Berkeley Family Surprises Student With Backyard Graduation

BERKELEY, NJ — Taylormarie Capoziello thought she'd return in two weeks. So she didn't pack much for her return to Bayville when St. John's dismissed students because of the coronavirus.

Even though St. John's originally told her two weeks, the coronavirus lingered. Capoziello, an accomplished student heavily involved in campus life, couldn't return to St. John's University, Staten Island.

The university canceled Capoziello's commencement, but her family had different plans, bringing her commencement stage to the backyard.

Capoziello majored in legal studies and minored in communications and theology. On the Grymes Hill Campus, she was president of student government and chosen to present the school on a trip to Panama on World Youth Day. She was also selected into the University President's Society — the highest honor for a St. John's student.

"She always made her academics come first," said Lisa Galizia, her mother. "She was very disappointed and heartbroken when she figured out she wasn’t going to be able to have a graduation with St. John’s and walk across the stage."

Capoziello's official commencement was supposed to take place Saturday. Her family still held one. Capoziello's stepfather, Michael Galizia, owns Terrific Tunes Entertainment, a local company. So he had the materials to build a stage in the backyard.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

They set up tables 6 feet apart for her family to watch the ceremony. Four siblings, her aunt and her grandparents attended. Capoziello walked into her graduation to "Pomp and Circumstance."

Lisa Galizia said the names of her daughter's best friends and fellow graduates — Christine Connors, Marianna Scaringella and Sophie Selwood — to include them in the commencement. Then she called Capoziello to the stage and handed her the diploma.

Like many students, Capoziello made sacrifices during the pandemic. She left her campus, her in-person classes and an apartment she shared with her roommate of four years.

But in the end, they graduated. Capoziello will attend the Maurice A. Deans School of Law at Hofstra University this fall.

"She’s usually one of many words," Galizia said. "When I called her up to say something about her graduation, she was so taken aback with emotion that she just cried. She was so surprised and happy with what we did for her."

Watch video below from the Staten Island Advance:

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Follow Berkeley Patch on Facebook. Have a news tip? Email josh.bakan@patch.com.