Sent today.
Dear Coach Lavin:
Success is a relatively easy thing. It is the favorable outcome of something attempted, no more, no less. But what you are being asked to do at St. John’s is something more than success. It is achievement with honor, an ability to overcome great adversity in an environment where easy successes do not often come easy. In this sense, Queens is the opposite of Westwood. St. Johns plays with the hand it’s been dealt.
Though the University has always sought advancement, from its very founding St. Johns University has always served poor youth and immigrants with the opportunity to receive the finest intellectual and morel education. Few acknowledge it but the fact is St. Johns will always catered to students that don’t benefit from an easy path in life. And more often than not this translates into a large segment of body of student body ill prepared for the rigors of college life. Therefore, to be successful, St. Johns has always made a deeper commitment to students at risk, and striven to provide opportunities to kids with potential if not the best grades. There is no shame in this and in fact as long as we continue to have success and do things the right way there is nothing more noble or American.
Remember this, and remind the press of it, as you are being criticized for providing an opportunity to these three students and our program is being compared to UNLV or Miami. At St. Johns providing opportunities based on potential is not soul reserve of superstar athletes it is deeply rooted in our culture. Like it or not a large part of the University legacy is based on a belief that today's underachiever is tomorrow's Police Commissioner Kelly, Darryl McDaniel or Hugh Carey. That is not something we should shy away from, it is who we are and it is something we should celebrate.
We Are…St. Johns!
Regards,
Dustin Johnson