Frank Giovatto Library Dedication Ceremony
A dedication ceremony celebrating the naming of the Frank Giovatto Library on the Metropolitan Campus took place on April 22 at the library. The ceremony celebrated the generosity of John Giovatto, who has made a $1-million commitment to FDU NOW, The Campaign for Fairleigh Dickinson University. Giovatto’s generosity, in honor of his late brother, Frank, will endow the library.
Left photo: Jessica Taufik, Metropolitan Campus Student Government Association president and global scholar, spoke on behalf of FDU students.
Right photo: From left are: J. Michael Adams, president; John Giovatto; Joanne Sinisi, sister of John Giovatto; and Mary Kay Mastronardy Stratis, BA’69 (Ruth), MAT’71 (Metro), FDU trustee.
“John has been a school teacher, real-estate investor, day trader, and now, with Fairleigh Dickinson University — philanthropist — for which we are extremely grateful,” said President J. Michael Adams. “John worked all his life, and he never left the state he loves. He never forgot the lessons he learned from his parents during the Depression about giving back to society and making a difference in the lives of others.”
Left photo: J. Michael Adams, left, president, speaks with John Giovatto.
Right photo: New signage adorns the Frank Giovatto Library.
Giovatto related his experiences growing up in the Depression and the lessons he learned from his mother. “She always told us to give to others,” he said. He then spoke of his brother, Frank, and the relationship they shared. “We were very close friends,” said Giovatto. “He was the closest friend I’ve had in my life.”
“Today, we honor John’s entrepreneurial spirit, his generosity and his love for his family by renaming our library the Frank Giovatto Library,” Adams said. “It is a tribute to John, as well, that he chose to memorialize not himself, but a loved one. That, perhaps more than anything else, speaks to the character of this man.”
Left photo: John Giovatto, right, and his sister, Joanne Sinisi.
Right photo: Delia Perez, left, director of planned giving, University advancement (Metro), and Richard Reiss, right, senior vice president for University advancement (Metro/Flor), are pictured with John Giovatto.
Senior Jessica Taufik, Metropolitan Campus Student Government Association president and global scholar, who spoke on behalf of FDU students, said, “The library is a second home to me. It’s the place where I get my work done.” Taufik thanked the library staff for assisting her with her studies. She then welcomed Giovatto to the FDU community, acknowledging his generous commitment to the library.
Giovatto summed up his remarks by providing the key to his success. “Believe in what you are doing,” he said, “and you will succeed.”
