and sellers in public and private transactions. DePizzo, 28, acknowledged that it took more than smarts to reach this point in his career.

Joining the Gannon Debating Society at Saint Peter’s and meeting Kathleen Tyrrell, Esq. ’73 was serendipitous for DePizzo, a Presidential Scholar. Tyrrell was the debate team coach and, at the time, her husband, James E. Tyrrell, Esq., was managing partner of Patton Boggs (now Squire Patton Boggs, LLC). A few months after joining the Gannon Debating Society, DePizzo scored his first summer office job: moving boxes at Patton Boggs. He then worked his way up and performed paralegal duties while completing a political science degree at Saint Peter’s.

“Kathy and Jim were really instrumental in walking first time college graduates into the world of professionalism,” DePizzo said. “Being smart was necessary, but not sufficient. In places like Patton Boggs, Jones Day and Proskauer, B-plus work won’t do it. You need to bring your A-game all the time. Kathy definitely demanded that, and it was really important because so many Gannon debaters have reached impressive states in their careers.”

DePizzo finds the formative lessons from competitive debate still resonate today. “As a Gannon debater, everything had to be well documented and we had to be well prepared,” he explained. “And when we debated, we had to be persuasive. Those three components—research, preparation and execution—were really, really important. It’s good preparation for law school, but I also think even if you aren’t a lawyer, it is important to learn those skills.”

His advice to Saint Peter’s students who want to attend law school? “There is no substitute for hard work.” DePizzo recently paid a visit to the Jersey City campus, which is noticeably enhanced since his days as an undergraduate. “The facilities have evolved, but the small college feel remains,” he said. And with further development of the McGinley Square neighborhood, he added, “The best is yet to come.”

That was five years ago. Hoppe graduated from Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013 and is currently in the Family Medicine Residency Program at Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, Calif. The VCMC program has been named the number one program in the country for family residency by U.S. News & World Report.

The California native has traveled the world in pursuit of knowledge. In high school, she participated in mission and service trips to Romania, Guatemala, Mexico, New Orleans and rural Kentucky. For college, she moved 3,700 miles from the San Bernardino mountains to the skyscrapers of Jersey City to pursue a double major in biology and theology at Saint Peter’s University. Between semesters, she could be found studying anywhere from Israel’s Hebrew University to Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown University.

Although she has experienced many places and cultures, she said, “My time at Saint Peter’s was the best four years of my life. The experience and education I received are things I could never replace. It was stressful getting into med school, but my time at Saint Peter’s prepared me.”

While her biology studies at Saint Peter’s were crucial to her medical school success, her theology training is also coming in handy on the job. “Having a basis in theology is always helpful in tough situations,” she said. “Sometimes, I have to give bad news. There is a spiritual component to medicine and it can only help having a background in that.”

When the couple returned to the United States, the economy was in free fall and so was the longtime business established by Majian’s grandfather, Ardash Sahaghian, the original maker of iconic championship boxing belts. “I had no intention at all of running a business,” recalled Majian, who was raised by his grandparents, Ardash and Nazeli, and planned to attend graduate school. “My grandparents never wanted the family business to get in the way of my education.”

Using investigative skills acquired in the social justice program at Saint Peter’s, Majian discovered a market of knock offs and other companies claiming to be the original belt maker. Moreover, Sahaghian’s connection to the stunning designs he pioneered was unrecognized within the industry, so Majian made the pivotal decision to found SARTONK Inc. in 2009 to restore the livelihood and legacy of his grandfather.

It was not an auspicious beginning. Majian had little start-up funding and it was the middle of the recession. Establishing contact with boxing’s governing organizations was difficult, but Majian persisted. He talked his way into a meeting with the World Boxing Organization (WBO), and a few months later, SARTONK had its first commission: a title belt for world champion Manny Pacquiao.

“That was the starting point and the turning point,” said Majian, who is SARTONK’s creative director and chief craftsman. Since then, the Union City, N.J.-based company has built a steady roster of clients including the WBO, the World Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation. One masterpiece at a time, the company has garnered recognition for its work in high profile features in ESPN The Magazine and other media outlets. Sahaghian was also inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012 as a master craftsman. The company was a top 10 finalist in the 2014 FedEx Small Business Grant Competition, so Majian and his wife, the company’s executive manager, used the award to develop “Honor Your Champion,” a lifestyle brand that extends the hard work and sacrifice of boxing champions to everyday champions.

Social activism is an integral part of the SARTONK mission. Educational opportunities experienced as undergraduates inspired Majian and Tatiossian to launch the Ali-King Award, an essay writing contest named after Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that promotes literacy and critical thinking skills among boxing youth. “Ali and King were both fighters,” Majian explained. “Both stood up for justice and dignity and made sacrifices in the process.”

Majian said what started as a moral journey has grown into a successful enterprise that empowers others. “I feel incredibly blessed. I wasn’t forced into this, but I came to it willingly and found myself in it. That was a huge gift,” he noted. “Now my focus as a business leader has shifted to offering employment, opportunities and inspiration to others.”