FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 28, 2021 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 41
Victoria’s
DIARY
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@gmail.com
tweet me @vschneps
Sharing their worlds
People make the world go
round and this week I want
to share their worlds with
you.
Podcasts have been a powerful
way to share with my readers
across our media platforms and
iTunes. Last week, I had a fascinating
talk with Dr. Donald R.
Boomgaarden, the popular president
of St. Joseph’s College of
New York. Th e school has three
campuses: one in Patchogue, one
in the Fort Greene section of
Brooklyn and a virtual campus
for online classes.
When I interviewed Dr.
Boomgaarden, he was very
upbeat because he had just gotten
word that the bond issue to
build a new student center had
been approved. It was easy to
notice the pride and excitement
in his voice, having achieved
another goal for his beloved
school.
Th e college has been included
in Forbes magazine’s list
of America’s top colleges.
Washington Monthly included
St. Joseph’s in its 2020 Best
Bang for the Buck Rankings:
Northeast list.
Because the institution
was founded in 1916 by the
Congregation of the Sisters of
St. Joseph, the school places a
high priority on moral behavior.
Dr. Boomgaarden, the school’s
eighth president, earned his
position aft er previously serving
as provost at the University
of Scranton in Pennsylvania,
among various positions at multiple
universities.
What I found fascinating is
that Dr. Boomgaarden is a classically
trained pianist who graduated
from the fi nest schools and,
even with his heavy administrative
responsibilities, he still takes
time to perform.
I love the story he told me of
when he played his electric fi ddle
with students during a recital.
Aft er performing, one of the students’
parents approached him
and asked, “Are you really the
president of the college?”
I asked Dr. Boomgaarden what
advice he would off er his students
to succeed and I was happy
to hear him say something that
I, too, believe in: “Be persistent
and follow your dreams.”
It looks like Dr. Boomgaarden
has found his perfect dream job
and is loving every moment of it!
Listen to the podcast at
podcasts.schnepsmedia.com.
KUDOS!
Many years ago I had the pleasure
of meeting Patricia
Chin, who with her
husband Vincent
“Randy” Chin, founded
VP Records in their
home on the island of
Kingston, Jamaica.
Now, Patricia is celebrating
the 60th anniversary
of her incredibly successful
company.
Her story of creating a multiple
generational entrepreneurship
is one of glory
and pain, which
you can read in her
recently published
10-pound beautiful
table-top book,
“Miss Pat: My Reggae
Music Journey.”
Th e book is a stunning
presentation of
her journey fi lled with tributes,
including one from DJ Kool
Herc, a “founding father of hip
hop.”
“What Berry
Gordy was
to Motown
Records,
what Russell
Simmons
was to
Def Jam
Recordings,
what Clive
Davis was to
Arista Records,
Patricia Chin
is to the Reggae
industry and VP
Records,” he wrote.
What a fantastic,
well-earned tribute!
Kudos to a fearless
woman who, in a male
dominated industry,
became a philanthropist,
retailer, merchandiser
and the recipient
of numerous awards,
including a Grammy!
Congratulations, Pat!
Getting a second chance
Having known Jim Gennaro for decades, I was delighted to
see him decide to run again for City Council aft er a
decade of being out of the public eye.
Time can be so cruel sometimes. Jim, like so many great
leaders, including Claire Shulman, had their public
service cut short because of term limits. He served as
councilman from Jan. 1, 2002 to Dec. 31, 2013, when he
was term limited out of offi ce. He also lost his beloved
wife aft er a lengthy battle with an illness. But he has
continued working through it all and has been serving
in government ever since.
Now, District 24 residents in the neighborhoods
of Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Fresh Meadows,
Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood, Parkway
Village, Jamaica Hills and Jamaica are fortunate enough
to have the opportunity to elect Jim again. Th is time, he’s
accompanied by his compassionate new wife Wendy Phaff ,
who has brought her brilliance to Queens Centers for
Progress.
I know the power of bringing years of knowledge
of city government will serve his constituents
well. Vote for Jim Gennaro
as city councilman for District 24!
Dr. Donald R. Boomgaarden and I share the same mantra of being
persistent and following our dreams.
Pat and Vincent as they
arrived in New York.
Miss Pat in front of
the Unisphere.
/podcasts.schnepsmedia.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
