The Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) is comprised of a select group of interdisciplinary St. John’s University faculty who have demonstrated teaching, research, and scholarly expertise in areas related to community service, civic engagement, and social responsibility. As part of the Office of University Mission, the FRC is responsible for community-based outcomes research conducted across all elements of the Mission sector, with a particular emphasis on those programs within The Institute for Vincentian Impact. The Institute for Vincentian Impact was established in 2008 to increase the visibility of the St. John’s Catholic and Vincentian mission, including opportunities where faculty and students can explore issues of poverty and social justice. The FRC promotes research by supporting the recruitment of qualified University professors who serve as research mentors for students, offering internal faculty research grant opportunities and formally recognizing faculty excellence in mission-aligned research. The FRC also develops research initiatives through programs and community partnerships within the Mission sector.
"Funding opportunities offered by the Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) have been critical for developing my sustainable research program centered around social justice and audiology. I highly encourage all St. John’s University faculty members to consider applying to the FRC sponsored grant opportunities. They certainly have been a foundation for meaningful, community-centered research." -Dr. Shruti Deshpande, Associate Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders, St. John's College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Consortium Membership
John M. Conry, Pharm.D., Chair, FRC
Clinical Professor, Department of Clinical Health Professions
Senior Vincentian Research Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society
Director, The Urban Institute College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Elissa J. Brown, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Psychology
Founder and Executive Director, Child HELP Partnership
St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Robert Eschenauer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Counselor Education
Senior Vincentian Research Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society
School of Education
Edrex Fontanilla, MFA
Associate Professor, Collins College of Professional Studies
Director, Game Development and Emerging Media
Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan, Ph.D.
Henry George Chair in Economics and Associate Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, Henry George Chair in Economics
Senior Vincentian Research Fellow, Vincentian Center for Church and Society
The Peter J. Tobin College of Business Senior Vincentian Research
Roberta L. Hayes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Institute for Core Studies
Coordinator, Scientific Inquiry Core
St John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant
The Office of University Mission is proud to partner with the Sinatra family to strengthen its mission of providing an academic platform where faculty and students can explore issues of poverty and social injustice, as well as provide potential recommendations through research. The goal of the endowment is to promote outcomes-based research in the community. For almost 40 years, Dr. Richard Sinatra served as an associate dean, chair, faculty member, and program director in the School of Education. He also served as the Chair of the Faculty Research Consortium for The Institute for Vincentian Impact from 2008 - 2015. Dr. Sinatra has long been an advocate for systemic change. This endowment is an example of his continued commitment to education and the development of research at the University.
The Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant ($2,500)
This grant supports community-based outcomes research for full-time junior (tenure-track) faculty at St. John’s University. Through outcomes research, quantitative methods are used to evaluate community-based interventions. These interventions may be from any discipline, with the specific aim of improving the areas of poverty and social justice.
| Recipient Name | Year Awarded | Research Topic | College | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenny Yang, Assistant Professor | 2024 | Curricular Intervention in Computer Science for English Learners | The School of Education | Queens |
| Max Freeman, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2022 | Does Clay-based Language Stimulation Enhance Children's Vocabulary and Syntax? | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Seunghyun Park, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2021 | Efficient Roles of Vlogs to Improve Social Inclusion in Tourism for the Disabled | Collins College of Professional Studies | Queens |
| Max Freeman, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2020 | Language Outcomes for Children’s Use of Creativity through Open-Ended Materials during Language Stimulation | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Gary E. Martin, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2018 | Girls with Intellectual Disability: Communication Skills in an Underrepresented Research Population | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Staten Island |
| Shruti Deshpande, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2017 | A Sustainable Hearing Conversation Project for Liberty Partnership’s Program’s High School Students Implemented by Audiologists and Audiology Students Through Academic Service-Learning: A Symbiotic Impact | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Elizabeth Brandolo, PhD, Professor | 2017 | Discrimination and Depression: Testing a Social Cognitive Model | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| William Reisel, PhD, Professor | 2016 | Developing a Pilot Study for Expanding an Ongoing AS-L Community Partnership with Central Family Life Center of Staten Island. | The Peter J. Tobin College of Business | Staten Island |
| Christine Chim, PharmD, Clinical Assistant Professor | 2016 | The Impact of a Pharmacist and Pharmacy Students Engaging with Northwell Health’s Communities via Home Visits | College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | Queens |
| John W. McKenna, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2015 | Qualitative Study of Teacher Preparation and Provision of Special Education Services | School of Education | Queens |
| Michael Downton, PhD, Assistant Professor (with Judy Chen, EdD, SOE) | 2015 | A community of reflective teachers: Cultivating reflective practice to impact student teacher’s self-efficacy | School of Education | Queens |
Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant
Eligibility
Full-time junior (tenure-track) faculty at St. John’s University are eligible to apply for this grant. Applicants can be individual or collaborative, but the principal investigator must be tenure-track faculty.
