Alumni provide among the most valuable insight into the histories and traditions of a school. They can also teach crucial lessons of their past, be a guide to younger individuals, and share heartfelt, humorous stories. Recently, I had the privilege to talk with Mr. Paul Scura, a member of The Prep class of 1969. He maintains a close connection to our school even to this day. In fact, he in part attributes his life values and success to Seton Hall Prep.

We started our discussion with the topic of family. Mr. Scura began with his father, who enrolled in SHP in the 1920s. He was the smartest student in the eighth grade, so he was sent to The Prep and was strongly influenced by spirituality. Mr. Scura’s three older brothers went to DePaul High School; however, his parents were not pleased with the DePaul education. His father encouraged Mr. Scura to go to SHP, where he knew his son would receive a good education. Mr. Scura thoroughly enjoyed The Prep, ranging from the tight friendships he made to the rigorous education. He benefited greatly from The Prep’s guidance, as seen in his study skills, writing ability, and information processing. Discipline and brotherhood are other values that The Prep established in Mr. Scura. He also added that while spirituality was present, lovingness and kindness were most pivotal. The family’s connection to SHP is still palpable today; his grandson is currently a sophomore at our school! Mr. Scura is tremendously happy with how The Prep continues to guide his grandson. According to Mr. Scura, his grandson has grown emotionally and mentally, and has matured into a wonderful person, thanks in large part to the SHP teachers.

Mr. Scura also provided insight about the school atmosphere during his high school days. During his time at The Prep, the campus was shared with Seton Hall University. As a result, his high school experience was in many aspects different from ours. He was mixed with college students, so it provided a different feeling than a normal high school. Yet, Mr. Scura added that there was a less concentration of students in one building as it is today. In terms of school activities, Mr. Scura primarily ran cross country. He was also involved in and attended many sporting events. He says the spirit of the school was contagious and palpable, just as it is now.

After SHP, Mr. Scura attended Villanova University, but he did not have any plans upon graduating college. Ultimately, he applied to numerous graduate programs in various disciplines. The catch – he was accepted into every program! Mr. Scura decided to enroll in The Wharton School at UPenn because they gave him a fellowship. After graduating from UPenn, he got a job with JP Morgan on Wall Street and stayed for around eleven years, working between New York City and London. Soon, he was recruited to work at Prudential Investment Banking Group, still on Wall Street. Mr. Scura ended up running that firm, but in 2002, he and other colleagues left Prudential and formed “Scura Partners.” To this day, Mr. Scura still works part time

Mr. Scura holds another valuable position: sitting on the SHP Board of Trustees. He has been on the Board for thirty years. The Board consists of a diverse group, filled with men and women, diverse cultures, and different Prep graduating classes. Meetings take place four times a year, Mr. Scura added. He sits on the Executive Sub-Committee, where he deals with the school’s most prominent issues. He also works in the Endowment Sub-Committee; it is here that Mr. Scura provides his most valuable expertise from his Wall Street years. One of Mr. Scura’s most significant achievement was his contribution to the appointment of Mr. Gallo as headmaster.

It was a sincere pleasure speaking with Mr. Scura. I always find it fascinating how much we students can learn from those alumni who have seen and done it all. The stories that Mr. Scura shared allowed me to see SHP from a different perspective. However, one of Mr. Scura’s remarks in particular resonated with me. When his grandson graduates from The Prep, it will mark 100 years since Mr. Scura’s father, or the grandson’s great grandfather, graduated in 1922.  What an amazing Seton Hall Prep legacy.