Catholic Studies Alumnus Named to Alumni Board  

Vincent Santore '17, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Technology Management and Catholic Studies, has been named to the Alumni Board of Directors. In this role, he will bring his academic and professional experience in data analysis to support the Board's decision making—and his background in Catholic Studies will be with him every step of the way. 

During his two-year term on the Alumni Board of Directors, beginning on July 1, he will join distinguished alumni from multiple decades and in varied careers as they work together to promote the organization's mission: to "Foster lifelong connections among alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of the University." 

"To me, Seton Hall will always be home," Santore said, "and nothing would make me prouder than being able to help alumni from all over the world and all walks of life find their way back." 

Founder of The Burr Project and systems engineer at Lockheed Martin, Santore has continued his formal education beyond Seton Hall. He earned an M.S. in Data Analytics at Rowan University and is currently pursuing an M.B.A. in Information Technology Leadership at Ball State University. 

For Santore, data analysis and Catholic faith go hand in hand—it is through his skill in data analysis that he effectively serves others. He has developed The Burr Project, which uses a database named Aaron, to enhance transparency of government and elected officials, thereby giving voters access to information they need to make strong decisions. As he described, in his work in the defense industry with Lockheed Martin, "many of my days are spent finding new and novel ways to apply data to ultimately make better data-driven decisions." 
His tenure on the Alumni Board of Directors will be an active learning experience for Santore, who explained: "The first thing I am planning to do [as a member of the Board] is a lot of listening. One of the biggest assets of the Board is the wide variety of experiences and viewpoints among its members, and being a newcomer, I would like to lean on their collective wisdom and expertise. As my tenure develops, I want to find new ways to reach alumni from different age ranges and geographical locations, helping them to connect with their alma mater." 

Santore envisions contributing to the Board’s work in the gathering and analysis of data, as well as in the implementation of actions and initiatives that arise from the data. "I want to gather and analyze as much data as possible to ensure resources of all kinds are distributed efficiently to where they can do the greatest good," he explained. 

Majoring in Catholic Studies was a formative experience for Santore, who finds that Catholic Studies is a "major that no amount of on-the-job training could even remotely compare to." He identifies Catholic Studies as being positioned 'at the intersection of faith, philosophy, and world history." To Santore, "it is impossible to overstate the collective impact the billions of Catholics and the Church itself have had on the day-to-day life of so much of the world population. Just fully understanding, or at least attempting to understand, the scope of that impact gives a unique perspective that I take with me every day. Every decision made or event that takes place can have a bigger impact than may be originally thought, and I think nothing has taught me that quite like Catholic Studies. Catholic history is filled with miracles, martyrs, saints, and sinners who have all left an impact on the world, and knowing that lineage and legacy helps us, the Catholics of today, make decisions to positively impact the world around us to better serve His image. I plan to take that knowledge and do my best to faithfully serve." 

Excited to serve on the Alumni Board of Directors, Santore explained: "For me, Seton Hall is a family affair, with my sister picking up right where I left off and enrolling as an undergraduate the same year I graduated. In many ways, it feels like I never left. Every year I come to South Orange for the annual Christmas tree lighting, attend basketball games, and connect with my friends turned professors, and professors turned friends. Not a day goes by where I’m not reminded of my time at the Hall, especially my life-changing trip to Italy where we traveled in the footsteps of Saints my junior year with Catholic Studies. I have even been lucky enough to speak at several Catholic Studies events over the years. I'm truly excited to continue my servant leadership as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors and engage with Seton Hall in a whole new role."

Categories: Alumni, Faith and Service