Seton Hall Magazine Spring 2022

SETON HALL Spring 2022

JERRY WALKER’S LEGACY FORMER STAR ATHLETE’S MISSION TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LIVES IN JERSEY CITY

Welcome Home, Coach Holloway.

Shaheen Holloway ’00 returns to Seton Hall as the new head men’s basketball coach.

SETON HALL Spring 2022

Vol. 32 Issue 3

Seton Hall magazine is published

by University Communications in the Division of University Relations.

President Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D.

features

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Jerry’s Legacy

24

Housing Aid

Vice President for University Relations Matthew Borowick ’89/M.B.A. ’94 Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications and Brand Pegeen Hopkins, M.S.J. Art Director Ann Antoshak Copy Editors Kim de Bourbon Jessica C. Strom, M.A. News & Notes Editors Stacy Albanese Fagioli, M.A. Feven B. Kebede Noah L. Turner ’21 Send your comments and suggestions by mail to: Seton Hall magazine, University Relations, 519 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079; by email to shuwriter@shu.edu; or by phone at 973-378-9834.

Cover: Jerry Walker. Photo by

The pandemic set a slow-moving eviction crisis in motion. At Seton Hall, students and professors of law are trying to stem the tide and keep people in their homes.

departments

2

From Presidents Hall

4

HALLmarks

10

Possibilities

12

Roaming the Hall

14

Profile

16

Profile

30

Sports at the Hall

34

Alumni News & Notes

44

Last Word

Erin Patrice O’Brien Facing page: Shaheen Holloway. Photo courtesy of Seton Hall Athletics

www.shu.edu

Jerry Walker ’03 first found his success on the basketball court. Now he’s creating a pathway to achievement for students in the classroom.

18

Olivia Lesbirel spreads joy — and everyday magic — through her chalk paintings that pop up across campus.

Professor Amy Joh’s research seeks to unlock how children make sense of the world around them.

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James Murray, M.A. ’94 on heading up the federal agency charged with protecting the nation’s most important assets.

Since retiring from ESPN, sportscaster Bob Ley ’76 has lent his considerable talents to helping shape the future of sports media education at Seton Hall.

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FROM P R E S ID EN T S H A L L |

J O S E P H E . N Y R E , P h . D.

Serving Students and the State

A

hallmark of the Seton Hall community is our

assessed, and a point of pride throughout the University.

desire to grow in significant ways. We seek

Adding more than two dozen tenure-track professors

to expand the breadth and reach of our Great

will amplify our already strong reputation for

Minds so we will be better tomorrow than

instructional excellence.

we are today. Guided by Harvest Our Treasures, we are

instructional vs. non-instructional expenses. That means a

more robust, more responsive and more meaningful for

greater percentage of our budget will go directly to teach-

our students.

ing and learning, while a smaller percentage will be spent

We recently set in motion a major initiative that will strengthen teaching and learning. Called Seeds

on administration and other non-instructional areas.

Also, faculty members are developing creative new

of Innovation, this effort will enhance the Academy

ways to tap the power of our community’s limitless

in powerful ways. First and foremost, we are hiring

potential. They are proposing a host of educational

30 new faculty members — almost all of whom will be

initiatives, which we call Academies, that are eligible

full-time, tenure-track professors. That level of hiring

for seed funding from the University. Academies focus

is uncommon at any university, and especially rare at

on teaching, learning and research. They integrate

a school of our size. Yet we hope this will be the first of

knowledge through collaborative, innovative and

several years in which we welcome a substantial number

cross-disciplinary learning. To date, seven Academies

of new colleagues.

and three other interdisciplinary projects have

Fortifying our faculty is the single most effective way

started, or will begin shortly. In all, at least 75

to enhance the educational experience for students. Seton

professors are pursuing new endeavors through

Hall professors are teacher-scholars. They are experts

this exciting initiative.

in their fields and conduct research at a very high level.

As we invest in students inside the classroom, we

Yet they understand academic research is not an end in

are likewise investing in them outside the classroom

itself. New knowledge is only valuable to the extent it is

through major campus improvements. The two largest

shared. And for that, teaching must take precedence.

projects — an addition to Boland Hall and the total

Our faculty has a deep commitment to teaching and

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These hires are part of Seton Hall’s effort to rebalance

making strategic investments to ensure the University is

renovation of the University Center — are proceeding

learning. Delivering quality instruction is emphasized

apace. In a visible and tangible way, these projects are

much more at Seton Hall than at other institutions.

meaningful expressions of Seton Hall’s commitment to

It is the highest metric on which our professors are

all aspects of the student experience.

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

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SPRING 2022

This is the story of Seton Hall: The investments we make change destinations and transform lives — for our students, our University community and our neighbors across the street and across the state.

We know a leading Catholic education should also

The University helps more than alumni and their

offer leading residential and student life spaces. And we

families; we improve the civic and economic lives of

understand that the Seton Hall experience is indivisible.

communities where our graduates live and work. And

Intellectual, emotional and spiritual knowledge inform

we provide direct advantages statewide to residents who

and cross-pollinate each other. In the same way, academic,

never step foot on our campuses. That includes lunches

residential, social and sacred spaces combine to form an

in downtown South Orange, basketball games in Newark

integrated whole.

and events throughout the Garden State. Our campuses

When these projects are finished, the University

in South Orange, Newark, Nutley and Clifton support

Center will touch almost every aspect of life on campus.

nearly 10,000 jobs. In addition, University spending on

And Boland Hall — one of the oldest residence halls on

operations and capital improvements averages more

campus — will be one of the best.

than $600 million annually.

These investments in Seton Hall’s academic and

The study, conducted by Philadelphia-based Econsult

physical environments will create ripple effects that

Solutions Inc., also gauged volunteer service performed

yield significant benefits — both economic and social —

by students, faculty and employees, showing that more

to people across New Jersey.

than 3,000 volunteers provide almost 50,000 hours of

Seton Hall recently commissioned a study that shows we generate $1.6 billion annually for the state. The wage

service to the community each year — in addition to our economic benefits.

premium — the amount in additional salary our alumni

This is the story of Seton Hall: The investments we

receive because of their Seton Hall education and degrees

make change destinations and transform lives — for our

— totals $927 million per year in New Jersey alone.

students, our University community and our neighbors

On an individual level, the education and credential a

across the street and across the state. I am energized

student receives at Seton Hall provide an additional $1.2

by everything we are achieving as a Seton Hall family.

million in earnings over the course of his or her career.

I hope you are as well.

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HA LL m a r k s

In Brief

l Katie Smith, assistant professor of higher education, and Shajina Anand, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, received a University grant through New Jersey’s Opportunity Meets Innovation Challenge program to study the internship experiences of women in computer science.

l The SHMS Center for Interprofessional Education in the Health Sciences (CIEHS) received a grant from the Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions to evaluate and design virtual reality and learning simulations to help SHMS students learn about telehealth.

l Thomas Shea, program director for the Police Studies Graduate Program; Juan Rios, assistant professor of social work; and Manuel Gonzalez assistant professor of education leadership and police studies, received a University grant through New Jersey’s Opportunity Meets Innovation Challenge program to study how police officers cope with suicides of fellow officers.

l The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey awarded the College of Nursing a one-year grant to purchase respiratory equipment and infuse simulated comprehensive virtual encounters with patients into Seton Hall’s Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.

l Seton Hall University Health Services won a New Jersey Department of Health College and University Flu Challenge for having the highest number of students reporting flu vaccinations among mid-sized schools. l Felipe Lopez, visiting assistant professor of Latin American and Latino/Latina studies in the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs, received the “Best Educational Initiative” award by the Hispanic Digital Humanities Association. l Bryan Price, executive director of the Buccino Leadership Institute, earned an “Innovation in Teaching Award” from the Middle Atlantic Association of Colleges of Business Administration for the leadership development model that he implemented at Seton Hall. l Joe Badillo, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, received a National Science Foundation grant of more than $200,000 for research in photoacid catalysis chemistry.

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l The Stillman School of Business undergraduate program ranked 106 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report, up 10 places from last year, and rose to 39 in the nation in the Poets&Quants ranking of the “Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2022.” l Theresa Henry, associate professor of accounting and taxation; Jay Liebowitz, co-director of the M.S. in Business Analytics program; and Provost Katia Passerini each earned “Bright Idea Awards,” which honor faculty whose publications advance discipline knowledge. l Nabeela Alam, assistant professor at the School of Diplomacy, was awarded a junior scholars grant from the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs to create a workshop on gender and COVID-19. l Sherry Greenberg, associate professor at the College of Nursing, was named a Distinguished Scholar Fellow by the National Academies of Practice, honoring significant and enduring contributions to the profession.

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

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SPRING 2022

Monsignor Turro Turns 100

H

is homilies are notably short, but his career as a priest has been notably long: After more than 70 years of service, Monsignor James Turro S.T.L.,

S.S.L., Ph.D., is living a reflective life at Our Lady of Mercy Rectory in Park Ridge, having celebrated his 100th birthday in January.

A scholar, linguist, author, international lecturer and spiritual adviser, Monsignor Turro spent most of his career teaching at Immaculate Conception Seminary, his alma mater, serving there for more than 60 years. He also served as director of the Seminary Library, which was renamed in his honor in 2007.

A native of Jersey City, he was ordained in 1948 after getting his degree in classical languages from Seton Hall.

He then studied at Catholic University and the Pontifical Bible Institute in Rome, where he received the Sacred Scripture licentiate that enabled him to return to New Jersey and a position at Immaculate Conception, teaching New Testament courses.

He is also well-known for writing the popular “Your Word is a Lamp” monthly column in the Magnificat magazine.

He became Monsignor Turro in 1989, when Pope John Paul II named him a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness.

But the faithful under his spiritual supervision know him best for his short homilies — most consisting of just four to six uplifting sentences, according to an interview with Father Alexander M. Santora published in The Jersey Journal in January. “I fought against making the pulpit a classroom,” Turro told Father Santora. “I wanted it to be more of a conversation, though one-sided.”

As he told his interviewer, “I cannot imagine being in any other profession.”

Correction: The “Monsignor Turro Turns 100” Hallmarks news brief in the Spring 2022 edition of Seton Hall magazine included, without attribution, words and quotes from a previous article authored by Father Alexander M. Santora in The Jersey Journal. We regret and apologize for this error.”

A Top University For the sixth year in a row, Seton Hall was recognized on the list of “Top Colleges and Universities” published by The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education.

The University was ranked at No. 279, putting it in the top 35 percent of 797 four-year Title IV colleges and universities nationwide.

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HA LL m a r k s

PATHWAY FOR PASTORAL LEADERSHIP

T

he Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology received an almost $1 million grant last fall for a four-year project to grow its academic and

pastoral leader formation programs.

The project’s title, “4:12 Pathway for Pastoral Leadership,” is a reference to St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, which refers to people being equipped “for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” The subtitle of the program, “Building an Authentic Culture of Discernment, Encouragement and Accompaniment,” refers to six strategic initiatives that will be taken up to educate, form and support the next generation of pastoral leaders.

“Each proposed initiative addresses the requirement of theological schools to attend to the spiritual and

The $989,384 in funding is coming from Lilly

character formation of future pastoral leaders,”

Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-based private

said Monsignor Joseph Reilly, S.T.L., Ph.D., the school’s

philanthropic foundation related to the Eli Lilly

rector and dean. “The project takes this aspect of

pharmaceutical company that makes religion the

formation to heart in each initiative.”

primary aim of its grantmaking.

A Financial Assist for Graduates

R

ecent graduates and alumni got help pursuing a graduatelevel education, thanks to $250,000 in Seton Hall scholarships funded through a grant that applied to 45 master’s programs at the University.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, economists are predicting a robust job market in the U.S., particularly in fields including health care, education and technology,” said Christopher Cuccia, associate provost for Graduate Affairs. “We want to see our alumni equipped with the confidence and credentials to pursue the career path they envision.”

