{"id":4964,"date":"2026-01-05T06:00:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T11:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/?p=4964"},"modified":"2026-01-07T15:38:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T20:38:51","slug":"for-all-forever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/2026\/01\/for-all-forever\/","title":{"rendered":"For All, Forever"},"content":{"rendered":"

Inside a Campaign for a Greater Seton Hall<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the night of September 19, the Bishop Dougherty University Center buzzed with excitement. Hundreds of Seton Hall alumni, faculty, students,\u00a0friends\u00a0and family gathered to celebrate the public launch of\u00a0<\/span>For All,\u00a0Forever: A Campaign for a Greater Seton Hall<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the University\u2019s first comprehensive campaign in\u00a0nearly two\u00a0decades.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kicking off the programming, which included a series of brief, energizing talks, videos and musical performances, Seton Hall President Monsignor Joseph Reilly encouraged the crowd to reflect on their time at Seton Hall. \u201cThink about how this University has\u00a0impacted\u00a0your life. Then imagine the generations of students who will one day stand where you once stood, made stronger because of what we build together,\u201d he prompted.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>\u00a0builds on\u00a0Seton Hall\u2019s 170-year legacy of fostering academic excellence, personal\u00a0growth\u00a0and spiritual development, while catapulting the University into the future. The $225 million campaign sets out to expand the reach of Seton Hall\u2019s mission and empower the next generation of talented,\u00a0innovative\u00a0and compassionate men and women.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The promise of the campaign is to touch every member of the University community and every aspect of campus life. So, what does that look like in the lives of our students? We set out to explore the campaign\u2019s three pillars \u2014 Preparing Leaders Now,\u00a0Enriching\u00a0our Education, and Strengthening our Cornerstones \u2014 through the voices of those they will\u00a0impact\u00a0most.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Preparing Leaders Now\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Vanessa<\/a>
Photo by John O’Boyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vanessa Nazaire lights up when she talks about the\u00a0students\u00a0she mentors through Seton Hall\u2019s RISE (Resilience, Integrity, Scholarship, and Excellence) Gen 1 Program. As both a junior and a Gen 1 RISE scholar, she knows firsthand how transformative the program can be. Designed for students who are the first in their family to attend college and who come from\u00a0low income\u00a0households, the program offers comprehensive support \u2014 from tutoring, advising and peer mentoring to community-building activities and financial\u00a0assistance.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a mentor is my favorite thing to talk about,\u201d Nazaire said. \u201cI oversee a group of RISE students, and we\u00a0meet twice a month to talk about how\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0doing, how I can help with their studies and even what to wear for a professional meeting.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At its core, Gen 1 RISE fosters a community of scholarship, belonging and leadership, helping students who are navigating college for the first time feel truly at home. \u201cWe\u2019re a big\u00a0family,\u201d Nazaire said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nazaire\u2019s own journey reflects that impact. Growing up in Union, New Jersey, she never imagined attending college so close to home. Encouraged by her mother and drawn to Seton Hall\u2019s 3+3 program \u2014 a dual-degree pathway leading to a bachelor\u2019s in Diplomacy and International Relations and a juris doctorate from Seton Hall Law \u2014 she took the leap. Generous scholarship support made it possible. \u201cThat\u2019s a big reason why I chose Seton Hall,\u201d she said. \u201cIt made the most financial sense, and without the scholarship, I would never have met my Gen 1 family.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nazaire also credits the program\u2019s director, Darlene Robinson, for creating an environment where students feel deeply supported. \u201cShe goes above and beyond her job description,\u201d she said. \u201cHer heart is just so incredibly big and it\u2019s not just a job for her, it\u2019s a calling.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet not every first-generation student finds the\u00a0transition easy. Seton Hall has a long record of supporting social mobility, opening doors for students\u00a0who might not otherwise have access. Still, the growing cost of tuition, housing,\u00a0books\u00a0and meal plans places real strain on many families.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That is why Preparing Leaders Now<\/span><\/a> is the University\u2019s largest fundraising priority within\u00a0<\/span>For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>, with a goal of $100 million. Through this pillar, Seton Hall seeks strategic investments in the endowed RISE program and undergraduate and graduate scholarships tailored to students\u2019 fields of study, athletic programs, hometowns, service commitments and more. By <\/span>addressing student\u00a0need, Seton Hall will increase access, reduce student\u00a0debt\u00a0and remain a top choice for promising,\u00a0diverse\u00a0and hardworking students.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cScholarship plays\u00a0a big role\u00a0in keeping students at Seton Hall.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0lucky to receive this support. If more students can afford Seton Hall, more students can stay,\u201d concluded Nazaire.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Enriching Our Education<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mary<\/a>
