Honoring His School and Their Team
Joe McTighe '59/M.B.A. '75 says giving back was always in the cards for him, and providing scholarship funding for current and future students was foremost on his and wife Nancy's gift planning agenda. Seton Hall provided him with “excellent first-class” undergraduate and graduate educations that carried him through the years. In addition, he said his grades and volunteering at Seton Hall helped him earn the Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges designation that still hangs in his office. And it was Seton Hall's Career Center that helped him secure a management trainee position with the Prudential Insurance Company after he finished his military service in 1963. Shortly thereafter he escorted Nancy on their first date, which of course just had to be to a Pirates basketball game in venerable Walsh Gymnasium. His career at Prudential spanned four states, 35 years and several executive roles, with the last one in Atlanta. Through it all, Joe and Nancy remain stalwart Seton Hall basketball fans.
After his Prudential retirement, Joe and Nancy moved to sunny Florida. He decided to give back to his community and volunteered at the local Catholic Charities agency. A couple of years later, Joe was selected='TRUE' for the Board of Directors and later was named the Chairman of the Board. Then it was Setonia time again. Joe was thrilled to present a short speech on “giving back” at his Seton Hall Golden Pirates Reunion. It meant a lot to him to receive that opportunity. Later, the University's Alumni Department was forming regional chapters throughout the country and Joe gladly signed up as an Alumni Ambassador for his area.
Joe admits the Pirates' men's basketball program gives him much satisfaction. He and Nancy have travelled across the country to watch their team. “The basketball program at Seton Hall helps develop life-long character traits for these student-athletes. I'm very proud how the combined GPA of the student-athletes in all sports programs continues to increase each year. For many on the outside, Seton Hall hoops provides important name recognition that prompts prospective students to learn more about the University,” he says.
Because of their interests in scholarship support and athletics, Joe and Nancy worked with gift planning officer Nora Rahaim to make Seton Hall a partial beneficiary of their retirement accounts, with the funds eventually being split between scholarship support and Pirate Blue. Joe sums it up: “We are thrilled to know our future gift will allow the University to help grant an exceptional education to a bright young man or woman, hopefully increasing the career productivity of that individual as well as the value and recognition of a Seton Hall degree."
At a Glance: Retirement Accounts
- Contact the plan custodian for a beneficiary designation form.
- Designate Seton Hall to receive all or a portion of the assets held in the retirement plan.
- Avoid the potential double taxation your retirement savings would face if you designated these savings to your heirs.
- Continue to take regular lifetime withdrawals.
- Maintain flexibility to change designation if your family's needs change during your lifetime.