Graduates from the classes of 2011 to 2021 were eligible for Alumni Graduate Scholarships for their first two semesters of graduate school for both part-time and full-time enrollment, beginning in the summer and fall 2021 semesters.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE

SHU IN THE NEWS

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SPRING 2022

“We foresee expert discussions on peace, reconciliation and sustainability; internship opportunities for students; development of new specialized courses, conferences, publications that will help build a culture of dialogue, peace and reconciliation in South Sudan.”

Katia Passerini, provost and executive vice president, Catholic News Agency, on Seton Hall’s partnership with Catholic University of South Sudan.

“This provides the closest in the world we’ve seen of real-time samples to help us understand the timing of the [COVID-19] outbreak event.”

Yanzhong Huang, director of the Center for Global Health Studies, CNN, on how China’s testing of Wuhan blood-bank samples could assist in understanding the timing of the COVID-19 outbreak event.

“What we’re saying is that safety and well-being is not just in the hands of law enforcement; it’s also in the hands of folks who are adequately trained to put people first and take a humanistic approach to addressing the whole person.”

Juan Rios, College of Arts and Sciences, NBC News, on taking an innovative public-health approach to violence with the creation of the Newark Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery.

“With name, image and likeness rules, you’re going to have more young people recognizing their worth. … Agents may be forced to cut their fees to secure players. It’s definitely going to change the economics of the business.”

Charles Grantham, director of the Center for Sport Management, The New York Times, on Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leading his own negotiation for a contract extension.

“We believe this work is making a difference for the future of treating this major health problem.”

Kathleen Neville, College of Nursing, Yahoo! News, on a recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant to expand an interprofessional training program to treat opioid-use disorders with medication-assisted treatment services.

“This is a problem because people from such similar socioeconomic backgrounds often share the same cultural outlook and the same blind spots.”

Matthew Pressman, College of Communication and the Arts, NiemanLab, on journalism needing to be more open to aspiring journalists from diverse backgrounds and low-income households.

“As McKissick liked to say, what good was the right to sit at a lunch counter if you didn’t have the bread to buy a burger?”

Thomas Healy, Law School, AAIHS Black Perspectives, on Floyd McKissick, one of the forgotten figures of the civil-rights era.

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HA LL m a r k s

U.N. CONNECTIONS

F

our United Nations and Global Governance Studies Center Fellows met with students and faculty this fall in a program hosted by the School of Diplomacy and International Relations. The center was created in 2014 to coordinate faculty and student research, promote scholarship, and to expand programs at the school related to the U.N. Joe Donnelly, the newest fellow, has been involved at the U.N. for 40 years and has worked closely with the School of Diplomacy for nearly 20 years. He recently retired as the permanent delegate to the U.N. of Caritas Internationalis, a Catholic nongovernment organization (NGO) that provides disaster relief and development aid around the world.

Donnelly has been instrumental in establishing a long-standing partnership with Caritas that has provided internships to more than 50 Seton Hall students. “Many NGOs and U.N. internships seek Seton Hall interns because of the reputation of this program, this school, the faculty, the advisers and the support system here,” Donnelly said.

Students who become U.N. Youth Representatives through the center attend events and network at the U.N. Headquarters in New York while representing the School of Diplomacy and increasing its visibility.

Students also can volunteer to become U.N. Center digital representatives, working to expand the online presence of the school through social media.

Also serving as fellows in the program are Catherine Tinker, J.D., J.S.D., a sustainable development expert; Mary Norton, Ed.M., Ed.D., and Reverend Bob Chase.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE

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SPRING 2022

Administration Updates

T

hree key administrative positions have been filled

president of Academic Affairs while

with the appointment of Monica Burnette, Ph.D. ’17, as

continuing to serve as dean of

vice president of student services; Georita M. Frierson, Ph.D., as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Courtney B. Smith, Ph.D., as dean of the School of

the School of Arts, Sciences and

Diplomacy and International Relations.

in 2019. A clinical psychologist

Education, a position she held since she arrived at the college

Burnette, who takes on the

trained in health psychology,

Student Services position on a

she is active in the American

permanent basis after having

Psychological Association.

served as interim vice president

Smith, one of the School of Diplomacy’s founding faculty

since August, welcomed the larg-

members, was appointed dean after serving in the position

est freshman class in Seton Hall

on an acting basis since August 2019.

history last fall. She also wrote

Since he became acting dean,

an Opportunity Meets Innova-

the school has launched a Diver-

tion Grant that provided

sity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

$750,000 in additional academic support and resources for

Coalition that has developed

first-generation, Pell-eligible students.

new courses on race, gender and

She continues to oversee student support and academic

religion in international affairs,

programs in 18 departments, such as the Academic Resource

and launched the Black Diplo-

Center, Career Center, Center for Academic Success, Educa-

macy Student Organization. The

tional Opportunity Program, Health Services, Housing and Residence Life, and Public Safety and Security.

Frierson came to Seton Hall from D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York, where she served as interim vice

school is also developing new collaborative programs with international partners.

Smith also will serve as vice dean of Seton Hall Law, in keeping with the University’s collaboration initiatives.

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P OS S IB IL ITIE S |

JEN A. MILLER

PICTURE PERFECT

Olivia Lesbirel spreads joy — and everyday magic — through her chalk paintings that pop up across campus.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE

I

n spring 2021, chalk drawings started popping up on

SPRING 2022

Lesbirel said that she grew up drawing and

sidewalks around Seton Hall. First, the images were

painting, and still considers it a hobby. She learned

of bubbles. Then fish. Then scenes from Pixar movies,

more about the possibilities of chalk art by attending

like the house-lifting balloons from Up and Remy

events like the EPCOT International Festival of the

the rat from Ratatouille, or from artwork like Vincent

Arts at Walt Disney World, which includes chalk

van Gogh’s Starry Night. For the holidays, the Grinch

art installations.

made an appearance.

Sometimes the art has included inspirational quotes,

“The illusions they create are amazing,” she said. “I’ve always loved art as a kid growing up, and I love seeing

like “Be who you are and what you feel, because those

something I’ve dreamed of come to life. What I mean

who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t

by this is seeing something I love doing and it bringing

mind,” along with a depiction of Dr. Seuss’ the Lorax.

joy to those around me.”

But who was behind these elaborate — if temporary

While chalk art may seem a long way off from

— day brighteners? At first, the drawings were unsigned,

the world of physics, where Lesbirel is focusing her

then posted on the Instagram account @chalkitup.shu.

academic energies, she said there is a connection,

In November, the artist came forward: physics major

because creativity is a key part of the sciences.

Olivia Lesbirel.

“I didn’t quite care if people knew it was me or not.

That’s especially true when working in materials sciences and robotics. Lesbirel is experienced in

That wasn’t my point,” she said. “My point was I wanted

working with 3D printers and began learning robotics

to add a little brightness and fun to campus.”

in elementary school. Before coming to college, she

Lesbirel said she was prompted to start the project

also participated in robotics competitions, like FIRST

because she was bored during the COVID-19 pandemic

Robotics, where teams of students from different

lockdown, and “there wasn’t much to do on campus.”

schools were all tasked to solve the same challenge.

She’s from Ocala, Florida, so she couldn’t get home

Her favorite was the 2019 challenge called Deep Space,

easily either.

where teams played a game placing poly-carbonate

So she bought a $1 box of chalk from Walgreens that contained 10 pieces of five colors, and got drawing. Her friends suggested she start an Instagram

hatch panels and orange rubber balls on rockets and cargo pods.

“You have to get really creative to solve some

account. She did and added the name of the account

of these problems, especially if you have limited

as a tag on her work, so anyone passing by could

materials,” she said. “I came from a team that didn’t

see her previous work that had already been

have a lot of funding, so we scrapped old projects to

washed away.

make new ones.”

Not only has she gotten positive feedback, but she

So far, her favorite drawing has been van Gogh’s

said that “people stop to talk to me and tell me they like

Starry Night, and she plans to continue doing chalk

to do art, too. I just find that a lot of people get a lot of

art until she graduates.

good out of it, so if I have the time, I will keep doing it as much as I can.”

In one instance, she was in the cafeteria after Photo by Michael Paras

|

“I think the world could use a little more happiness.

I never know what’s going on in someone’s life, or the day that they’ve had,” she said. “What I do know that

finishing a chalk drawing, and someone asked her if she

for at least a few people, I have made their day a little

was the artist. “I was covered in chalk, so I asked ‘Why,

bit better than it was, that means a great amount to me

what gave me away?’” she joked. She now works with

and hopefully something to them.” n

four large boxes of chalk, but no other tools, to make her elaborate drawings.

Jen A. Miller is the author of Running: A Love Story.

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ROA M IN G T H E H A L L |

JEN A. MILLER

HOW WE LEARN Associate professor Amy Joh’s research seeks to unlock how children make sense of the world around them.

A

my Joh wants to know how our brains grow.

As an associate professor of psychology

and director of Seton Hall’s Child Learning

they still expect things to fall straight down,” she said.

Giving them hints before the exercise doesn’t help.

Lab, Joh studies how young children develop

Teaching kids a song about where the marble will roll

cognitive and motor skills, and how they

doesn’t make a difference either.

take information from the world around

What does work? Making each of the three tubes a

them and learn to do things that they later

different color. That helps children guess that the marble

take for granted.

will roll to the end of the tube. The kicker, though, is

“I’m really interested in bringing together the why

that once the tubes are changed back to all being the

or how we go about the world and get that perceptual

same color, the same kids will guess the marble will roll

information we need to do the things we have to do every

straight down again.

day,” she says. “Just getting up and brushing your teeth

“Studies like this can speak to how kids learn how to

and walking down the street and finding your way to the

do things in everyday life, what input they seek and how

office and typing on your computer are all things that

much experience is needed,” Joh says. “What happens

need cognition.”

when they get information that’s contrary to how they

Understanding how those cognitive skills are built can allow parents and caregivers to help develop them in children at a young age.

Joh has a particular interest in how toddlers learn about spatial relationships.

In one study, she brings out three tubes and puts a marble at the top of one tube and asks a preschool-age child where the marble will end up. If the tubes are

think the world works?”

Shaziela Ishak, associate professor of psychology at Ramapo College, attended graduate school with Joh. She notes that “understanding the development of spatial abilities relates to so many different areas of development, such as tool use, problem solving, independent navigation, even eating.”

Ishak enrolled her child in one of Joh’s studies,

perpendicular to the ground, the toddlers will guess that

knowing that it’s not always easy to recruit participants

the marble comes out of the bottom of the tube. But if the

and because she knew her son “would enjoy the study

tubes are on a diagonal, the toddler will still guess that

because it is set up like a little game.”

it flows straight down.

“They’ve spent three years watching most things fall straight down. They also know that things follow paths.

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They’re putting most things [together] but at 3 years of age,

The studies help in understanding cognitive development, she adds, because children this age may not be able to accurately express their abilities in a verbal way.

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

Seton Hall’s Child Learning Lab has been closed to

SPRING 2022

in a more natural, home environment,” Joh says. “A lot of

children since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that

these children have spent more time at home than they

hasn’t stopped Joh’s research because she and Autumn

normally would in the last two years.”

Cataldo ’22 have been putting the studies online.

Posting the tube study online is the subject of Catal-

Photo by Michael Paras

|

Online versions of the studies also should show if the learning process has changed as a result of the shift in

do’s honors thesis. “We’re looking at the original study

environment. Cataldo hopes to go on to become a school

and asking, ‘How do we make this work in a reliable

psychologist, specifically for elementary school children,

virtual way?,’” she says.

and to also help students with learning disabilities.

