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Then, Now and Always, Students Matter to Jim and Rubie Malone

Through all of the many positions Drs. James and Rubie Malone have held in their long careers at John Jay – as faculty members, counselors, deans and College executives –students have always occupied a special place in their hearts. The Malones recently affirmed that affection with a $100,000 commitment to endow a scholarship fund for students in financial need. In recognition, the College on December 11 dedicated the Drs. Rubie and James Malone Student Government Conference Room in the new building.

The conference room will serve as a launching pad for future leaders, hosting Student Council meetings, workshops and other gatherings.

A throng of family, friends and colleagues from their long service to the College and CUNY packed the conference room for the dedication, at which President Jeremy Travis praised the Malones as “pillars upon whom an institution is built.

“Their guiding star has always been what’s right for the students,” President Travis said. “We value your contributions, and we will always be in your debt.”

Jim, as he is known schoolwide, has been a member of the John Jay community since 1970, and his long service includes 11 years as Dean of Students. In that role, he helped create the student government charter that is still in force today. Rubie, his wife of 49 years, joined John Jay in 1978, and like her husband began in the Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) program. Her John Jay career has similarly been marked by extensive involvement in student activities, as faculty advisor, counselor and mentor.

Both are trained as teachers and social workers, although the recognition of their talents ultimately lifted them to other assignments, Jim as the College’s first Vice President for Administrative Affairs, and Rubie as Assistant Vice President for Strategic Planning and Outcomes Assessment. 

The evening included greetings from Phillip Berry, Vice Chairman of the CUNY Board of Trustees, who noted that the scholarship endowment “will help students realize their potential and their dreams.” Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations Jay Hershenson recalled that he first met the Malones when he was a rising star in CUNY student government. He said the dedication event was “a celebration of excellence in leadership.”

On behalf of the many current student government members in attendance, Student Council President Mehak Kapoor said she and her fellow student leaders were thrilled to dedicate their spacious conference room to the Malones. “No matter how many times we say ‘thank you,’ it will not be enough,” said Kapoor.

The Malones’ gift to an institution that Jim Malone termed “a college I love” is intended to inspire and support student leaders. “By becoming leaders, you thereby fulfill the American dream,” he said. “Endowing the scholarship fund was something we wanted to do for the students,” Rubie Malone added. “I’ve always cared for the students, and I’ve always cared for the institution and what it can become.”