1967 Golden Pirates Reunion
The Student Alumni Association provides students with incredible opportunities to meet all sorts of alumni and mingle with them about their life experiences and their memories of Seton Hall. One event that is particularly nostalgic is the Golden Pirates Event. The Golden Pirates Event is a reunion for individuals celebrating their 50th anniversary of graduating from Seton Hall. The whole day is dedicated to honoring amazing Pirates, remembering Seton Hall as it was 50 years ago, and envisioning what Seton Hall is progressing towards.
This year, the class of 1967 was being honored and so many amazing alumni came back to their beloved campus to see how it had changed. During the reception, there were many speakers acknowledging the accomplishments of the alumni and many laughs were shared as everyone reminisced about their years spent at Seton Hall and how this University has helped shaped them into who they have become.
It was such an honor to attend this event, I feel as though I appreciate Seton Hall so much more. One of my favorite memories from the event was being able to mingle with the alumni at brunch. I had the pleasure of sitting with a group of 5 alumnae who all graduated from the nursing program together. They told me stories of their classes, of their peers, and from the places they worked for the years following graduation. All of their stories were incredible, but what I think was the most amazing was how the women were all still friends! They had obviously kept in touch and to see these women as good friends 50 years later blew me away – they are just one example of how the bonds formed at Seton Hall truly are life-long ones.
It was just incredible to see so many loyal Pirates come back after graduating, for some it was their first time back in 50 years, and to see their reactions as we gave them tours of the campus as it is today. By the end of the tour, it was basically the Golden Pirates explaining how things were when they were here which was pretty amazing and the memories they shared as they explained were priceless.
I am so grateful for SAA and the opportunities it provides me with such as this because it really helps me love my school even more (if that’s even possible). I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful alumni of 50 years who share the same love for Seton Hall as I do – it is truly an experience I will never forget.
-Abbi Cormier
Hall on the Hill
This summer, a number of our SAA members and faculty had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to attend the annual Hall on the Hill alumni event. Our members got the opportunity to network, learn more about the Seton Hall community, and even had a little time for exploring our nation’s capital. Read on to learn more about this experience from some of our members who were able to attend!
“How tall do you think it is”? It was late at night, and six SAA members, Laura, Alex, Lauren, Anna, Calloway and myself were staring up at the Washington Monument. All of us made a guess, with our answers ranging from 17 to 3000 feet. One of us finally Googled it. Just a day prior, the six of us were all doing different things. Some of us were at work, others were in different states, but on June 14th we all gathered at the Ring Building in South Orange so we could travel to Washington D.C. together. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the achievements of the Seton Hall alumni who have had an influence in the D.C. area. I spoke with countless alumni who at one time crammed for finals in the Walsh Library and sat on the Green on sunny days. Speaking with them and listening to what they have accomplished inspired me, and made me realize just how lucky I am to be at Seton Hall. After the event, we ventured to the Old Ebbitt Grill to celebrate another successful Hall on the Hill. The meal was great, but I think all of us enjoyed the company more than the food. We talked about everything, from the alumni event itself, season five of House of Cards and even the contentious debate of Lebron vs Jordan. To end the day that started in New Jersey, we decided to see everything our nation’s capital had to offer. Still dressed in our blazer attire, we stopped at each monument, soaking up the view and enjoying our only night together in D.C. At the Lincoln Memorial we took one final picture to commemorate the day we shared together. The next day, we took the train back to South Orange and we went our separate ways until late August, when we begin another semester at Seton Hall. Summer days tend to blend together and small details are easily forgotten. However, I know that I will never forget my first SAA event on June 14th, the spicy sausage garganelli from the Old Ebbitt Grill, the picture I took at the Lincoln Memorial and that the Washington Monument is 555 feet tall.