Not only do online options help researchers continue

Working on this research not only will make her a better

their work, but they also account for the way that today’s

psychologist, she says, but will also “help us help

children have, for most of their lives, grown up.

children learn.” n

“Parents are among the most important teachers for young children, so we want to see how learning occurs

Jen A. Miller is the author of Running: A Love Story.

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P ROFIL E |

MOLLY PETRILLA

James M. Murray, M.A. ’94 on heading up the federal agency charged with protecting the nation’s most important assets.

STEERING THE SECRET SERVICE 14

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

T

SPRING 2022

here’s a lot you may not know about the Secret

New Jersey state trooper. When his younger brother was

Service — and not just the intentionally secret

diagnosed with cancer, his mother returned to work,

things. “People know us for our protective

waiting tables for years to help cover the medical bills.

mission,” says James M. Murray, M.A.’94, who

After graduating from the University of Scranton,

became director of the agency in 2019. They

Murray served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve while

picture unsmiling men and women in dark suits,

starting a job with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

eyes hidden under sunglasses, standing beside the

He soon applied to join the Secret Service, but during

president of the United States, working to keep the chief

the years-long hiring process, he learned about a unique

executive safe at all costs.

program at Seton Hall. People in law enforcement, the

But the agency Murray leads extends beyond that

military and other public-safety roles could take classes

familiar role. The U.S. Secret Service was established in

together, both on campus and at New Jersey state police

1865 as the country’s first financial crime investigators,

barracks, to earn a master’s in education.

“and that’s still what we do today,” Murray says. “We

“It was absolutely fantastic,” Murray says. “I always

commit ourselves to protecting and safeguarding our

give Seton Hall credit because in my opinion, they created

country’s economy and our financial payment systems.”

the ability to take classes virtually or long distance before

The physical protection side began after President William McKinley’s assassination in 1901, and now

that was even really a thing.”

Today he serves on the advisory board for Seton Hall’s

includes safeguarding presidents and vice presidents,

Police Graduate Studies Program. He was the keynote

their families, and visiting heads of state.

speaker for the Class of 2020 commencement, held in April

But whether an officer has reached the highest levels or is just beginning a Secret Service career, “I don’t think

2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his speech, Murray reflected on the meaning of

you’re going to find a more demanding job out there in

character, defining it as “the sum total of a thousand

the federal system,” he says.

everyday choices — all those things we do when we

The travel is constant. Days off are rare. Hours are

assume nobody’s watching.” He also called out the

long, and weddings, birthdays and holidays get missed.

importance of work ethic. “The secret to increasing

“You have to want to be part of something bigger than

self-discipline is that there is no secret,” he said. “It really

yourself,” Murray says. “You have to want to be part of

is just a matter of doing a little bit more and a little bit

a team of people who care for and about each other, but

better each day.”

together put the mission above all else.

Murray is also focused on growing his agency. It’s

“My experience has been that for folks in the Secret

already expanded from around 5,000 when he joined in

Service, the psychological salary that they earn in service

1995 to more than 7,500 today, and his goal is to employ

to others is somehow inexplicably more valuable to

10,000 over the next decade.

them than the money and the benefits and even the days

“The breadth and depth and scope of what our

off that they could be promised at a job somewhere else,”

protective and investigative responsibility [entails]

he adds.

absolutely requires more people,” he says. “We’re

“I do feel like in some ways I’m answering this call Photo by James Kegley

|

hiring across the board here, so that the Secret Service

to serve,” he says. “I can’t explain it more than that. I’m

is ever-ready and able to meet and overcome the mission

grateful that I heard this call and I had the opportunity

challenges that face us throughout this decade and in

to answer it.”

the future.” n

His interest in law enforcement and drive to serve others took root in childhood. His father worked as a

Molly Petrilla is a freelance writer based in New Jersey.

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P ROFIL E |

JEN A. MILLER

BROADCAST MENTOR Since retiring from ESPN, sportscaster Bob Ley ’76 has lent his considerable talents to helping shape the future of sports media education at Seton Hall.

Y

ou probably know Bob Ley ’76, if not by face, by voice.

When he retired in 2019, Ley was ESPN’s

Center for Sports Media at Seton Hall, offering an interdisciplinary approach to learning that mixes

longest-tenured anchor, with his first broadcast

academic training with practical experience in the

airing on September 9, 1979. His career is a

industry, through partnerships with major media outlets.

cavalcade of accomplishments: In 1980, he hosted

The center will offer a “cross-disciplinary, outward

the first NCAA Selection Show, and in 1995 he narrated the

look at sports media that distinguishes [Seton Hall] and

first This is SportsCenter ad. He’s interviewed four United

enriches the student experience,” he says. “It will give

States presidents, won 11 Sports Emmys, and won two

students the ability to practice the practical elements

Peabody Awards for his work on ESPN’s Outside the Lines,

of the profession and get real experience — be it

a show he helmed for almost 30 years.

reporting, storytelling, mastering the technical side

That all began at WSOU-FM, Seton Hall’s radio station, when Ley started broadcasting play-by-plays of Pirates basketball in 1972.

“WSOU became the place where you would go in the

or understanding the history of the issues at play.”

“Bob is one of the kindest and most ethical people I’ve ever met. He’s authentic,” says Renee Robinson, interim dean of the College of Communication and the Arts.

morning. You’d go to classes, go back to the radio station, go

“He takes the time to talk to our students, and to listen.

to class, go back to the radio station,” says Ley, who grew

He’s invested in the University, not just with his gift

up in Bloomfield, New Jersey (three blocks from Holsten’s,

— which is affording wonderful opportunities to our

he noted, which was used for the final scenes of The

students — but also with his time, his energy and his

Sopranos) and commuted to school. “You’d spend more time

enthusiasm dedicated to what we can accomplish.”

at WSOU than you would in all your classes put together.”

He stayed close to Seton Hall, too, even as he became

16

In 2021, Ley made a lead donation to fund the

Ley’s broadcast journalism career started to take off even before he graduated. While still a student

one of the biggest names in sports media. Ley served

and working at WSOU, he also worked at 710 WOR in

on the Board of Regents, gave the 2019 commencement

New York City. That landed him a spot at Suburban

speech, and in early 2020, came back to call a Pirates

Cablevision East Orange, which was just launching,

basketball game.

a few months after graduation.

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“Sports is such an essential part of culture, and is the manifestation of culture in ways that you need to understand if you want to understand what’s happening in the world, now more than ever.”

This was in the early days of cable television, when sports fans were used to being able to watch only the sports that ABC, NBC or CBS decided to broadcast that

revolution in sports media,” he says.

The sports media world is still changing, and Ley

week — and what they showed was typically games of

recognizes that a dedicated Center for Sports Media will

big-city teams. While local newspapers covered North

help prepare Seton Hall students to navigate it, while

Jersey sports games, television did not — until the debut

giving them the same kind of real-world experience that

of local cable systems.

launched his career.

At Suburban Cablevision East Orange, “we were

Photo by Beth Mickalonis

realize at the time that I was at the beginning of a

“Sports is such an essential part of culture, and

doing local sports in North Jersey to an audience of my

is the manifestation of culture in ways that you

neighbors and friends, who had never before seen games

need to understand if you want to understand what’s

of their teams on TV before,” he says. “I took what I

happening in the world, now more than ever,” he says.

learned at Seton Hall and put it into practice as a young

“The stories of athletes — the conflicts, the celebrations,

professional, announcing 200 events a year. It was the

all of it — we need our future sports journalists

best boot camp you could have ever had.”

to be prepared to cover this very important part of

Ley turned down a job at New Jersey Public Television

our world.” n

and took a chance on ESPN. He had immaculate timing.

“I was trying to carve out job experience and didn’t

Jen A. Miller is the author of Running: A Love Story.

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FE ATU R E |

CHRISTOPHER HANN

Jerry Walker ’03 with middle school students enrolled in the after-school program at Team Walker Learning Center.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE

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Jerry Walker ’03 first found his success on the basketball court. Now he’s creating a pathway to achievement for students in the classroom.

Jerry’s Legacy

J

erry Walker’s life and his life’s work have been so intertwined

with Jersey City that it might be easy to overlook how remarkable the contributions he’s made over decades to his hometown have been.

Seton Hall basketball fans will remember Walker as the workhorse power forward who started on three straight NCAA tournament teams in the early 1990s, and whose Pirates earned the BIG EAST Conference championship in 1993. But amid a nineyear career playing professional basketball in Europe, he founded Team Walker, an after-school education program made possible by a wide network of Seton Hall affiliations. Over the past quarter century, Team Walker has benefited hundreds of young people in need of a little extra support in the classroom, just as Walker had once needed.

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Now Walker ’03 has set his sights on starting a

an outsize interest in the welfare of others, and his

vocational program for local kids who might not see

grandfather took note. “I never liked bullies,” Walker says.

college in their future but who might be motivated to

“If one of my classmates was getting bullied by somebody,

pursue careers in the restaurant or hospitality industry;

and [was] not so physical, I would offer to take it up for

or as electricians, plumbers, carpenters; or heating,

them. I didn’t like people taking advantage of people. I

ventilation and air-conditioning contractors. Walker

was always a caring person in that aspect, and [Pop] really

has raised $400,000 of the $557,000 needed to purchase

loved that about me. When you care about other people,

a building he’s found and to get the program started.

it’s a sign you’re going to do great things.”

He has set an ambitious timetable, as he hopes to

Walker spent much of his childhood in the company of

start the program in September. “We’re trying to give

his grandfather. And while he might not have understood

everybody the skills they need to provide for their

it at the time, the seeds of his grandfather’s influence

family,” he says. “At the end of the day, we’re just trying

were taking root. “He used to call me the little bump of

to create a positive citizen.”

knowledge,” Walker says. “At that time I was struggling in school, and I didn’t know what he was talking about. He

WALKER’S LIFE as a successful social entrepreneur

saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.”

with an educational focus — an entirely different sort of sports hero — might be unexpected. But he knows

AT ST. ANTHONY, Walker played under the

exactly where he found the motivation to improve the

demanding eye of legendary basketball coach Bob Hurley

lives of so many young people in New Jersey’s second-

Sr., one of only four high school coaches inducted into

largest city: His grandfather’s name was James Curry,

the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Walker

but everyone knew him as Pop.

starred on the 1988-89 national championship team,

Pop Curry connected people. Walker remembers him as

history of high school hoops. When it came time to choose

a behind-the-scenes political strategist who helped get

a college, Walker ventured only as far as South Orange, not

several Jersey City mayors elected. “He had the ability to

20 miles from home. In his senior year, under Coach P.J.

go to City Hall and bring 300 people with him and make

Carlesimo, he helped lead the Pirates to the most lopsided

some noise about equal opportunity.”

championship game victory in the history of the BIG EAST

A builder by vocation, Pop Curry also ran a social service agency, the Lafayette Neighborhood Association, and an

Tournament — a 103-70 shellacking of Syracuse.

In 1996, following the death of Pop Curry, Walker and

after-school program called Can Do — “where teenagers

his brother, Jasper, himself a basketball star at St. Peter’s

and young people could go for safe space and help with

University in Jersey City, started a summer basketball

homework,” Walker says. Walker and his two siblings, his

program in their hometown. It was the beginning of

cousins, his friends and neighbors and classmates, all took

Team Walker, though the early years saw only choppy

part in his grandfather’s programs, including weeklong

progress. Walker was still living and playing overseas for

summer trips to faraway places — like Pennsylvania.

much of the year. When he came home each summer and

“When we first went out there, we were so scared,”

organized the basketball program, he paid for much of

Walker recalls of those trips. “We’d hear the crickets, and

it himself. Yet he always envisioned something bigger.

that was a little nerve-racking for a kid from the city.”

