RUTHERFORD, NJ – On April 30, Felician University will honor James “Jim” D’Agostino, Sr. with the meaningful Spark of the Divine Community Leadership Award. The celebration, held at the Westmount Country Club, will honor Jim’s impressive legacy of industry, service, philanthropy, and leadership—values that reflect Felician’s enduring commitment to education, community engagement, and faith-inspired purpose.

Spark of the Divine event details and tickets

The Spark of the Divine Award celebrates the life and spirit of Sr. Theresa Mary Martin, Felician University president for 26 years, who nurtured the “spark of the divine” in every Felician student and cultivated an enduring campus culture of compassion and excellence. Under her leadership, Felician expanded with the addition of residence halls, a gymnasium, and Division II Athletics.

This year, Felician will present the award to Jim D’Agostino, whose business and family have been notable benefactors and contributors to the University and community for five decades.

The D’Agostino family businesses have left an indelible mark on the State of New Jersey through significant contributions to commercial real estate that have impacted local economic development since his father founded the company in the late 1940s.

The D’Agostino family has a long history in North Jersey construction. Jim’s father, also named James, began building single-family homes in Bergen County during the post-war housing boom and transitioned to public bidding and development for its own account. These included retail, office, and industrial construction. The family went on to develop standout projects across the region, including the ShopRite shopping center on South River Street, the Camelot high-rise residential building, and Continental Plaza—all in Hackensack, and the expansion of the Bergen County Technical Schools. These efforts reflect the family’s broad impact on retail, residential, and public works throughout North Jersey.

Over the years Jim has endeavored to give back to the community. He has been active in professional and nonprofit organizations, including the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America, Bergen County Junior Football League (coach and President), and the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey. Jim also has strong ties to Felician, having served on the Board of Trustees from 2017 to 2024, acting as Chairman in his last two years on the Board. Jim’s father served as a trustee for Felician and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in 1987. Over the course of five decades, the D’Agostino family has been a generous supporter of the University.

“Sr. Theresa Mary Martin’s Spark of the Divine Award is a special honor,” Jim said. “It is named after a woman who was a force of nature and who herself was guided by the Spark of the Divine. She transformed Felician from a small women’s college with 400 students into the University it is today. Through it all, she cared about each student’s spiritual, academic, and personal needs. Felician continues to do those things. It has been an honor and a pleasure to be associated with Felician University.”

“Jim accepted the position of Board Chair with a brave, positive demeanor,” recalls trustee Beth Lenke. “A natural servant leader, Jim remained firm while leaning on his determination to lead the University to new heights. His calm, steady focus and passion for Felician University gave the University community confidence and inspired the Board to do everything possible to sustain the mission for years to come. Ultimately, it was Jim’s steady faith and strong leadership skills that allowed the University to prosper during a challenging time. I feel privileged to have served under Jim D’Agostino.”

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About Felician University

Felician University is committed to supporting academic success at any stage of life. With over 2,700 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students enrolled across the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education, Felician provides diverse learning experiences that equip all students with the skills to meet the demands of today’s society. Over the past five years, Felician University has consistently ranked 3rd among private institutions in New Jersey for best value according to payscale.com and Money Magazine and has been recognized as one of the best college locations in New Jersey (#4) according to niche.com. Our Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review. We are proud to be designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the fifteenth year, a testament to our dedicated support of Veteran students. Our diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), with underrepresented students comprising more than half of the student population, reflects our inclusive and supporting environment and earned us a spot on Washington Monthly’s Top 100 HSI list (#30). With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, our Franciscan values of respect for human dignity, compassion, and social justice are woven into the very foundation and development of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University is sponsored by Felician Sisters International.  For more information, please visit https://felician.edu.