Grant Award Amount (Grant period: 1 Year)
$2,500
Application Deadline
February 21, 2025
Criteria for Grant Proposals
- Empirical question being asked is related to intervention outcomes
- Proposal must clearly outline the specific aims and hypotheses, research design, participants, measures, intervention, and statistical methods including power analysis/sample size, timeline, and budget
- Show feasibility (e.g., by including a letter of commitment from community partners)
- Include description of current internal/external funding for the project (if applicable)
Sample Application Guidelines from 2024:
- Cover page
- Abstract
Summary of the proposed project in 200 words or less
- Proposal
In 3-5 pages, provide specific information on the proposed research project. Please include the following sections:
1. Background and significance (i.e., theory and/or previous research)
2. Specific aims and hypotheses
3. Research design
4. Participants (including power analysis when relevant)
5. Measures (including description of reliability and validity)
6. Proposed intervention
7. Statistical methods
8. Projected dissemination of outcomes
9. Timeline (including IRB submission)
10. Detailed budget (including personnel, supplies, equipment, conference presentation travel only, etc.)
- Funding Guidelines
Grant recipients must conform to the University guidelines on purchasing when using funds. Grant funding cannot be used for transportation, donations, contribution to existing programs or gifts, or anything not specified in the approved application or pre-approved by the FRC.
Grant Recipient Responsibilities
- Provide a report each semester for the duration of the project (a template will be provided to endowment grant recipients) for review by the FRC
- Participate or present during St. John’s University Research Month (April 2026)
- Submit a final report upon completion of the project (September 1, 2026)
- Submit an article for publication to Mission's Journal of Vincentian Social Action (http://scholar.stjohns.edu/jovsa/) or an appropriate journal to the researcher’s discipline (December 1, 2026)
- Acknowledge the support of the Richard and Camille Sinatra Endowment Grant through the Office of University Mission at St. John’s University in all papers and presentations relating to this project.
Questions
For any questions on this grant opportunity, please contact Kara A. James, Senior Secretary, at casaresk@stjohns.edu or 718-990-5947.
Faculty Research Consortium Grant
The Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) is comprised of a select group of interdisciplinary St. John’s University faculty who have demonstrated teaching, research, and scholarly expertise in areas related to community service, civic engagement, and social responsibility. As part of the Office of University Mission, the FRC is responsible for community-based outcomes research conducted across all elements of the Mission sector, with a particular emphasis on those programs within The Institute for Vincentian Impact. The Institute for Vincentian Impact was established in 2008 to increase the visibility of the St. John’s Catholic and Vincentian mission, including opportunities where faculty and students can explore issues of poverty and social justice. The FRC promotes research by supporting the recruitment of qualified University professors who serve as research mentors for students, offering internal faculty research grant opportunities and formally recognizing faculty excellence in mission-aligned research. The FRC also develops research initiatives through programs and community partnerships within the Mission sector.
Guided by the FRC, the FRC Grant supports community-based outcomes research for full-time tenured faculty at St. John’s University. This research may be from any discipline, with the specific aim of improving the areas of poverty and social justice.
Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) Grant ($5,000)
| Recipient Name | Year Awarded | Research Topic | College | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shruti Deshpande, PhD, Assistant Professor | 2023 | Play it by Ear: An Intervention Program to Enhance Hearing Health Access and Equity for Young Children from Diverse Communities | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Elizabeth Brandolo, PhD, Professor | 2020 | Evaluating Strategies for Disseminating Scientific Information about the Mental Health Effects of Discrimination | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Queens |
| Robert Fanuzzi, PhD and William Reisel, PhD | 2019 | Academic Service Learning as a College Readiness Strategy: Creating an Assessment Dashboard for St. John's University SI Campus "Difference Makers Program" | St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Staten Island |
| Smita Guha, PhD | 2019 | Health and Nutrition for Homeless Mothers and Children | School of Education | Queens |
Faculty Research Consortium (FRC) Grant
Eligibility
Full-time tenured faculty at St. John’s University are eligible to apply for this grant. Applicants can be individual or collaborative; the principal investigator must be a tenured faculty member.
Grant Award Amount (Grant period: 1 Year)
$5,000
Application Deadline
February 21, 2025
Criteria for Grant Proposals
- Empirical question being asked is related to intervention outcomes
- Proposal must clearly outline the specific aims and hypotheses, research design, participants, measures, intervention, and statistical methods including power analysis/sample size, timeline, and budget
- Show feasibility (e.g., by including a letter of commitment from community partners)
- Include description of current internal/external funding for the project (if applicable)
Application Guidelines:
- Cover page
- Abstract
Summary of the proposed project in 200 words or less
Proposal
In 3-5 pages, provide specific information on the proposed research project. Please use the areas below to guide your submission:
1. Background and significance (i.e., theory and/or previous research)
2. Specific aims and hypotheses
3. Research design
4. Participants (including power analysis when relevant)
5. Measures (including description of reliability and validity)
6. Proposed intervention
7. Statistical methods
8. Projected dissemination of outcomes
9. Timeline (including IRB submission)
10. Detailed budget (including personnel, supplies, equipment, conference presentation travel only, etc.)
- Funding Guidelines
Grant recipients must conform to the University guidelines on purchasing when using funds. Grant funding cannot be used for transportation, donations, contribution to existing programs or gifts, or anything not specified in the approved application or pre-approved by the FRC.
Grant Recipient Responsibilities
- Provide a report each semester for the duration of the project (a template will be provided to grant recipients) for review by the FRC
- Participate or present during St. John’s University Research Month (April 2026)
- Submit a final report upon completion of the project (September 1, 2026)
- Submit an article for publication to Mission's Journal of Vincentian Social Action (http://scholar.stjohns.edu/jovsa/) or an appropriate journal to the researcher’s discipline (December 1, 2026)
Acknowledge the support of The Faculty Research Consortium Grant through the Office of University Mission at St. John’s University in all papers and presentations relating to this project.
Questions
- For any questions on this grant opportunity, please contact Kara A. James, Senior Secretary, at casaresk@stjohns.edu or 718-990-5947.
Faculty Research Luncheons
The Faculty Research Consortium is proud to host a Faculty Research Luncheon each year as part of Founders Week.
This event provides a platform for faculty fellowship and to recognize the latest recipients of the various FRC research grant opportunities (Sinatra Endowment Grant and FRC Grant), FRC faculty excellence awards for mission-aligned research (Community-Based Outcomes & Poverty Research Award and Vincentian Social Justice Award), FRC research fellows (Outcomes-based Community Research Fellowship) and the Ozanam Scholars Faculty Mentor Award.
2023 The Institute for Vincentian Impact Reception and Research Forum
FRC Opportunities and More Information
Journal of Vincentian Social Action
The Journal of Vincentian Social Action (JoVSA) is a biannual peer reviewed scholarly publication engaging the local, national and global community on issues of poverty and social injustice. As a community, St. John’s is engaged in research and direct service to those in need. We seek insight into the causes and consequences of poverty to help alleviate suffering. The journal focuses on studies evaluating solutions to social injustice, with implications for public discourse and policy, and macro-program development. We welcome position papers on contemporary topics.
Faculty Excellence Awards
