What Great Minds Can Do: Joseph Martinelli  

The accolades "modern educator" and "creator of coherent and beautiful end products" are but a few of the terms used in reference to Joseph Martinelli '16/M.A. '19 by his current employer. A graduate of the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, Martinelli earned a B.S. in Elementary and Second Education and an M.A. degree with a Public Relations focus. He now works as a senior faculty development trainer for Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM).

In his current role, Martinelli assists in the creation of curriculum plans and evaluations as well as training faculty and staff in the development and execution of workshops. He works closely with the clinical faculty, physicians and residents, educating them about effective learning models and operational processes within the School. In this role, Martinelli employs skills acquired through his undergraduate studies in Education, in addition to his graduate studies in Public Relations. 

Martinelli attributes applicable areas of his success to the pedagogy he received at the University. "Dr. [Renee] Robinson's classes were the best because they really pushed me to develop professionally and personally. Her courses helped me to hone my writing skills, and the way I process information. She was a really good advisor and great mentor." Crowning his M.A. degree, Martinelli completed a thesis " Image Repair in NCAA Division I Athletics," which was published in Seton Hall's e-repository. 

The two-time Seton Hall graduate is now pursuing a third degree at the University, this time in the healthcare sector which he hopes to complete by 2023. With a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), Martinelli plans to utilize his training on issues and policies facing the current healthcare climate to advance into more leadership roles in the next phase of his career. 

In addition to Martinelli's academic involvement, he was also involved in several co-curricular activities at the University. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the cross-country team and the Pirate Blue Student Club. His participation as an athlete soon led to one of the most important roles of all time for any die-hard Setonian, the role of the Pirate Mascot. In his Pirate role, Martinelli was able to shoot commercials with ESPN and Fox Sports which he thought was "a lot of fun."

The multi-talented Setonian also gained extracurricular experience as a graduate assistant and mentor working with the Freshman Studies Department at Seton Hall. Additionally, Martinelli was a member of the National Educational Honors Society at the University, Kappa Delta Pi.

"Seton Hall does a great job with giving you practical skills that you can take and apply to almost any setting or industry. They do a really good job of setting you up for success," said the soon to be three-time alum. Martinelli's appreciation for the University goes deep. His golden retriever, Seton, is a daily reminder of his adoration for the University that has become his second home, of which he will "always be a proud Pirate." Seton Hall's Alma Mater states, "she will foster all your dreams" and for Joseph Martinelli, it has and continues to do just that.

This profile was written by Simone Robinson, a Graduate Assistant within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media, Graduate Studies.