2026 Charter Award Dinner

Celebrating our Heritage and Future

We invite you to join an evening of celebration and community spirit at the 63rd annual St. Francis College Charter Award Dinner on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 320 Park Ave New York, NY 10022 . 

For more than 60 years, the Charter Award Dinner has been the SFC premier fundraising gala, creating new opportunities for student success and raising critically needed funds for the College's highest priorities.

This year, the Charter Award will be presented Mr. Tom Volpe who served on the SFC Board for 35 years. 

Join us for a delightful evening filled with delicious food, lively conversations, and inspiring stories of the best that SFC has to offer. Your presence and support make a real difference in our mission to uplift and empower the next generation. Let's come together and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Schedule of Events
6 p.m. - Cocktail Hour
7 p.m. - Dinner and Formal Program

This Year's Honoree

St. Francis College is proud to honor Thomas J. Volpe at this year's Charter Award Dinner. Tom is a remarkable leader whose lifelong commitment to education, philanthropy, and community service has made a lasting impact on the College and countless others.

A Brooklyn native, Tom graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School, where he was inducted into the school's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College and later received his MBA from Baruch College.

Tom began his career as a Certified Public Accountant at Haskins & Sells, the accounting firm that is now part of Deloitte. He later served as Vice President and Treasurer at Colgate-Palmolive before becoming Senior Vice President of Financial Operations at Interpublic Group.

In 1971, Tom was invited by a member of the St. Francis College Board of Trustees to join the Board, a role he embraced with extraordinary dedication. Over the next 35 years, Tom served the College with distinction, including eight years as Chairman of the Board. Even after concluding his board service in 2006, he has remained deeply engaged in supporting the mission and future of St. Francis College.

One of Tom's most enduring contributions is the Thomas J. Volpe Lecture Series, which he has sponsored since 1997. The series has welcomed many distinguished speakers to campus, including Hakeem Jeffries, Sonia Sotomayor, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Frank Bruni, Pete Hamill, E.L. Doctorow, Salman Rushdie, Andrea Mitchell, Lech Wałęsa, Felix Rohatyn, Caspar Weinberger, and many others. The lecture series has enriched the intellectual life of the College and provided invaluable opportunities for students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community.

Tom and his wife, Anita, have been extraordinarily generous supporters of St. Francis College and numerous charitable organizations. Their commitment to education and service reflects the very values that define the St. Francis community.

Together, Tom and Anita are the proud parents of three children and grandparents to eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

St. Francis College is deeply grateful to Tom and Anita Volpe for their enduring friendship, generosity, and commitment to our students and mission.

Thank You To Our Sponsors