Photo by John O’Boyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Across campus, students are discovering that learning often happens beyond the classroom walls.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mary Kate\u00a0Naatus, Ph.D., sees this every day. \u201cThe best way to teach concepts like leadership and to give students a sense of the real world is through experiential learning,\u201d she explained. \u201cThey grow when they have the opportunity to learn by doing.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As\u00a0dean\u00a0of continuing education and professional studies, associate provost for partnerships & global\u00a0initiatives and associate professor of marketing,\u00a0Naatus\u00a0remains\u00a0deeply connected to the student experience. \u201cI\u2019m\u00a0continuously impressed by our students.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0hungry for mentorship and willing to go above and beyond. I see that across campus every day,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One standout experiential learning program under her purview is the Buccino Leadership Institute, a four-year\u00a0interdisciplinary program that gives a select group of\u00a0students the opportunity to learn, practice and master the art of leadership. Now in its 30th year, the Institute\u2019s rigorous curriculum includes team projects,\u00a0student led\u00a0initiatives, leadership\u00a0simulations\u00a0and professional coaching to refine each student\u2019s leadership style.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a dynamic team of certified coaches alongside volunteer mentors across industries,\u201d\u00a0Naatus\u00a0noted. \u201cMany are alumni, and others are professionals who have heard about Seton Hall and are impressed with our students.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Because Buccino students\u00a0come from\u00a0across the University, they work in interdisciplinary teams to design solutions for challenges relevant to the campus and broader community. Last spring, a group of first-year leaders launched Healthy Hall, a project that introduced healthier food options, nutrition\u00a0information\u00a0and\u00a0wellness focused\u00a0programming to campus. This year, senior Buccino\u00a0leaders will develop similar high-impact projects.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Across Seton Hall, applied-learning experiences,\u00a0academic\u00a0centers\u00a0and institutes like Buccino are giving students meaningful opportunities to develop their skills and engage with the world.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, the National Security Fellowship brings graduate students to Washington, D.C., for high-level research with agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense. The Center for Sports Media prepares students for a rapidly evolving industry through professional partnerships, hands-on production\u00a0opportunities\u00a0and access to major media outlets. And study abroad programs broaden students\u2019 global perspectives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These programs are popular among Seton Hall\u2019s student body because they\u00a0provide\u00a0the opportunity to explore, interact with working\u00a0professionals\u00a0and grow personally and professionally. Enriching Our Education<\/a><\/span>, the second pillar of\u00a0<\/span>For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>, with a $75 million\u00a0goal, aims to strengthen these experiences through\u00a0expanded support for academic centers and institutes, applied learning and collaborative campus spaces.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For\u00a0Naatus, the campaign\u00a0represents\u00a0an opportunity to widen the circle. \u201c<\/span>For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>\u00a0is exciting to me\u00a0because we can expand these opportunities to more students, especially those with high financial need,\u201d she said. \u201cOur world is changing.\u00a0By growing our\u00a0experiential learning programs, we\u00a0can prepare more leaders to navigate complexity with confidence and compassion.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Strengthening Our Cornerstones<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Francesca<\/a>
Photo by John O’Boyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Francesca\u00a0Zaccaron, Ph.D., began her journey with Seton Hall more than a decade ago in her home country of Italy. In 2012, at a conference in Milan, she met Monsignor Richard Liddy, then professor of Catholic thought and culture and director of Seton Hall\u2019s Center for\u00a0Catholic Studies. At the time,\u00a0Zaccaron\u00a0was completing her doctorate on Jesuit philosopher and theologian Bernard Lonergan. Liddy became a mentor, suggesting readings to guide her research. \u201cHe even invited me to a conference he was organizing in Oxford with other Lonergan scholars,\u201d she recounted.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, she formed deeper relationships with Seton Hall faculty and leaders, including Linda Garofalo and Danute Nourse, directors of the Praxis\u00a0Program of Advanced Seminar on Mission. Their conversations and collaborations planted the seeds for something more permanent.