songs during performances in the heavily Polish Wall-
wanted to do something that would make a difference
ington, N.J., area. He spent his teen summers helping his
in the chemistry department at Seton Hall,” Sylvia noted.
father and brother in the family masonry business, “mixing
And, over time, he and Sylvia will. Thanks to their
cement and carrying cinder blocks” until, as Sylvia tells the
generosity, The Thomas M. Tencza Chair in Chemistry
story, “his father said, ‘This work is not for you, sonny boy.’”
will help underwrite a portion of the salary of a profes-
What was for him was chemistry. And that passion led
Illustration by Ricardo Martínez Ortega
him to enter the University’s inaugural class of chemistry
sor of chemistry at the University in addition to supporting research and other priorities in the department.
Ph.D. candidates, which required his taking a one-year
If University officials convince Mrs. Tencza, it might
leave from Bristol-Myers to complete. It was a decision
be called the Thomas M. and Sylvia T. Tencza Chair. But
that paid off handsomely in laying the groundwork for his
the habitually modest Sylvia isn’t budging so far. “I want
remarkable professional success at the company.
Tom to get the maximum credit,” she says.
Tencza was a man with many interests. An avid gardener, “he loved to see things grow from seed,” Sylvia recalls. A natural instructor who Sylvia says would have made a fine teacher, Tencza will ultimately help further the education of students in a field he loved. “He always
Bob Gilbert is a writer based in Connecticut. To learn more about making an estate gift or to let us know if you’ve already included Seton Hall in your will, please visit www.shu.edu/plannedgiving or contact Joe Guasconi, senior director of gift planning, at 973.378.9850 or joseph.guasconi@shu.edu.
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