Elisa Sciortino ‘07TCB, ‘12MBA

After earning her bachelor’s degree in marketing from St. John’s University, Elisa Sciortino was working as a local bank supervisor when the financial crisis hit. “I knew it was time to return to St. John’s,” she said. “I was being inundated with questions about the state of the banking industry, so I decided to delve deeper into the field.”

Ms. Sciortino enrolled in the University’s M.B.A. program and, focusing on finance, attended classes at both the Manhattan and Staten Island campuses. “I learned a lot about the regulatory environment in finance and started to look for jobs in that space,” she said. Her search led to her current position with the Federal Reserve, where she is a Financial Services Associate.  

While Ms. Sciortino's finance courses at St. John’s prepared her for professional success, learning about St. Vincent de Paul peaked her interest in another area—serving others. “I was intrigued by Vincent’s selfless work for others,” she said. “I began to picture myself giving back to my community, but I didn't know where to begin.”

She didn’t have to search for very long, quickly discovering IlluminArt Productions, a nonprofit theater group in Staten Island that empowers local youths through performance. “Our program is designed to help them deal with difficult topics such as bullying, grief, substance abuse, and other relevant areas,” said Ms. Sciortino, who is now a member of the group’s board of trustees. “Ultimately, our goal is to make a difference in students’ lives.”