Great Minds Seeking Greater Purpose: New National Commercial Debuts

What does it mean to be part of Seton Hall? In just 30 seconds, the University’s new television commercial offers an answer, bringing together the people, experiences, values and sense of purpose that define life at Seton Hall.

The spot opens with a view of the bronze statue of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the University’s faith-filled and fiercely determined patroness. That iconic image is accompanied by the familiar sound of the clarion bells that ring each day on the South Orange campus. The narrator draws on Mother Seton’s belief that "a Catholic education doesn’t just fill the mind. It ignites the spirit.”

As the camera moves through scenes of campus life, the piece captures the energy, curiosity and connections that help students begin to make their mark on the world.

Debuting this month during Big East men’s and women’s basketball broadcasts, the ad is designed to introduce Seton Hall to a national audience by capturing its commitment to academic excellence and its Catholic identity and mission.

“The commercial reflects the fact that a Seton Hall education is not limited to academic achievement ,” says Matthew Borowick, vice president of University Relations. “It’s also about students discovering their purpose and preparing to make a meaningful impact in their professions and communities and that comes through in this commercial in a distinctive and exciting way.”

Nearly a year in the making, the production was led by University Relations in partnership with Tokyo/Vermont, a Brooklyn-based creative production company with an established relationship with Seton Hall. Formerly known as After Imaging, the company produced the University’s previous television message and was also behind the 2025 launch video for the For All, Forever campaign.

University Relations colleagues Melissa Cerciello, Linda Karten, Pegeen Hopkins, Michael Hyland and many others worked closely with the production team to shape the creative direction, coordinating everything from the initial concept and visual approach to campus locations, narration, music and the final editing.

Last spring, the production crew spent a week capturing students and faculty immersed in the academic, collaborative, hands-on experiences that are central to life at Seton Hall. Filming took place at locations across the University, including the Rodino Library at the Law School, a chemistry lab in McNulty Hall and a nursing clinical simulation lab at the Interprofessional Health Sciences campus in Nutley.

The finished piece brings together several dimensions of the Seton Hall story including its Catholic identity, learning experiences and athletic traditions. Working with campus partners in athletics and media services, as well as with the University’s video vendor, Awesome Films, the production team viewed game and campus footage and selected imagery to convey the excitement of Big East competition and the spirit of the University community.

For Michael Hyland, assistant vice president for public relations and marketing, the central challenge was finding a way to communicate what makes Seton Hall distinctive to prospective students and families, alumni, donors and others encountering the University. “Every creative decision was considered through that lens,” Hyland says, “with an emphasis on presenting an authentic and compelling picture of who we are today.”

Following its November broadcast debut, the commercial will continue to air during Pirate basketball games this season, as well as at the Prudential Center, Walsh Gymnasium, on the University’s website and social media channels and at special campus events.

From the opening seconds where we see the striking image of Mother Seton, to the classrooms, labs and the Green, the piece offers a brief but meaningful portrait of a university where faith, scholarship and community come together to shape the student experience.

Categories: Campus Life