Walker was a big kid with a big heart, 6 feet 4 inches

20

considered by some the greatest collection of talent in the

So when he retired as a player in 2002, Walker returned once again to Jersey City, not to bask in all that

tall by the time he entered St. Anthony High School in

he had accomplished on the basketball court, certainly

downtown Jersey City. Even at a young age, he took

not to rest on his considerable laurels.

Photography by Erin Patrice O’Brien

On the streets of the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood,

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

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“When he walks into a room,” Reuter says of Walker, “he lights up the room. People feel his energy, his excitement, his enthusiasm and his passion for what he does. He loves the children. He will do anything for them.”

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No, Walker had other plans. He wanted to incorporate

have confidence enough to work through any problem

an educational component into Team Walker’s mission,

and find a solution. We won a lot of championships, but

an aspiration drawn from his own experience at Seton

some of my classic moments came in the classroom.”

Hall. As a wide-eyed freshman unsure of his own

Walker’s Seton Hall experience taught him the value

capacity in the classroom, he felt intimidated by the

of education, and he wanted to pass on that lesson to

college-level curriculum and struggled to keep up. Today,

the young people of Jersey City. “It took a long time

more than 30 years after arriving on campus, Walker

for people to understand that Team Walker was about

still invokes the name of his academic adviser, Robin

education,” he says. “Given my background, the real

Cunningham, ’78/M.A. ’84/Ed.S. ’96. Over time, and lots

priority was the academic piece. Kids who are more

of study halls, she helped him believe he could achieve in

educated make better decisions. They stand on their own

the classroom. “She taught me a great deal,” Walker says.

two feet. You can’t take education away from somebody.

“She let me know I could compete in that arena, too.”

The limbs are not going to last. The mind lasts much

When he returned to Jersey City following his

longer than that.”

playing career, Walker also returned to the classroom, earning the final 20 credits he needed for his degree

IN ITS EARLY YEARS, Team Walker operated on a

in communication (he minored in religion). Though

limited budget, with volunteer tutors conducting lessons

reluctant to take part in the formal graduation ceremony,

in local churches and P.S. 22, a public elementary school.

he says his mother, Carol Walker, a pastor, insisted.

But Walker had bigger dreams. He wanted a building

“I learned a great deal at Seton Hall University,”

he could call his own, which he knew would require a

Walker says. “How to be organized. How to be a leader.

much greater financial investment. He reached out to

How to be somebody that’s not going to be easily

his Seton Hall network, to on-campus personnel such as

deterred. You’ll always have obstacles. You just have to

Cunningham and Athletic Director Bryan Felt ’97/ M.A. ’05,

Jerry Walker ’03 with an elementary school student in the after-school program at P.S. 22.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE

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challenge to heart, and several months later they presented a plan to seek a federal grant administered by the New Jersey Department of Education that was designed to support community learning centers. Over the past decade the grant has funded 50 percent of Team Walker’s $1.1 million annual budget.

The future location of Team Walker’s vocational program.

“When he walks into a room,” Reuter says of Walker, “he lights up the room. People feel his energy, his excitement, his enthusiasm, and his passion for what he does. He

who both serve on Team Walker’s board of directors, and to business-world movers and shakers such as Jim

loves the children. He will do anything for them.”

In May 2014, with a stable funding source in place,

O’Brien ’82, Robert Sloan, M.B.A. ’86, Leo Zatta ’78/M.B.A.

Walker presided over the official opening of Team Walker

’84/M.S. ’86, and the late George Ring ’65/M.B.A. ’71.

Learning Center, a three-story, 10,000-square-foot building

O’Brien and Sloan serve on Team Walker’s advisory

on Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City. Today the center

board. Zatta has been chairman of Team Walker’s board

serves 170 students, from kindergarten through tenth

for two decades. And Ring, according to Walker, provided

grade, five days a week, with hundreds more involved in

the first six-figure donation to the building fund.

summer programs. Each member of the teaching staff is

Like his grandfather, Walker is a connector of people.

Zatta says Walker’s charisma — “he has the ability to pick up the phone and talk to anyone” — has been central

state-certified, and its roster of 22 full-time employees includes teacher’s aides in every classroom.

Team Walker recently received a pledge — $300,000

to his success. “It’s really the personal touch that he

over three years — to create individualized programs

has,” Zatta says.

for students with special education needs. Robin

That personal touch extends to the students enrolled at Team Walker, many of whom face challenges that can be hard to fully appreciate. Zatta remembers walking

Cunningham will lead the program, and Leo Zatta says Team Walker is on track to begin in September.

To date, 155 former Team Walker students have earned

the halls of Team Walker with its founder one afternoon

college degrees, with two earning master’s degrees.

when a young girl, maybe 10 years old, ran up to Walker

Realizing those numbers represent a small percentage of

and wrapped her arms around him. Walker asked where

the young people who could benefit from Team Walker’s

she was supposed to be. “I’m supposed to be in class, Mr.

programs, Walker started thinking about the value of

Walker,” the young girl said. After she scampered down

vocational education and the need to help students who

the hallway, Walker confided to Zatta that he was worried

might not be bound for college.

about the girl. Zatta asked why. “Her father was shot and killed two weeks ago,” Walker said.

Now he has found a building he wants to turn into a trade school and has identified a local minority-owned construction company to renovate it. And he continues

IN HIS QUEST to raise money for a new building, Walker also reached out to Michael Reuter, then

his search for funding to get the school started.

Turning his ambitious vision into reality will be a

the director of the Gerald P. Buccino ’63 Center for

challenge. But Jerry Walker has been there before. And

Leadership Development, now retired and director

he knows how to get things done. Pop Curry showed

emeritus. Walker sought help from Reuter and his

him the way. n

students in finding funding sources for Team Walker’s formidable expansion plans. The students took the

Christopher Hann is a freelance writer and editor in New Jersey.

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KATHARINE GAMMON

Housing Aid The pandemic set a slow-moving eviction crisis in motion. At Seton Hall, students and professors of law are trying to stem the tide and keep people in their homes.

24

Photography by Kristine Foley

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Yanira Cortes, a mother of four, had help from associate professor Kevin Kelly and Seton Hall law students with her 2017 housing case, related to living conditions.

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Over the past few years, more Seton Hall law students have become interested in staffing the free legal clinics.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE

A

LEX CHEESMAN has a

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Last year, the New Jersey State Legislature passed

full load of classes at the School of Law, but also has

a law to fund programs to provide legal services for

a vital role preparing legal motions for tenant cases

low- and moderate-income tenants in need of housing

where he must manage his time because the court

assistance, explains Lori Borgen, associate clinical

moves fast. The broad strokes are the same in his

professor and director of the Center for Social Justice.

cases: typically they involve someone who has been

Through this funding, the University’s School of Law and

hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, is low on money

Rutgers University Law School have established the New

and struggling with a potential eviction.

Jersey Housing Justice Project, which lets the schools

Cheesman is part of the law school’s free legal

expand their clinical programs and represent more

clinics, and he’s committed to learning by doing. He

tenants than ever before. “It’s a combination of training

heard from other students that it was a great introduc-

students, legal services and advocacy,” she says.

tion to practicing law. “We spend all our time sitting

The services are more needed now than ever. Kevin

in a classroom, we’re not doing the things lawyers do,

Kelly, an associate clinical professor in the law school,

in general,” he says. “All that class learning feels kind

has been practicing tenant law since 1984, and feels the

of vague: ‘We know what the law is, but how do you

eviction crisis is reaching a new threshold. “This is the

practice it?’”

worst that I’ve seen,” he says, noting that the supply of

Seton Hall professors and law students have worked

housing has dwindled, making it harder for low-income

with local residents for years to help them navigate the

people to find a place to live. Forces like gentrification

arena of tenant rights — most recently helping people

also have made it more challenging for low- and even

apply for and make full use of governmental eviction

moderate-income folks to find a place to live, Kelly adds.

protection assistance and earlier representing tenants in

“People who used to be considered middle class are

a class action suit to address poor living conditions.

feeling the squeeze.”

The school is also expanding its legal aid work in

The law clinic gets referrals from a variety of places,

housing and tenant rights due to recent grants. New

but often from someone in the court system or private

projects include collaborating with other law schools to

attorneys — and usually because someone has an eviction

expand coverage and incorporate new technology to vary

case coming up fast. The stories often revolve around

the type of assistance given and help more people.

health issues and the pandemic, when people fell behind

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on paying rent. One recent case concerned a man who

been getting as much income in rent, they have less

was in the hospital and out of work for a while, missing

money to devote to maintaining the buildings. “We’re

a few months’ rent.

starting to see a lot of cases where someone doesn’t have

Such cases can go to court lopsided, Kelly says, when the landlord has an attorney and the tenant doesn’t. “If the judge doesn’t ask questions that probe further, the

heat, or the landlord is not sending the exterminator out like they used to,” he says.

Kelly has special knowledge of this area of law: He has

tenant could be evicted and he’s out basically within two

been working on legal cases related to housing conditions

weeks,” he says. “That’s how fast the process works.” The

for years. In 2017, he helped a young mother of four named

law clinic represents people and argues before the court

Yanira Cortes with a case. The family was living in a

— reminding judges of new laws that have been passed,

subsidized housing unit that was overrun with rats, had

like rules forbidding evictions for people who have failed

broken windows and smoke detectors that didn’t work. She

to pay rent that accrued during the eviction moratorium.

ended up moving out of the building due to the conditions.

The Seton Hall clinic was co-counsel on her case, Cortes says. “They were basically in charge of almost

Students working at the law clinic are able to recognize the direct outcomes of their work. It’s not like doing behind-the-scenes work at a big law firm and then handing off their findings to an upper-level lawyer.

everything: investigating, finding evidence, discovery, getting information, making phone calls, so basically everything my lawyer needs help with, they are there to pick up any slack.”

She says it’s been a joy to be part of the students’ journey into hands-on learning before they graduate law school. Over the years, she met many of them and watched a new batch learn each semester. “I think they’re doing a phenomenal job, I’m grateful to have met them, and my life has changed by going through this,” she says.

“I hope they are able to help other people in the future.”

Kelly says it’s exciting because while class action

The new laws are long and confusing, so Kelly doesn’t fault judges who don’t know the intricacies of all of them.

can be a blueprint for future legal action. The 82-unit

But without an advocate on the tenants’ side, bad things

building meant that 82 families were eligible for the

can happen. “It’s not through malevolence, not through

recovery. “Class actions are brought all the time,” he says.

incompetence, but just the crush of tenancy cases.”

“But they’re not brought very often in housing cases, so

The law clinic can also help tenants apply for rental

this was really novel.” Now that the settlement is finalized

assistance, through the state or local municipalities —

— with the $110,000 amount (less costs) to be allocated

so landlords can get some relief, too. After all, Kelly says,

to Cortes and about 40 other tenants — the new owners

displacement isn’t good for landlords or tenants. “It’s not

have also promised that they will be rehabilitating the

helpful to landlords to have to keep spending their time

building. Neither Cortes’ private attorney, Dennis Geier,

renting apartments to people if they can keep otherwise

J.D. ’06, or the clinic requested attorney’s fees.

desirable tenants.”

In addition to evictions, the team also works on poor

28

lawsuits are rare in landlord-tenant law, Cortes’ case

Students working at the law clinic are able to recognize the direct outcomes of their work. It’s not like

living condition cases — situations that the pandemic

doing behind-the-scenes work at a big law firm and then

has also worsened, Kelly says. Since landlords haven’t

handing off their findings to an upper-level lawyer. In

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SPRING 2022

Associate professor Kevin Kelly with some of his Seton Hall law students.

the clinic, the students are interviewing clients, drafting

people access to legal counsel, she says. “What we’re

papers, negotiating with adversaries, arguing in court

looking at here is landlord tenant reform, and can we

and sometimes even conducting the trial. “We are there

design a system that works for more people, and that

as their safety net, but they’re properly trained and they

is supporting tenants rights. We’re hopeful that we can

put in the work,” Kelly says. “They’re the lawyer. It’s like

have an impact on that.”

being in residency in medical school.”

