Seton Hall University Receives $1M From Torcivia Family Foundation

Alumnus and His Family Make a Major Gift Commitment for Scholarships and New Basketball Practice Facility

On Apr 4, 2022

Seton Hall Law alumnus Joseph A. Torcivia, Esq. announced that The Torcivia Family Foundation is donating $1 million to Seton Hall University to help fund two university priorities: endowed scholarships that will support qualified students based on financial need, and the construction of a new basketball practice facility on the South Orange campus. Torcivia is a former member of the Board of Regents and has been supportive of the university since earning his law degree in 1985.

“For 40 years, the Torcivia family has been supporting Seton Hall University in many ways,” noted University President Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D. “From partnering with us on capital projects, to Joe’s service on the Board, to their consistent philanthropy, they have endorsed our people, our academic programming, and our vision for the future. We are deeply grateful for this latest gift which firmly establishes their legacy at Seton Hall.”

Torcivia runs the family’s commercial construction management business, Torcon, with his brother, Ben Torcivia. Torcon was established by their father, Benedict Torcivia, as a general contracting firm in 1965 and now serves clients in the eastern U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, with an annual construction volume of over $500 million.

“Seton Hall has been an integral part of my family’s history,” said Torcivia. “My dad had both personal and business relationships with Seton Hall alumni stretching back generations. When I remember my days at Seton Hall Law, it wasn’t just the outstanding legal training I received. Equally important for me were the people I met along the way, including my colleagues and the clients I had the opportunity to work with while practicing law. Many are still an important part of my life today.”

Torcivia described his time at Seton Hall as “life-changing” and wants other students to have access to transformational academic experiences, as well. “My brother and I learned from our dad that we were in a very fortunate position,” said Torcivia. “Helping others gain access to higher education is a motivating factor for our gift, no matter what field of study they are pursuing. Years ago, we established a scholarship at Seton Hall named in honor of Professor John P. Deehan, a close family friend and exceptional teacher. We’re pleased to do it on a larger scale now and give more students opportunities they otherwise might not have had.”

“At Seton Hall, we are committed to supporting our Catholic mission and helping those most in need gain a valuable college education,” said Senior Vice President of Admissions, Alyssa McCloud, Ph.D. “To support these promising young men and women and help them realize their dream, we rely on visionary donors such as the Torcivia family. We are grateful for their endowed support, which will make a world of difference in students’ lives for years to come.”

Recently, Seton Hall announced its plans to build a state-of-the-art men’s basketball practice facility on campus. The University’s goal is to sustain a perennial top 25 Men’s Basketball program, which will drive a more robust student experience on and off the University’s campuses. Torcivia has been incredibly supportive of Seton Hall’s athletics program over the years and sees the new facility as a game-changer for men’s basketball.

“As a member of the Board of Regents, I had a chance to travel to other universities where Seton Hall was playing and I saw the tremendous facilities those schools had,” said Torcivia. “Creating a world-class practice facility will be a great recruiting tool for the Pirates. It will support not only the athletics program, but the University in general, because the better the team does on the court the more successful the brand.”

“We’re so thankful to have Joe and Ben behind us on this critical capital project,” said Athletic Director Bryan Felt. “In the past six years, our men’s basketball has enjoyed tremendous success, and we want to maintain that upward trajectory. Building a dedicated basketball practice facility will go a long way towards achieving that and will include improvements for women’s basketball and other athletics programs, as well. We hope the Torcivia family’s generosity inspires other Pirate fans to join him in investing in our student-athletes.

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