VIII. Student Success Stories
Names of Student(s) who graduated Modern Greek Program
Andreas Pavlou was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for
graduate studies in for 2003-2005. The graduating senior is the first student
of the Modern Greek Language and Literature Program to be honored by the
International Fulbright Committee. He was a student in the College of
Professional Studies of St. John’s University. Andreas was a member of the
Dean’s List since Sept. 2000. CPS Honor Society . His Major was Computer
Science with a Telecommunications major. The graduate is engaged in playing
soccer for the Greek League. He plans to pursue graduate studies in Business
with a specialization in Marketing.
Father George Zugrafu of St. Gerasimos Church in New York City is a graduate of the Modern Greek Language and
Literature Program. He is an Orthodox theologian proficient in Ancient and
Modern Greek. The theologian graduated with honors from St. John's University
with a B.A. and M.A. in theology. Zugrafu received the Stephen Cherpelis
Enterprises: Sotiria Cherpelis Modern Greek scholarship at the 2000 St. John's College Convocation. Father Zugrafu is a
candidate for a Ph.D in General Theology at Columbia University.
Victoria Manos,
a nineteen year old sophomore at St. John’s University, won $10,000 in the semi-finals of “College
Jeopardy” on November 17th, 2004. She was one of ten students chosen
nationwide to participate in the three week college edition. Ms. Manos is the first St. John’s student
to achieve national recognition on “Jeopardy”.
Dawoon Chung is the first Asian American student to be
awarded the Tom Tsongas Modern Greek Scholarship in 2002. She is completing
three years of Modern Greek with excellence. Miss Chung, is a medical student
at Ross Medical School with plans of becoming a surgeon. She believes
"Greek is enabling me to understand scientific terms."
Theodora Christodoulou was awarded the title “Miss Cyprus 2007” by
the United Cyprians of America organization. The Pan Cyprian Association of
America presented a five hundred dollar in scholarships to her at the second
Annual Evening of Greek Culture and Cuisine at St. John’s University. As a spokesperson for the youth of Cyprus,
Ms..Christodoulou believes “it is important to continue the customs and
traditions of our island in America.”
Georgios Spanos is a legend in Collegiate
Soccer. He was ranked in 2007 as one of the top ten Soccer players in College.
He is probably one of the greatest Soccer stars who played for St. John’s University. Georgios is the 2006
recipient of the Greek-American Homeowners Scholarship for excellence in Modern
Greek Language and Literature.
Haritomeni Scoufaras worked unselfishly to expand the
Modern Greek Language and scholarship program for four years. Focused,
determined, recipient of numerous scholarships, a scholar with over a 3.9 GPA,
her advice and network of friends helped the program reach its height of
success in the spring 2009. Her accomplishments are seen on the website from
2004 through 2009.
Ms New Jersey United States 2009, Margaret
Louise Skourlis, has been involved in the Greek community throughout her
life. She has three former Greek beauty
queen titles from the Omospondia Federation, Miss Messinia 2001, Miss Melpia
2002, and Miss Kalamata 2003. She will
be in the Ms United States 2009 pageant in Vegas in July. In 1999-2000 school year she took
Professor Tsounis’ Greek class while she was a student at St. John’s University. The summer of 2001 Margaret took the D.I.A.S.
program thanks to Professor Tsounis’ flyer.
It was one of the best experiences in her life. She loved it so much she took the program
again in 2002.
Nicole Fridas is responsible for
establishing the awards program in 2000. Her parents Annette and Nick Fridas
worked with Panchiaki Korais Society to establish the first awards with the
help of Dr. Anna Lise Gazarian and Dr. Gaetano Cipolla of the Languages and
Literatures Department. Dean Salvatore Spizzirri’s guidance through the years
was the determining factor that made the Modern Greek Program internationally
recognized.
Nicole was graduated 2000 with a
degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology and a minor in Education. “Upon
graduating, I immediately began my dream job at Child and Parent Bilingual
Services Inc,” she explained. “I continue servicing children between infants
and school age (about 9 years old). I completed my Masters in Special Education
at Dowling College (school of Education) in 2003 and then my Pd. in School
Administration receiving my SDA and SAS in 2006. I have been working in
Patchogue as the program supervisor for our agencies' integration program since
the beginning, three years ago. It has been an experience which I greatly appreciate
and learned so much from. I work with infants, preschoolers and school age
children who are diagnosed with any area of learning disabilities, speech
delays, cognitive delays or are under the umbrella of autisim. I am certified
within Applied Behavior Specialist (ABA), provide parent training, translate
and perform evaluations to determine placement of services. I primarily work
within Suffolk County however I am certified within the tri-state area.