Borgen says she hopes to secure additional funding

Alex Cheesman has felt the impact of doing tenant law on his own career goals and aspirations. Over the past few

for fellowships to bring more attorneys to New Jersey to

years, more students have become interested in staffing

do low-income tenant law. She also noted that the housing

the clinic, and this year the program had a waitlist

work has expanded to include health justice, since so

for law students. With the additional state funding, the

many eviction cases are tangled in a person’s access to

Center for Social Justice added students and expanded

health care.

the number of clients they could take on. Many students

Simply having access to an attorney in these cases makes a huge difference, she says, pointing to New York City’s establishment of a right to counsel — which

want to experience what it’s like to actually be a lawyer, Cheesman says.

“I’ve never seriously considered going into public

paradoxically dropped the number of eviction filings

interest law; I always wanted a more private law route,”

that were being seen in the court. In part, that’s because

he says. “But seeing how fulfilling it is, it’s definitely

suddenly all the documents were being examined

something I would highly consider now. You’re not just

carefully — were landlords acting legally? Were these

working for a company; you’re working for an individual.

dwellings registered?

The stakes are high, but the payoff is high.” n

The law school clinic plays a role in shaping the future of the eviction process, simply by giving more

Katharine Gammon is a freelance writer based in Santa Monica.

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S P OR T S |

SHAWN FURY

The Great Defender

I

ke Obiagu ’21 has been away from his home country

Dalembert, who had 167 blocks for the Pirates in his

of Nigeria for the better part of a decade. During that

standout career that ended in 2001.

time, he has developed into an intimidating 7-foot-2, 265-pound presence on the basketball court, first

his blocking ability, though he might be even better at

in high school, then at Florida State and finally at Seton

understating that skill. “It came naturally to me. You have

Hall after he transferred in 2018.

to get the timing correct or you get a foul. Over the years

Those closest to Obiagu back in Nigeria are well aware of his accomplishments thousands of miles away.

“I send them clips of the games, and they always keep up with everything,” Obiagu says. When his family

I’ve learned how to block a shot without fouling the player, and I know when to go for a block or when not to go for a block.”

Obiagu came to Seton Hall thanks to the efforts of

watches those highlights, they can see what has become

former Pirates assistant Tony Skinn, a Nigerian-born

obvious to college basketball fans everywhere: There’s no

coach who helped the University land the talented

better center on the defensive side of the game.

center. Another Seton Hall assistant, current associate

After arriving at Seton Hall, Obiagu quickly climbed

head coach Grant Billmeier ’07, a former Pirates big

the list of Pirate leaders in blocking shots. During the

man himself, has since played a key role in Obiagu’s

2021 season, he led the BIG EAST by averaging 2.7 blocks

development.

in 19 conference games. His season included an eight-

“He’s an elite rim protector, and we’re fortunate

block effort against Wagner College, which he topped by

to have him,” Billmeier says. “He covers up for a lot of

swatting nine more against Georgetown, which tied for

guys on the defensive end. He allows us to be a lot

the most in a single game for a Division I player last year.

more aggressive. Guys know they can pressure the

And the 2022 campaign was simply more of the same.

He started the season with five blocks against Fairleigh Dickinson. In early January, Obiagu recorded six blocks

basketball more, knowing that he’s back there to try and block shots.”

Billmeier also credits Obiagu for being a “very calming

in a thrilling overtime victory over the University of

influence” on the court. “He’s not the most vocal guy, but

Connecticut. But he was only getting started. A game

when Ike speaks, because he’s more on the quiet side,

after notching five blocks versus DePaul, he collected

everyone listens because they have so much respect for

seven more against Marquette. St. John’s then suffered

him and how hard he works on the court and how hard

at the rim as Obiagu again blocked seven shots in a

he works in the classroom.”

triumphant showdown at Madison Square Garden.

All of that led to the moment when Obiagu topped the

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“I’ve always been pretty good at it,” Obiagu says of

While it’s impossible to miss Obiagu’s impact on the court, he also has earned academic accolades. In

Seton Hall record for career blocks on January 26. He

2021, Obiagu, who received his degree in business

picked up four blocks in a rematch against Marquette,

administration with a concentration in accounting and

giving him 169 (and counting) for his Seton Hall

now studies for his master’s in accounting, was named

career, breaking the record previously held by Samuel

the BIG EAST Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, an

Photo courtesy of Seton Hall Athletics

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SPRING 2022

honor Obiagu notes “is easy to brag about,” though the

around him. My daughter, who is 3 going on 4, she

soft-spoken center is unlikely to do much of that.

asks about Ike constantly. Even when she’s rambling

A professional basketball career remains his goal, but he also is excited about the possibilities offered by his degree. “Everything is open for me,” he says.

“Ike’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever been

on the phone with him, he’s still as interested in the conversation as she is. He’s just got a great personality.”

It goes well with the great résumé — on the court and in the classroom. n

around,” Billmeier says. “I’m very fortunate to have been around him, and I’m very fortunate to have my family

Shawn Fury is an author in New York City.

31

S P OR T S |

SHAWN FURY

Over the Moon for Coach Moon

32

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

J

ohn Moon can captivate you for hours with his life’s stories.

He was a New Jersey high school track and

football star in the 1950s, when he hid his athletic

endeavors from a mother who wanted him to focus on schoolwork and music.

“I had to forge her name on the permission slips to

|

SPRING 202 12 8

“I walk through the gym upstairs; I look at those banners on the wall and I can say I did that. I did that and our kids did that, and it can’t ever be taken away.”

play,” Moon remembers. “Eventually I couldn’t fake it anymore. I scored four touchdowns in one game, word got around, and my mother found out and went ballistic.”

He was a sprinter in college at Tennessee State,

the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Last year he was inducted

tying the world record in the 100-yard dash in 1960. He

into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches

has tales to tell from knowing a lot of internationally

Association Hall of Fame.

famous athletes.

You can listen to many of his stories and be impressed

It’s been an incredible life in track and field for a man whose parents envisioned him becoming a school

before he even starts talking about his incomparable

principal or superintendent. “I just love the sport,” he

50-year career earning acclaim as Seton Hall’s track and

says. “And it’s been so good to me.”

field and cross country coach. But you soon understand

He was a high school coach before coming to Seton

that he has the same passion for sports today as when he

Hall in 1972. Though Moon made his name in college as a

began his tenure with the Pirates in 1972.

sprinter, he developed into a renowned middle-distance

“The palms of my hands still get wet. When there’s a

coach. He put much of his energy into the 800-meter race,

tough competition coming up, I get the same anxiety as

recruiting versatile athletes who could move up to longer

when I was starting out years ago,” he says. “I just wish I

distances or drop down to shorter distances and still

could be in the athletes’ place. I wish I could make these

triumph.

athletes super, super, super good. It’s just as exciting now as it was then.”

But the fact is that Moon has mentored many great

“Once I got to be known as a good quarter-mile, a good 800-meter coach, coaches would come up to me and say, ‘Coach, how do you get kids to do that kind of workout?’

athletes since 1972. The Pirates have produced seven

And I say, you just tell them. The whole thing is about

NCAA champions and 71 All-Americans during his

belief. You can’t be a good coach if the kids don’t believe

tenure. Moon’s teams have won six BIG EAST titles and

in you. But when they do and then believe in themselves,

225 individual and relay titles. In 1994 Flirtisha Harris

they can do anything.”

‘94 became the first Pirate woman to become an NCAA champion when she brought home the 400-meter crown.

Andrew Valmon ‘87 won gold in the 1,600-meter relay at Photo courtesy of Seton Hall Athletics

assistant coach for the United States men’s track team at

Not long after Moon started at the University, the new coach told The New York Times, “With all the good talents around here I don’t see why Seton Hall can’t

the 1988 Sumer Olympics, while Tracy Baskin ‘89 won the

be on top again.” He is surrounded by evidence that his

800-meter competition in the 1987 NCAA championships

expectations have been fulfilled.

before also competing in the ’88 Olympics. Long-jumper

“I walk through the gym upstairs; I look at those

Shana Williams ‘93 competed in two Olympic Games and

banners on the wall and I can say I did that. I did that

won the national indoor title in 1996.

and our kids did that, and it can’t ever be taken away.” n

Moon has made his own international mark, coaching the 1995 Pan American team and serving as the first

Shawn Fury is an author in New York City.

33

NE W S & N OT E S

alumni

50s

Edmund S. Schiavoni ’51 released a novel, Pathway to Glory. ... Charles Brady ’58 wrote Father Brady: Loved by Many, Hated by Plenty, about life with Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil-rights movement and service in Black parishes in Orange and Montclair. … Timothy O’Callaghan ’58 published three books — Henry Ford’s Airport, and Other Aviation Interests 1909-1954, The Aviation Legacy of Henry and Edsel Ford 2000, and Ford in the Service of America 2009, and made many presentations on these topics until retirement in 2020. … John L. Boucher ’59/’67 was presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who.

60s

Mario Rosellini Jr. ’62 was honored by The Italian Tribune with the Christopher Columbus Community Service Award for his success in business and charitable endeavors. … Catherine A. Georges ’65 was elected chair of Easterseals National board of directors. … Sister Susan V. Cappelli ’66 released an audiobook titled The Crayons in Rainbow Land. …

Father Joseph T. Sileo ’66 marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination and his work centered on serving parishes and people with special needs.

70s

Father John Vignone ’71 retired as the pastor of St. Katharine Drexel Church in July 2020. … George Babula, M.A. ’72 was elected president of the Warren County School Board Association of Warren County, N.J. … Kathryn Conti Salamone ’72 published a memoir collection Sown in Silk City: A Life Rooted in Paterson, New Jersey. ... Michael R. Siavage, J.D. ’72 joined Moye White LLP as it expanded its offices to Atlanta, Ga. … Edward Korczynski, M.A. ’74 published his first book, The Lone Sailboat: Navigating in Political Waters. … Thomas DeConna ’75/M.A.T. ’76 wrote a novel, Season of

34

Restorations, which is set in New Jersey and centers on three generations of men. … Dr. Roger Newman ’76 published a new Civil War historical fiction novel based in Charleston, Will O’ the Wisp: Madness, War, and Recompense. … Milton Springut, J.D. ’76 joined Moses & Singer as a partner in its intellectual property practice. … Bruce L. Atkins, J.D. ’77 was presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who. … Charles A. Bruns ’78 wrote and published a book, Fatherlands: Identities of a Cuban American, in October 2021, a memoir about how his dual identities impacted his family and career that includes a chapter about his time as a Seton Hall student. … Cathryn Kennedy, M.A.E. ’78 was recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for Excellence in Education. … Guy T. Piserchia ’78/M.B.A. ’81 was elected to a fifth term on the Long Hill Township (N.J.) Committee and is serving a fifth year as mayor. … Kenneth Wiley ’78 earned the Vietnam Service Medal, an Expert Marksmen Badge, and a letter of commendation from Morris County at its annual Veteran’s Day Observance ceremony. … Joseph Schepers ’79/M.B.A. ’91 was appointed senior vice president of investor relations and financial communications of LaVoieHealthScience. … Walter F. Timpone, J.D. ’79 was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who.

