May First Friday Lecture Tells the Story of St. John Fisher University

During the May First Friday Lecture, St. John Fisher University archivist Nancy Greco will share the stories and moments that have stood out during her 14 years of preserving the history of the University.

Greco took over responsibility of the University Archive in summer 2011, upon the retirement of Diane Lucas, who previously held the post. Throughout her tenure as archivist she has seen the University change in remarkable ways.

“We’ve built new buildings and established new programs, of course, but there have also been milestones that substantively transformed the quilt that is Fisher,” she said.

When Dr. Gerard J. Rooney became president in 2015, Greco said she knew he would be a strong advocate for the archives.

“Dr. Rooney has always valued Fisher’s Basilian heritage, and helps to spread the word about the value of archives, ours and archives more generally,” she explained.

She also points to the development of the new book, Fisher Then and Now: 75 Years of Transformation, in honor of the institution’s 75th anniversary. 

“I’m quite relieved that we have a volume that captures, if not everything that makes Fisher what it is, the bones of our history,” she said. “It was an honor to participate in many of the anniversary celebrations, including alumni events. Our alumni are a precious commodity, often filling in the blanks when it comes to telling our story. We’ve gone from our humble college roots of 100 or so students led by the Congregation of St. Basil in 1951, to a doctoral-granting university. Somehow, it’s a vastly different place that continues to value its original mission.”

The job of an archivist requires keen attention to detail, deep analytical and research skills, as well as patience in the effort to preserve an institution’s history.

“Today’s stuff tells tomorrow’s history, and if no one thinks to collect it and preserve it, then it’s as though it never happened,” she said.

 Greco points to the pandemic as a tangible example.

“Generations from now, as people begin to forget and it becomes a vague memory, folks will be amazed by Fisher’s resilience during a very challenging time,” she explained. “The artifacts will tell the story from the shut-down, to vaccinations, testing, masking, social distancing, and the triumphant return to campus. Without the evidence preserved in the archive, let’s say 50 or 100 years from now, students might find the pandemic an unbelievable occurrence. With the artifacts, it becomes real and possibly relatable. It’s difficult to understand the value of an archive until after the fact.” 

Greco’s First Friday lecture begins at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 16, in the James ’71 and Kathleen Leo Community Room in the Joseph S. Skalny Welcome Center. A continental breakfast will be served at 10 a.m., and following the lecture, attendees are invited to attend 12:30 p.m. Mass at the Hermance Family Chapel of St. Basil the Great.

Register for the May First Friday Lecture online. For questions about the First Friday Lecture Series, call the Office of Institutional Advancement at (585) 385-5292 or email alumni@sjf.edu. Parking is available in Lot A.