Pirate’s Eye Podcast

On this episode of the Pirate’s Eye Podcast, we sit down with Luciana Gencarelli (Contuzzi), founder of zest in Fairfield, NJ. A Seton Hall alumna with a degree in Finance and Information Technology Management (’14), Luciana shares how her Italian roots, entrepreneurial drive, and belief in the holistic power of food led her to build a thriving health-focused food business. What began as ideas in...

On this episode of the Pirate’s Eye Podcast, we speak with Carina ’21, M.P.A. ’22, a first-generation Seton Hall graduate who transformed personal loss into a powerful legacy. After losing her father in 2021, she founded Pesto Joe, a pesto brand built from his cherished recipes and developed through the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s summer accelerator. Today, Pesto Joe partners with...

In this episode of The Pirates Eye Podcast, host Viannca Vélez ’10 chats with Viviana Zambrano ’, a two-time Seton Hall grad and Director in the Office for Student Retention & Educational Innovation. Viviana shares her journey through EOF and Upward Bound, her passion for mentoring first-generation students, and her commitment to expanding college access.

Host Viannca Velez talks with Newark entrepreneur and urban farmer Marcellis Alexander Counts '19 about beekeeping roots at Seton Hall, blending creativity with purpose, and driving change in his community.

In this episode of Seton Hall's Pirate Eye Podcast, we’re joined by Linda Schaeffer ’73, the first woman in Seton Hall’s accounting program, who broke barriers in forensic accounting and now mentors the next generation of business leaders and financial professionals.

In this episode of Seton Hall's Pirate Eye Podcast, we're joined by Dr. Naima Ricks, Seton Hall’s 2024 Many Are One Alumni Impact Honoree and Executive Director of After-School All-Stars New Jersey. Dr. Ricks made history in 2013 as the youngest elected official in her hometown of Roselle, NJ, serving as Vice President of the Board of Education. She shares her inspiring journey through academia, h...

Dr. Enmanuel Mercedes- is a Latino-American psychologist, professional speaker, and founder of Your Wellness Space™, a mental health service company with the mission to cultivate a life of hope, healing, and harmony. In addition, Dr. Mercedes serves as a consultant to organizations seeking to play an active role in meeting the mental health needs of its members. Dr. Mercedes leadership positions i...

In this episode of Pirate's Eye, we sit down with Brother Gregory Cellini, a Franciscan Brother from Brooklyn whose mission is to embody the Gospel and inspire others to live boldly in God’s Love.    As the Director of the Office of Mission, Ministry, and Interfaith Dialogue at St. Francis College, Brother Greg is dedicated to fostering a sense of community and purpose in the workplace through his...

In this episode of the Pirate's Eye Podcast, we sit down with Kathy Cunningham '85, a dedicated community servant, former professional cheerleader, and proud generational Pirate. Kathy shares her journey of keeping her brother Donnie Robertson Jr.’s legacy alive after his tragic death on 9/11. Through her tireless fundraising efforts for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Kathy and her team have rai...

In celebration of National Volunteer Month in April, we flipped the script on our podcast host, Viannca Velez '10. Take a listen as our Assistant Director of Alumni Communication and Digital Engagement, Aaron Smith, puts the Pirate Eye on Viannca. Hailing from Jersey City, NJ, Viannca is a communications strategist with over 13 years of experience. As Director of Communications for New York City’s...

For over a decade, Claudia has dedicated her career to paying it forward by helping college students transform their struggles into success stories. She is a proud first-generation graduate and Educational Opportunity Program alumna. After receiving extensive support from her college counselors at Seton Hall University, she was inspired to pursue a career in higher education. She then earned a mas...

December is such a magical time at Seton Hall and within the Seton Hall community, so who better to have on the show as we are in the thick of the Christmas season than Seton Hall’s Vice President for Mission and Ministry, Father Colin Kay.  Father Colin imparts with us so many nuggets of wisdom, his belief about why the spirit of Christmas comes so alive within the Seton Hall community, and also...

With this season’s tipoff, we’ve scored the inside scoop on all things SHU basketball and the buzz word of the year: NIL. Our host Viannca Velez ’10 sits down with SHU alum and Athletic Director Bryan Felt ’97, to uncover his journey from student to AD, insights on the upcoming season, the Men’s Basketball Practice Facility, and how Name Image & Likeness is impacting all of D1 athletics.   Lea...

In this episode, our host Viannca Velez sits down with Victor Gomez '17, manager of the Seton Hall Esports team. The team is celebrating their 10th Anniversary, and their Rocket League took home a BIG EAST Conference Championship title this past season. 

In this episode, our host Viannca Velez sits down with Devin Mcguire '16, a professional baritone, conductor and music educator. Devin shares with us his journey to becoming a musical artist and the ways in which being a transfer and commuter student during his days at Seton Hall shaped his college experience. 

As a producer and talent scout with over 25 years of experience, Bob Sumner '84 is responsible for discovering and facilitating the careers of many comedians such as Bernie Mac, Bill Bellamy, Mo’Nique, Chris Tucker, Dave Chapelle, Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps and many more. Sumner graduated from Seton Hall with a degree in Communications. During his time on campus, his career in entertainment...

Noting that "there is no shortage of Christmas events at Seton Hall University" and that "festivities abound and students will ring in the Christmas cheer," Best College Reviews recognized Seton Hall as the best college in America for "Holiday Events." But have you ever wondered how we got here? In this very festive episode, Viannca sits down with Alan Delozier, Humanities Librarian, to discuss th...

In our most recent episode, Viannca sits down with Cathleen Davey Corbett '83, the founder of Seton Hall's alumni gala, Many Are One! To learn more about Many Are One, visit www.shu.edu/alumni . Be sure to follow our hostest with the mostest, Viannca Velez '10 at @vianncavelez and on LinkedIn!

Tela Wittig '19 is a New York City based software developer and Founder of Represent, a software company focused on connecting people with their elected representatives and providing for increased transparency in government at every level. Tela built Represent over the past year and launched it nationally in April 2022. She graduated from Seton Hall’s School of Diplomacy with a B.S. in 2019. Tela...

In this episode, Jane McManus, Executive Director of the Center for Sports Media at Seton Hall, shares the exciting happenings at the Center, including the Inaugural Gala for the Center.

Kevin's Social: Instagram: instagram.com/kevnoliva LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinoliva/ Website: kevinoliva.com Business website: houseofdogs.co Read more  about Kevin and his success!

Visit Matthew's website: www.matthewhorace.com   Check out Matthew's book: https://theblackandthebluebook.com/ Listen to Matthew discussing leadership principles:   https://castellanbc.com/podcast/s2-episode-006/maintaining-empathy-and-compassion-in-a-crisis-with-matthew-horace/   Connect with our host! Viannca Vélez '10 on Instagram: @vianncavelez Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/vianncav/

Tiffany's company, Brand Curators About Tiffany: Tiffany Chanel Knighten is a NYC-based branding consultant and creative agency owner dedicated to empowering millennial women. In 2020, Tiffany founded Brand Curators to support creative entrepreneurs with branding, social media, and content creation services. With a passion for art and culture, she uses her platform to amplify cultural conversation...

University Center Renovation Fund Seton Hall's 5th Annual Giving Day

To view the recording of this panel or other recent Stillman virtual opportunities, visit shu.edu/stillmanalumni