80s

Paul Mladjenovic ’82, author of Stock Investing for Dummies, taught three classes on investing online for the Mount Airy Learning Tree. … Richard Durante ’83 was appointed CEO of Citarella, a specialty grocer gourmet retailer. … Stephen Grieco ’83/J.D. ’89 was appointed chief executive officer of MedeAnalytics. … Maria Santo ’83 entered the race for judge of Hardin County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court, domestic relations division, for the primary election. … Donald Scarinci, J.D. ’83 was named founding and firm managing partner of Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC. …

Thomas J. Ferrando ’85, former Salient CRGT CEO, joined Bridge Growth Partners as senior adviser. … Glenn Schuck ’85

served as master of ceremonies for the Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial 20th Anniversary.

Schuck, longtime reporter and anchor at 1010 WINS in New York, was the first radio reporter to tour ground zero with Mayor Rudy Giuliani the morning of September 12, 2001. … Paul A. Walsh ’85/J.D. ’89 published a book, “Will Al Franken and Bill O’Reilly Please Shut Up:” A Handbook of America’s Most Powerful Liberal and Conservative Groups. … Michael Scalea ’87 was hired as an executive vice president for Framework Solutions, a professional services company serving the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries. …Janet M. Ciarrocca, M.A.E. ’88, acting superintendent of North Brunswick Township (N.J.) Public Schools, joined the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey board of directors. … Rupert A. Hayles Jr. ’88 was named president of Pillar College. …

Joanne Rajoppi, M.P.A. ’88, author and historian, presented a Victorian “Pink Tea” with the Kenilworth (N.J.) Historical Society in celebration of “100 Years and More of Votes for Women.”... David Gagliano ’89 was inducted into the Seton Hall Prep Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2021. …

Dave Ross ’89, vice president of commercial operations at Seqirus, a pharmaceutical company, was recently interviewed on “Five Things You Need To Be a Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times.”

90s

H.S. Ellis, J.D. ’90 retired as president/ CEO of TATA Chemicals North America Inc. after 24 years. … Patrick C. Dunican Jr., J.D. ’91 has been named executive chairperson of Gibbons P. C., a Newarkbased law firm. … Stephen J. Hoptay Jr., M.A.E. ’91/Ed.S. ’04/Ed.D. ’07, was appointed by the K Street Group, a worldwide risk mitigation, protective and Investigative services firm, as faculty chair for its K9 and Tactical Training Academy. … Steve Kuhr ’91 was named senior vice president and chief financial officer of Weston Solutions Inc., an environmental and infrastructure support services firm. ... Mark Aftanski ’92 was appointed vice president of operations at Commonwealth Hotels LLC in Rapid City, S.D. …

An Inspirational Voice

S

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

SPRING 2022

abrina Natasha Browne ’13/M.A. ’16 is a fierce storyteller. Her voice resonates as a successful public relations executive, a champion of

diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), an advocate for women and girls, and as an online lifestyle influencer.

A vice president in the Corporate Affairs Practice at BCW, Browne advises Fortune 500 clients on strategic communications, executive thought leadership, media relations, and DEI. She also serves as the North American Lead for BCW’s African American Employee Resource Group. This year, she was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Women Leaders of New Jersey” by the organization Women We Admire and became a newly appointed co-chair of the Black Voices Affinity Group at the Public Relations Society of America. In 2021, Browne received Crain’s New York Business Notable in Marketing and PR Award.

She describes her 20,000 follower-strong Instagram page, “The Taste of S,” as an inspirational destination away from stress and the passive fear we experience as a society.

Browne says she is empowered when using beauty

to give back, which has now led to Browne addressing period poverty in her local community. To date, Browne

Kattan and Rihanna, buoyed by memories of her mother,

has secured more than 6,000 menstrual health products

a Liberian immigrant.

to support the Flow Initiative.

PROFILE

brands by women of color like Pat McGrath, Huda

“I think there’s a certain childhood nostalgia of …

Beyond her community relations, Browne is also

seeing my mom look and feel her best with products

passionate about helping marginalized groups through

and tools that empower her to do that. … There was

job recruitment and mentorship to help diversify the

something about when she had that bold red Fashion

public relations industry. With Black representation in

Fair lip on. Her hair flipped a little more and she had

the industry being less than 10 percent, Browne strives

a new pep in her step, and I bring that to myself and

to dispel misguided notions of what it means to be Black

my work every day.”

in corporate America and encourages future generations

Browne’s parents are Wall Street executives who

instilled the values of giving back, often spending

to step into her shoes.

As Browne reflects on her journey to date, she praises

weekends volunteering in their local community through

her father, a Belgian immigrant, who had an intuition

toy drives, clothing drives and other initiatives. At Seton

Seton Hall would change her life — and it did.

Hall, Browne gravitated toward the Division of Volunteer

Photo by Kristine Foley

|

Today, Browne has learned to embrace transformative

Efforts (D.O.V.E.) and supporting the South Orange

experiences of all kinds by turning any fear she might

community during her undergraduate years. She would

have into faith. “Now in my career, when I’m counseling

later secure a Leadership Advisory Board role with

a Fortune 500 client or leading global business pitches,

the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, where she helps

that initial fear that would come — doesn’t surface

to raise funds for more than 30,000 girls served by the

anymore. I trust that the moment that I’m in is where

organization. Browne attributes her undergraduate days

I’m supposed to be and what will happen next is what

with D.O.V.E. and parents for instilling her passion

I’m supposed to be doing.” | JESSICA STROM

35

alumni

NE W S & N OT E S

36

Kevin S Doyle ’92 co-wrote and published the Science Laboratory Safety Manual, 4th Ed. … Robert Schmitt ’92 was appointed director and private wealth adviser at Verdence Capital Advisors. … Robert D. Carney, M.B.A. ’93 was appointed CEO of CRC Group’s new Life, Retirement, and Benefits Solutions Division, and he will remain in his role as president and CEO of Crump. … Andrea S. Ogle, J.D. ’93 became the first woman of Indo-Caribbean descent nominated by the Queens County Democratic Party for a judgeship. …

Caryn M. Parlavecchio ’93/M.A. ’96 was appointed chief human resources officer for Scholar Rock, a biotechnology company. … Stacey M. Geurds-McLeese, J.D. ’94 was appointed first assistant prosecutor of the Hunterdon County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office. … Engelbert Ribeiro ’94 was promoted to deputy chief by the Paterson (N.J.) Police Department. … Catherine M. Embree, M.B.A. ’95 was appointed vice president for planning and strategy and chief of staff at Teachers College, Columbia University. … Christopher Masullo ’95 released a second children’s book, Bean’s Backyard Breakout: A Tale of Two Kitties. … Omar Vargas ’95 was named vice president and head of global public policy for General Motors. … Susan Hutnik, J.D. ’97 was elected a magisterial district judge in Northampton County, Pa. … Stacey Kay Isaacs, J.D. ’97 was recognized by The Florida Bar for meritorious service. … Kevin Kovalycsik, M.B.A. ’97 was appointed chief of staff at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. … Todd M. Nisbet, M.A. ’97 was elected to the General Council of the Phi Delta Theta international fraternity and will serve as member-at-large. …

Noreen M. Giblin, J.D. ’98 was appointed deputy chief counsel and director of the Governor’s Authorities Unit in New Jersey. … Lisa Walsh, J.D. ’98, a Superior Court judge, has become the second woman to lead the Union, N.J., vicinage (district). …

Pádraig P. Flanagan, J.D. ’99 opened the Flanagan Law Firm for Business. … Kelly Kulak, J.D. ’99, a partner in the law firm Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP, was named to the 2021 Women in CRE (Commercial Real Estate). ... Dane E. Lopes, M.B.A. ’99 joined Vantage Risk Companies as chief commercial officer. …

Wendy Zambrana ’99 published two children’s books, Peke-A-Boo! Find the Ball That’s Blue and Peke-A-Boo! Find My Sister Too.

00s

Patricia A. Drabik, M.S.N. ’00 is vice president/chief nursing officer at Christian Health Care Center in New Jersey. …

Diane Gentile-Rufino, J.D. ’00 was recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for excellence in pharmaceutical research, law, and education. … Debora Buzinkai, M.A.E. ’01/Ed.S. ’09 opened a private practice in Bayonne, N.J., specializing in neuropsychological evaluations and psychological evaluations. … Stanley B. Field, M.A.E. ’01 is interim jail operations director for Cumberland County, N.J. …

Dr. Paul G. Mathew ’01 joined the board of directors of the National Headache Foundation and was elected vice chair of the Headache and Facial Pain Section of the American Academy of Neurology. …

Brian T. Wilton, J.D. ’01 was appointed by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to serve as general counsel for NJ Transit. … Kerri A. Wright ’01/M.P.A. ’02 was named New Jersey School Board Association 2021-22 Board Member of the Year. … Eric Crespo ’02 was promoted to superintendent of the Weehawken Township, N.J., School District. … Jacqueline Kopito, M.A. ’01 wrote Twintastic, a fiction book for tweens that was published in January 2021. …

Toni Tomarazzo, J.D. ’02 received the New Jersey governor’s Jefferson Award for founding the Hoboken Pantry, a local food bank that serves 400 families weekly. …

Tarsha P. Jones ’03 is assistant professor of nursing at Florida Atlantic University, principal investigator and director of a project titled “Decision Support for Multigene Panel Testing and Family Risk Communication Among Racially/Ethnically Diverse Young Breast Cancer Survivors” that received a five-year, $772,525 grant from the National Institutes of Health. …

Octavian Y. Manale ’03, former Trenton deputy mayor, accepted a job as town manager in Brattleboro, Vt. … Sherri Wilson, M.P.A. ’03, director of health career programs at Stride Inc., was named president-elect of the Virginia Nurses

Association, an affiliate of the American Nurses Association. … Vedat Gashi, J.D. ’04 was re-elected to the Westchester County (N.Y.) Board of Legislators. …

Kathyrn Strom Cusack, J.D. ’05 was appointed vice president of originations at Greenworks Lending from Nuveen. …

William Cusack III, J.D. ’05 joined Ogletree Deakins, a labor and employment law firm representing management. … Fonda Porter, M.A.E. ’05 joined N.C. Wesleyan College as director of counseling and accessibility services. … Shirley E. Martin, Ed.D. ’06 was appointed interim principal of Park Memorial Avenue Elementary School by Amityville (N.Y.) Union Free School District. … Jolanta Maziarz, J.D. ’06 joined Jersey Central Power and Light as an external affairs consultant. … David M. McGrail, M.H.A. ’06 was named chief financial officer at Lovelace Women’s Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M. … Alfred W. Evans Jr., M.S.J. ’07 published his first book, Guide for Union Stewards. … Gregory Ruesch, M.A. ’07 was promoted by the West Caldwell Police Department to sergeant, assigned to the detective bureau. …

Nathan J. Pietrini, M.A.E. ’08 was appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker as a member of the Children and Family Services Advisory Council of Illinois. … Jana La Sorte, M.P.A. ’08 is the administrator of Historic Harlem Parks in New York City. … Katherine Farley, J.D. ’09 was elected for a three-year term on the Middletown Township Board of Education in Leonardo, N.J. … Bryan J. Jakovcic ’09, founder and chief executive officer of Fusion Health, has been named on the 40-under-40 list, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and an inductee in the Hall of Fame for the Seton Hall University Stillman School of Business. …

Zoragina (Castillo) Mazur, J.D. ’10 joined the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Chief Counsel in San Diego, Calif., as a general attorney.

10s

Daniel Jean, Ed.D. ’10 was appointed assistant provost for special programs at Montclair State University and was recognized for promoting equal economic opportunity in New Jersey. …

Events and Festivities Recap As we mark our return to in-person events, we enjoy seeing the smiling faces of our fellow Pirates at both in-person and virtual gatherings! The health and safety of our alumni are at the forefront of all we do. We look forward to seeing you at upcoming events — both in-person and virtually!

College of Education and Human Services Fall Alumni Gathering Alumni of the College of Education and Human Services joined Dean Joseph Martinelli and other CEHS staff at Flounder Brewing Company on November 11. The “No Books Needed” event brought out alumni of all ages to network and hear updates about the college.

