Seton Hall Leaders Named to INNOVATE100 List

Three Seton Hall leaders have been named to the 2025 INNOVATE100 list, an honor recognizing New Jersey’s most forward-thinking professionals who are shaping the state’s innovation ecosystem. Honorees include Director of Athletics and Recreation Bryan Felt, Dean of the Stillman School of Business Joyce Strawser, and Founding Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Susan Scherreik.

They were celebrated on May 13 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center alongside peers from top institutions including Rutgers, Princeton and NJIT, as well as leaders from corporations, nonprofits and startups. The INNOVATE100 initiative, spearheaded by James Barrood and Innovation+, highlights transformative leadership across sectors in the Garden State.

Bryan Felt, a Seton Hall alumnus and longtime leader in athletics, said the honor is a reflection of collective effort. “I am honored to have been recognized by Innovation+, and it’s a testament to the hard work of my staff here at Seton Hall Athletics,” he said. “New Jersey is an incredible place full of innovation, and it is humbling to be mentioned alongside so many great leaders in our state.”

Felt has served as director of athletics and recreation since 2019, overseeing 14 Division I varsity sports programs and robust campus recreation initiatives. He served as the director of athletics at Saint Peter's University from 2017-19. Prior to his appointment at Saint Peter's, Felt was a Seton Hall employee for 16 years, first coming to South Orange as the associate director of the university annual fund in 2001, then moving up to director of the annual fund before being promoted to executive director of Pirate Blue in 2004.

Joyce Strawser, Ph.D., who joined Seton Hall in 1995 and has served as dean since 2010, emphasized the Stillman School’s commitment to innovation in business education. “At the Stillman School, we regularly leverage innovation in delivering on our mission to cultivate principled leaders through an educational experience that transforms concepts into business practice,” Strawser said. Under her leadership, the Stillman School has consistently maintained prestigious AACSB accreditation and expanded its influence locally and globally through academic partnerships and thought leadership in business education.

Susan Scherreik, M.B.A., who has served as founding director of Seton Hall’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) since 2003, was also honored for her extensive work supporting student entrepreneurs. “I am thrilled to be recognized with my esteemed colleagues at Seton Hall for educating future innovators and entrepreneurs,” Scherreik said. “The University’s strong sense of community and diverse and collaborative environment encourages our students to feel supported in their efforts to assist one another, dream big and strive to change the world.”

Scherreik leads CIE programs and teaches an advanced Entrepreneurship Lab course to both undergraduate and MBA students. She is also the co-founder of UPITCHNJ, a pioneering statewide collegiate startup competition in partnership with Nokia Bell Labs.

The INNOVATE100 celebration drew more than 500 attendees and featured an evening of networking, live performance, and recognition of leaders who are helping New Jersey reclaim its status as “The Innovation State.” Innovation+ founder James Barrood noted that the initiative honors not only top executives, but also the collaborators who fuel innovation at all levels of their organizations.

Categories: Athletics, Business