-Anthony Pulverenti ’19
Being a Diplomacy and International Relations major, there was no better event than Hall on the Hill to attend with SAA for the first time. Not only did I get to know my fellow SAA members a little better, but I was able to talk with some alumni who have been doing amazing things in Washington D.C. It was inspiring and educational for me as I am still not exactly sure what I’ll be doing with my degree. I also got to discuss internships and ideas with fellow students that were in the area for the summer. Hall on the Hill not only allowed me to learn more about what SAA does and how it works, but I was able to learn more about my own major and Seton Hall in general. Overall, a great first experience!
-Anna Fagan ’20
Going to Hall on the Hill was more than I ever expected. I was able to network with Congressmen, bond with other members of SAA, and explore Washington DC in a way that I never have before. I learned about what makes an SAA event successful and how to make connections with alumni who I’ve never met. I felt like such a rockstar walking around DC late at night in my blazer attire! My favorite part was definitely seeing the national mall at midnight with my co-SAA members. I had an amazing time and would love to go again!
-Calloway Korbisch ’20
Attending Hall on the Hill with SAA this year was an experience that allowed me to see the program in a different light. Not only are all of the fellow members very warm and welcoming, but the staff that went to DC are all very welcoming and share the same pirate pride, even though not all of them are alumni! While in DC, there was nothing like the feeling that you get when you see a person wearing a Seton Hall pin in a place outside of New Jersey. I learned on this trip that no matter how far or how close you live to Seton Hall, alums are proud to be from there and are always willing to talk and help a fellow pirate. My favorite part was being able to go to dinner with other SAA members and faculty from the alumni relations and the annual giving office. It was great to be able to talk to them and learn more about these people who we spend so much time with! Overall, I had an extremely positive experience at Hall on the Hill and I am looking forward to attending other events and hopefully returning to DC next summer.
-Lauren Borowick ’20
Many Are One Alumni Gala
Last month, some of our members were given the opportunity to attend the Many Are One gala, celebrating Seton Hall alumni. Read on to learn about the experiences of two of our members, Lori and Marisa.
On June 9th I was lucky enough to attend Seton Hall University’s Many Are One Gala. Aside from being a lavish evening celebrating the ways in which the University’s alumni have positively influenced our world, this year’s gala also celebrated a significant milestone. As of this year, Seton Hall has reached a network of 100,000 alumni. Standing in the room with hundreds of other alumni and listening to the speeches of the humble honorees filled me with great pride and comfort. Pride in my University and comfort in knowing I chose a school where I belong and where I am meant to become a better version of myself.
Throughout the night I was lucky enough to have been the escort for Alumni Impact Award Honoree, Joseph Kacierk, M.A. ’81. He being a retired principle, and me pursuing a career in education, conversation was light and easy. We talked about my course work and he gave me advice as well as wished well in my future endeavors. It was seeing him up on stage accepting his award that made me realize attending college should never come to an abrupt end after graduation. His passion for connecting with current students and his dedication to Seton Hall has inspired me to seek more opportunities to get and stay involved. One day, I hope to see myself standing in his position accepting an award on behalf of my impact on the future of Seton Hall, just as he along with many others in attendance, have impacted me. It is safe to say that my time at Many Are One was both fun and influential. I hope to be in attendance for the many years to come.
-Lori Amato ’19
This month, I was lucky enough to attend Many Are One. This event honors some of the most distinguished Seton Hall Alumni by highlighting their accomplishments and achievements. This night truly gave me a better appreciation of what kinds of doors a Seton Hall education will open for me once I graduate. It was incredible hearing the stories of all the distinguished alumni during the course of the event, but for me personally, a highlight was hearing the story of the Most Distinguished Alumna, Bonnie Evans. Starting as a physical therapist, she has now become a Chief Executive Officer of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange. Next month, I will start taking physical therapy graduate courses, so hearing about Ms. Evans’ journey was so inspirational for me. I was able to talk to her a number of times throughout the night and she gave me such kind words of encouragement and well wishes. The conversations I had with her, along with other members of the Seton Hall community during Many Are One just reaffirmed for me that three years ago, I made the best choice of my life by deciding to become a Seton Hall Pirate!
-Marisa Harding ’18