10th Annual Pancakes with Santa and the Pirate More than 150 Pirates filled Bethany Hall to greet the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus on December 4. Attendees enjoyed photos with the Pirate, a tableside magic show, dancing, games, crafts and a delicious breakfast. View photos by visiting shu.edu/pancakebreakfast Pirate Pregame Party Alumni and parents gathered at Mercato Tomato Pie in Newark to gear up for the Hardwood Classic on December 12. Not only did Seton Hall reclaim the trophy from Rutgers, but guests had a great time and enjoyed a fun pregame party.

December 2021 Graduate Champagne Toast Seniors graduating in December were honored at the December Champagne Toast on December 14. Lauren Borowick ’20, member of the Young Alumni Club, emceed the event, where President Joseph E. Nyre officially welcomed our newest class of alumni. Cheers!

National Game Watch Hundreds of alumni gathered at over 30 locations on Stephanie Hauge26 ’78to /M.B.A. /M.A.T. ’15 and February watch’84the Pirates get her thefamily win over Xavier on the road. A special thank you to our alumni volunteers for hosting events all over the country and rallying lots of Pirate Pride!

ALUMNI BENEFITS Don’t Miss Out! Are you taking advantage of all the benefits available to you as a Seton Hall graduate? Don’t miss out on car rental and insurance discounts, library and career center services, discounts for the Seton Hall University bookstore — and much more! To learn about all of the benefits offered, visit www.shu.edu/alumni.

PIRATE’S EYE PODCAST Seton Hall boasts Eye more than 100,000 Pirate’s SIT Y living alumni. In this NIVER HALL U SETON podcast, we chat with some of those proud Pirates about their latest accomplishments and career paths.

We have our Pirate’s Eye on what great alumni minds can do.

AST

I PODC

ALUMN

LIFELONG LEARNING ALUMNI WEBINAR SERIES Seton Hall University invites all alumni, parents and friends to take part in a webinar series covering a variety of topics delivered by professionals, alumni, administrators and more. Learn more about a topic that interests you! All sessions are free for members of the Seton Hall University community.

ALUMNI BOOK CLUB Join our virtual community to connect with fellow Seton Hall University alumni, faculty and staff as we read and discuss various book genres such as lifelong learning, personal growth, novels and other topics.

For more information on these programs and other ways to get involved, visit www.shu.edu/hallhub 37

alumni

NE W S & N OT E S

38

Maura Preszler ’10 wrote Choosing to See Beauty, a book on trauma, forgiveness and healing. … Florence Kariuki, M.H.A. ’11 was appointed by Health Recovery Solutions as chief clinical officer. … Milton J. Bravo, M.A.T. ’12 was named vice president of Mission, Values and Inclusion at Edgewood College in Madison, Wis. …

Monique A. Darrisaw-Akil, Ed.D. ’12 was appointed superintendent of schools by the Uniondale (N.Y.) Union Free School District Board of Education. … Tatijana Lindsey ’12 was sworn in as assistant prosecutor in Morris County, N.J. … Peter G. Turnamian, Ed.D. ’12 was selected as superintendent of the Washington Township (N.J.) Schools. … Lorraine M. Baldwin, Ed.S. ’13 was appointed to a new term on the Cape May (N.J.) City Council. … Loretta Christensen, M.S.J. ’13 an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was appointed as the new chief medical officer of the federal Indian Health Service. … Jermicha L. Fomby, Ed.S. ’13 was named special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jackson, Miss., field office. … Dario Sforza, Ed.D. ’14, chief school administrator and superintendent of The Carlstadt-East Rutherford (Becton) Regional High School, was selected for NJBIZ’s 2021 Forty Under 40 Awards. … Cymetra M. Williams, J.D. ’15 was sworn in as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office in the Northern District of Oklahoma. … McKenzie A. Wilson, J.D. ’15 left her post as deputy chief counsel to N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy to join Lowenstein Sandler, a North Jersey law firm. … Darren Smolarski ’16/J.D. ’19 joined McCarter & English, LLP as an associate. … John Fanta ’17, a play-by-play announcer at Fox Sports and the BIG EAST Digital Network, and member of the Seton Hall Alumni Board of Directors, was named one of 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in men’s college basketball. … Victoria Velazquez, Ed.D. ’17 was promoted to assistant to the superintendent for K-12 administration in the Bensalem Township (Pa.) School District. … Roy “Rui” Dionisio, Ed.D. ’17 was named superintendent of schools in the Ramapo Indian Hills (N.J.) Regional High School District. … Karen Jakuback, Ed.D. ’17 was appointed president of Ursuline Academy in New Orleans. …

Weston J. Kulick, J.D. ’17 joined Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P. C. as an associate on the education and employment team and part of the Litigation Practice Group. … Mark Linscott, J.D. ’18 joined Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, P. C. as an associate. … Stephen G. Adubato, M.A.T. ’19 joined National Catholic Reporter as a contributing writer. … Maria A. Harper, J.D. ’19 joined A.Y. Strauss, a law firm focused on commercial transactions and litigation in real estate, construction contracting, bankruptcy, franchising and labor and employment as a litigation associate. … Christopher W. Medina, J.D. ’19 was promoted to sergeant in the Summit, N.J., Police Department. … Matthew Toscano, J.D. ’19 joined The Toscano Law Firm in Caldwell, N.J., as an equity partner.

20s

Emily Deyring, J.D. ’20 joined the family/ matrimonial practice of Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost & Botwinick, P. C. as an associate. …

Tara Jairdullo, M.A. ’20 was promoted to lieutenant, becoming the highest ranking woman in the South Brunswick (N.J.) Police Department’s history. … Valerie Mayzelshteyn, J.D. ’20 joined McOmber & Luber, P.C., as an associate specializing in employment law and civil litigation matters throughout the State of New Jersey. … Sushant Naidu, M.A. ’20 is a project officer at the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies. He is temporarily based in Amman, working on projects in the Middle East funded in partnership with the German government and the United Nations Development Program. … Alyssa Schirm ’21, was promoted to associate producer with CNBC’s “Mad Money with Jim Cramer,” after completing an internship and becoming a production assistant.

Baby Pirates Please note: This issue contains submissions through December 2021.

Amy Malouf ’09 and Raymond Malouf ’09 welcomed a girl, Bernadette, on August 7, 2021. Stacy I. Sorensen ’13/M.A. ’16 and Joseph Sorensen ’13 welcomed a boy, Joseph Jr., on March 25, 2021.

Weddings Please note: This issue contains submissions through December 2021.

Meghan Bosse ’16/M.S.O.T. ’18 and Tim Bosse ’16 were married at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, Tenn., on December 7, 2019.

In Memoriam William F. Detoma ’49 Kenneth F. Glover ’49 Archie A. Salerno ’49 John T. Quinn ’50 Rocco V. Castoro ’51 Thomas B. Mulcahy Jr. ’51 Philip Stillwell ’51 Edward A. Balog ’52 Frances L. Lynch ’52 Donald J. McConnell ’52 Joseph J. Catena ’53 John Drury ’53 Eva R. Gallini ’53 John F. McDermott ’53/ M.D.M. ’57 Betty Koelble Brodo, M.A.E. ’54 William F. McDermott ’54 Margaret J. Arnold ’55 Joseph Domal Sr. ’55 Frank R. Peloso Jr. ’55 Marianne M. Horeff ’56 George E. Maciag ’56 Charles J. Maute ’56 Rudolph D. Talarico ’56/ M.D. ’60 Lawrence J. Del Plato ’57 Joseph P. Freeman Jr. ’57/ M.B.A. ’63 Robert A. Novak ’57 Robert C. Brower Sr. ’58 Robert Hirschfeld ’58 Bernard C. Reilly ’58/ M.D. ’62 Jacqueline L. Studer, M.A.E. ’58 Stephen J. Szabatin ’58 Benjamin J. Dent ’59/ M.B.A. ’70 Earl M. Dow ’59 Irving Greenberg, M.A.E. ’59 Eugene V. McAuliffe ’59 Joseph R. Bezzone ’60 Frank A. Campione ’61/ M.A. ’69/ J.D. ’92 Joan B. Ranhofer ’61 Gerald Lawrence Regan, D.D.S. ’61 John J. Scanlon ’61 Richard J. Zurichin ’61 Lillian Cordero ’62 Anthony J. Innamarato ’62 Edward J. Lucas ’62

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

PROFILE Campus Counselor

J

|

onathan Dator, Ph.D. ’14, associate director of

presence in the room and pick up on someone’s tone

training at Providence College’s Personal Counseling

of voice.

Center, was drawn to working with college

SPRING 2022

“The beautiful part about [counseling work] is that

students partly because of his own experience: He

I’m in a field where diversity and inclusion are being

lost 80 percent of his eyesight to a rare genetic disease

valued. … I’m fortunate for that because I know in

in his sophomore year.

certain other work settings, I could be seen as a liability.

Eighteen years later, he provides therapy to college-

Here [it is] of value to be of a different ability status.”

age clients who are dealing with issues at home and

| JESSICA STROM

adjustments to their own life. He can recall his own struggles in college as he became legally blind and had to figure out how to move forward.

His interest in college counseling developed during

his doctoral studies at Seton Hall. Dator recalls a moment when one of his training directors described her role as the best job at the counseling center. Dator took it to heart, and now trains future psychologists and supervises them as they see clients. He continues to mentor his trainees beyond their training year, supporting their development as psychologists.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dator has

been grateful to clients for reminding him of the importance of connection. “For me, it’s about initiating and reconnecting and also forming new relationships, and so it really is all about relationships. … That’s an opportunity to form closer bonds thereby creating more strength within yourself.”

Dator’s connections stretch far beyond his school. Last

summer, he helped a man from Afghanistan whom he had met when he was a volunteer for a nonprofit organization that helped translators come to the United States. After the man arrived in the U.S., he chose to live near Dator due to their friendship. And when the pandemic allows, and wellness radio show on Juice 89.9 FM that features guests with stories of struggle and resilience.

When others comment that he is an inspiration, Dator says there is nothing special about being legally blind and doing his work. He can feel a person’s

William C. Murphy Jr. ’62 Richard H. Orth ’62 William E. Pittius ’62 Nicholas A. Codispoti ’63 Frank A. Cristell ’63

Courtesy of Jonathan Dator

Dator will extend his reach by hosting a mental-health

Albert J. Dietrich ’63 William F. McCormack ’63 Joel A. Schwartz ’63 Lawrence A. Yannuzzi ’63 John R. Allen Jr. ’64

Michael Geo Ashkar, M.D. ’64 James E. Donovan, M.A.E. ’64 Kent D. Werry ’64 John G. Yorey ’64 William S. Colligan ’65 39

NE W S & N OT E S

The Results Are In! In 2021, 2,098 graduates took our Seton Hall Alumni Survey and provided us with valuable feedback!

We thank those who participated. Your thoughtful answers help us better understand alumni interests in order to evaluate and enhance our programs and services and guide us as we create future events, activities and benefits. We look forward to further dialogue and engagement as we continue to build and strengthen the alumni network. For more information, contact the Office of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy at alumni@shu.edu or visit shu.edu/alumnisurvey.

Here’s a look at what the survey found.

WHO RESPONDED

62%

59%

25%

16%

Live in New Jersey

Undergraduate Only

Graduate Only

Both Undergraduate and Graduate

OPINIONS ABOUT SETON HALL

92%

91%

80%

Alumni who have a good to excellent overall opinion of Seton Hall

Alumni who rate their decision to attend as good or great

Alumni who recommend Seton Hall to others

ALUMNI COMMUNICATIONS

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Communications considered “Very Important” to “Critically Important” for alumni Seton Hall Magazine

61%

Email communications

53%

Invitations to Seton Hall activities

51%

Invitations to alumni activities

49%

Periodic informational communications

48%

Seton Hall University website

48%

Electronic newsletter (Pirate Press)

92%

describe their student experience as good to excellent

45%

In 2021, Seton Hall contracted PEG, Ltd. to engage our alumni in the Alumni Attitude Study process. This is the third such project completed by Seton Hall.