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By 2020,\u00a0Zaccaron\u00a0found herself longing to teach the Catholic intellectual tradition in a setting where it could flourish. \u201cI had spent my career steeped in the Catholic intellectual tradition, but unfortunately there aren\u2019t many avenues to teach that at the university level in Italy,\u201d she explained.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the Toth-Lonergan Endowed Professorship in\u00a0Interdisciplinary Studies opened at Seton Hall, she jumped at the opportunity. \u201cIt surprised me because even though I had given a few lectures at Seton Hall\u00a0over the years, so many colleagues remembered me.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0really the best community ever.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Toth-Lonergan Endowed\u00a0Professorship brings a leading Catholic scholar to campus for a year to articulate and strengthen the University\u2019s Catholic mission and its relevance across academic disciplines.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This past academic year,\u00a0Zaccaron\u00a0embraced that charge, sharing the teachings of Lonergan with students and faculty alike. \u201cLonergan believed that knowing\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0just about memorizing\u00a0facts. It is a holistic process that begins by paying attention to the world around us, asking questions, testing\u00a0ideas\u00a0and gradually gaining insight,\u201d she explained. \u201cFor Lonergan, knowing meant transformation \u2014 the very kind of education we foster at Seton Hall.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her role illustrates the importance of endowed faculty positions in strengthening Seton Hall\u2019s academic foundation. Strengthening Our Cornerstones<\/span><\/a>, the third pillar of\u00a0<\/span>For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>, with a $50 million goal, seeks to increase endowed faculty positions and expand research opportunities across the University. For Seton Hall, research is not separate from teaching; it fuels it. Faculty who are supported in their scholarly work bring energy,\u00a0curiosity\u00a0and innovation directly into the classroom, inspiring students to think and engage more deeply.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A stronger research academy also elevates the institution as a whole.\u00a0It allows Seton Hall to recruit and\u00a0retain\u00a0top-tier faculty,\u00a0researchers and scholars who want to be part of meaningful academic and scientific discovery, and it gives students the chance to\u00a0participate\u00a0in that work firsthand.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy commitment is to help my students succeed,\u201d said\u00a0Zaccaron, reflecting on the importance of this fundraising pillar. \u201cI take it seriously.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Launching Seton Hall\u00a0Into\u00a0the Future\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether through scholarships that open doors, experiential learning that builds skills or endowed faculty and research opportunities that shape how students learn and grow,\u00a0<\/span>For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>\u00a0is already strengthening Seton Hall.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the campaign launch event drew to a close that September evening, Monsignor Reilly did more than stand before the campaign\u2019s ambitious goal.\u00a0He offered a vision for the road ahead.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can open the doors wider to more students who are called to lead their communities and transform the world. We can explore new frontiers with courage and curiosity. And we can live out our values guided by Christ\u2019s love and compassion,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is\u00a0<\/span>For All, Forever<\/span><\/i>, and it starts now.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Carolanne\u00a0Chanik\u00a0is the director of advancement & campaign communications at Seton Hall University.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inside a Campaign for a Greater Seton Hall\u00a0 On the night of September 19, the Bishop Dougherty University Center buzzed with excitement. Hundreds of Seton Hall alumni, faculty, students,\u00a0friends\u00a0and family gathered to celebrate the public launch of\u00a0For All,\u00a0Forever: A Campaign for a Greater Seton Hall\u00a0\u2014 the University\u2019s first comprehensive campaign in\u00a0nearly two\u00a0decades.\u00a0 Kicking off the…<\/p>\n

Continue ReadingFor All, Forever<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":5820,"featured_media":4950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[351,14,12,13,17,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-2025-2029","category-campus","category-features","category-people","category-scholarship","category-university-life","entry"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4964","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5820"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4964"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4964\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4992,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4964\/revisions\/4992"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4964"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4964"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4964"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}