These results were compared to the findings for projects completed in 2009 and 2014.

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SETON HALL MAGAZINE Walter J. Finnegan ’65 Paul M. Giegerich ’65/ M.A.E. ’72 Anne R. Marchese, M.A.E. ’65 Valerie L. Shulman, M.A.E. ’65 Kevin W. Smith ’65 John P. Stefanowicz ’65 Sister M. Paschal Cooper, M.A.E. ’66 Robert G. Laugalis ’66 Sister Mary C. Buttaci ’67 Richard M. Caterino ’67 Anthony R. Mautone, J.D. ’67 Robert J. Richmond ’67 Dorothy R. Blyth, M.S. ’68 John T. Hansell, M.B.A. ’68 William J. Jannarone ’68 Kevin B. McClatchy, M.B.A. ’68 Richard W. Pryce ’68 George E. Shiels ’68 Richard A. Ardito ’69/M.A.’72 Catherine D. Hepburn, M.A.E. ’69 Paul W. Pavlik ’69 /M.S. ’72 Sister Kathleen P. Gilmartin, M.A.E. ’70 Jerome B. Marks, M.B.A. ’70 John B. Degnan ’71 Marilyn Anne Dobis ’71 George R. Hryvniak ’71 Muriel Sylvia Marash, M.S. ’71/ M.A.E. ’86 John J. McKevitt ’71 Howard Francis Appelt, II ’72 Georgiana Grayson ’72 Gordon Conran Mason, M.B.A. ’72 Dennis G. Reilly ’72 Janet Szmaciasz ’72 Thomas William Vincenz, M.B.A. ’72 Lila H. Kane, M.A.E. ’73 Carolyn Rogers ’73 James E. Shamy, M.A.E. ’73 Joseph F. Domal Jr. ’74 Clifford Girard, M.A.E. ’74 Juanita Williams ’74 Mary Connolly, M.A.E. ’75 Thomas A. Briscoe, M.A.E. ’76 Sadie Dodson ’76 Monsignor Joseph L. Ferrito, M.D.M. ’76 Sister Mary Karen Horan, M.A.E. ’76 Julia A. Miller, M.A.E. ’76 Lorraine Parks ’76 Bruce D. Sinclair ’77 Gerard A. Tirico ’77/ M.B.A. ’82 Charles Tumminelli, M.A.E. ’77 John Howard, M.S. ’78 Wesley M. Kain ’78 David H. Mitchell, J.D. ’78 Marcus N. Cudina, J.D. ’81 Robert J. Gaydosh, P.h.D. ’81

David M. Gibson, M.A.E. ’81/ Ed.D. ’92 James Malgieri ’82 Frank Wagner ’82 Kathleen Wetzel, M.B.A. ’82 Elana Zucker, M.S.N. ’82 Keith E. Dorer ’84 Lynne M. Soltys, M.A.E. ’84 Margaret Bellis Dyer-Weissman, M.S.N. ’86 Kimberly Ann Kudrick ’86 John C. McGuire, J.D. ’87 Amelito Deleon ’88 Marlene Buckman ’94 Mark Alfred Dombrosky, J.D. ’95 John Colin McNamara ’95 Joan M. Olawski-Stiener, J.D. ’99 Mary Rose Carroll ’04 Jewel E. Brennan, M.A. ’09 Juan C. Fajardo, M.A. ’09 James Holsworth Sr., M.A.T. ’16 Friends Patricia A. Cahill Peter Coppola Denise D’Agostino Dr. Charles R. Dees Jr. Dolores L. De Deo Jean K. Ellmer Jean H. Finley Anne Fox William Haney Elaine D. Hill Rita Horowitz Arthur E. Imperatore Sr. Christopher N. Lesbirel Patrick Joseph Marcello Margaret Minnefor Barbara Morris John J. Murphy Robert W. Stubbs Carmen Unanue Meghan Voisine Giuseppe Weber Joan White Gerald J. Williams Marian R. Zipp Lauren Elizabeth Zmirski

|

SPRING 2022

Meet the 2021 Seton Hall Legacy Family of the Year!

Margaret (Hooper) Huryk ’80/D.N.P. ’16, Robert Huryk ’81, Robert Huryk Jr. ’10, James Huryk ’14, Maryrose Huryk, M.S.N ’18, Thomas John Hooper (student in 1930s), Bernadette Ann Hooper ’98, Therese Hooper ’73, Agnes Hooper Gottlieb ’75, Thomas John Hooper Jr., Bernadette (Hooper) McVey ’10, and seven nieces/nephews.

Get to know the Huryk/Hooper/Gottlieb/McVey Family by visiting shu.edu/alumni/legacy-family-challenge.cfm.

Share your news...

Have you been promoted? Earned an advanced degree? Been honored for professional or personal achievements? Recently married? Added a baby Pirate to the ranks? We want to know.

Send news to: Department of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy Alumni News and Notes 457 Centre St., South Orange, NJ 07079

Name

Class Year(s) and Degree(s) from Seton Hall

Home Address

Phone

Email Address

News to Share:

Correction: We regret that the following alumni were listed incorrectly as deceased in “In Memoriam” due to a database error: Dominic C. Migliorini, Ph.D. ’66, Kristi J. Acuff ’02 and Martin Tuchman ’68. Our deepest apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

41

NE W S & N OT E S

Pirate Babies 1. Bernie Wagenblast ’78 welcomed granddaughter Lucy Garwood in October 2020.

2. Diana (Jones) Cecchini ’06 and Gregory Cecchini ’06 welcomed a boy, Austin Dylan Cecchini, on October 15, 2021.

He joins big sister Kaylee (3/11/16) and big brother Hunter (8/14/18).

2

3. Zack Cziryak ’11 and Norah Hatch ’11/M.A.’16 welcomed a boy, Rory Patrick Cziryak, on March 10, 2021.

Tag us in your Wedding, Baby or Pirate Pride photos @setonhallalumni or email us at alumni@shu.edu 1

3

Pirate Pride 1. Mike Garcia ’77 representing Seton Hall in Iceland. Always a Pirate!

2. Kaitlyn Reper ’10 received the 2021 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award in recognition of volunteer service to her community.

She also volunteers for Habitat for Humanity in Portugal.

1

2

3. Robert Coughlin ’72 pictured at Chièvres Air Base in Belgium, where his son Lt. Col. Kevin D. Coughlin is the commander.

4. Joseph Connor ’76, Anne Connor (McGowan) ’78/M.P.A. ’94, Michael Morano ’77, Elizabeth McNulty (Kenny) ’78, Teresa Morano (Gray) ’78, Nancy Sutor (Crawford) ’78, Mary E. Sheprow (Bradley) ’78, Paul Sutor ’75, and Matt Sheprow ’77/P.H.D. ’98 attended the wedding of Hanna Boyce, daughter of Roger and Margaret Boyce (O’Grady) ’78, in Lake Placid, N.Y., on December 4.

42

3

4

SETON HALL MAGAZINE

|

SPRING 2022

Tying the knot 1. Kristian James ’17 and Jordan Canevari ’17 were married in the Seton Hall Chapel on October 3, 2021.

2. Nicole Lozic ’16 married Matthew Lozic ’15 on December 26, 2020.

3. Marisa (Kong) Greco ’16 married Tyler Greco ’16 on July 17, 2021.

4. Erin (Williams) Pezza and Sean Pezza ’14 were married on September 25, 2021, in Wilmington, Del. 5. Steven Matinelli ’10 married Kristen McInerney on September 30, 2021, in Spring Lake, N.J.

1

2

3

4

5

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LAS T WO R D |

PEGEEN HOPKINS

How Your Sneakers Get From the Factory to Your Feet “You cannot manage what you cannot see.” That’s an adage associate professor Penina Orenstein cites when talking about her work mapping supply chains. She talks about the need for transparency into these complex, behind-the-scenes networks that have gotten public attention because of product delays and a scarcity of goods brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Seton Hall

that obstacle is in place, the longer the impact of that

magazine editor Pegeen Hopkins spoke to Orenstein

disruption. That’s also true for supply chains. A small, local

recently to learn more.

disruption can be unfortunate, but not detrimental. When the impact is broad, across the supply chain, it just takes

What is a supply chain?

longer for the recovery.

I think of a supply chain as a wind-up watch with cogs.

The functions within the supply chain — the inventories,

What else is important to understand?

manufacturing, transportation, warehouses, customer

The digital tracing of a supply chain is more important

service — all interact with each other. They work properly

today than in the past. By this, I mean mapping out the

when everything’s in tandem. But if you have even one

supply chain and knowing where every item is. You can

tooth out of whack on the cogs, then the whole supply

think of supply chains as being quite opaque. You know

chain can fail.

vaguely that you want to get goods from A to B, but if you were to know exactly where things are with a clear

Why have some goods become scarce?

COVID-19 is the prominent reason, a result of disruptions in both manpower and transportation, because

mapping, the system would work much more efficiently.

Customers today want their items fast and they want things customized. That means supply chains have to be

transportation is the glue of any supply chain. Think of

agile, robust and resilient, like a three-pronged triangle.

the record level of congestion at the Ports of Los Angeles

Agile: Can the system be re-engineered to support

and Long Beach that everybody’s heard about, or the

the changing customer trends? Robust: Can it handle

manufacturing outages across China when they shut

disruption, but still operate, even if a chip cannot be

down plants because of COVID. And the shortages of

shipped from a specific region? Resilient: Can the system

truck drivers and service workers.

not fall apart in the event of a disruption?

My research is about mapping the supply chain. The

How long will the disruptions last?

44

initial mapping is knowing who your suppliers and the

I’m going to guess the delays will continue for

suppliers of suppliers are. Then, more information is

another year. I say this because of my background as a

added to that basic structure, like a dashboard. You can

transportation researcher. My Ph.D. was in transportation.

add in information about geography or the financial side

Whenever you have a perturbation in the transport system,

of the supply chain, for example. The goal is to have as

it takes a long time to iron out. If there’s congestion on

much transparency as you can get. Companies that are

the highway with cars backing up, you move whatever the

mapping supply chains well have really succeeded during

obstacle is and the cars start to flow again. But the longer

the COVID-19 pandemic.

n

We Can’t Thank You Enough We want to express our appreciation for your planned gift to Seton Hall University. But we may not know about it.

Please tell us if you have included the University in your will or trust, or as the beneficiary of your IRA, retirement account, bank account or insurance policy.

Your gift makes you a member of our Benjamin Savage Society — alumni and friends who are helping to make the Seton Hall experience possible for future generations.

For more information, visit www.shu.edu/plannedgiving or contact: Nora Nasif Rahaim Blain Bradley 973-378-9878 973-378-9858 nora.rahaim@shu.edu blain.bradley@shu.edu

PRESORTED STD NONPROFIT US POSTAGE PAID STRASBURG, VA PERMIT #201

Department of Public Relations and Marketing 519 South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079

PLAY A PART IN SETON HALL HISTORY

The University Center is undergoing a complete renovation — the first since 1962!

What will the new, 24/7 location offer Seton Hall’s students? n A state-of-the-art broadcast studio n A modern theater that doubles as a lecture hall n Prayer and meditation space n Enhanced dining options n An outdoor fire pit n Much, much more Help transform the Seton Hall student experience.

Make a gift to the University Center Renovation Fund today at www.shu.edu/university-center-renovation.

Contact advancement@shu.edu or (973) 378-9800 for more information and naming opportunities.

B