Joseph Joachim Synott was the sixth President of Seton Hall. Born February 6, 1863 in Great Neck, Long Island, New York, his family moved to Montclair, New Jersey soon after. After Montclair High School he attended St. Francis Xavier's College, graduating in June 1882. He then entered the University of Innsbruck, Austria where he completed his theological studies and was ordained July 26, 1886. He earned his Doctorate of Theology from the same institution two years later in 1888.

Synott returned to the United States in the fall of 1888 and within months was appointed assistant to St. John's Church in Paterson, NJ. In September of 1889, he was assigned to the seminary at Seton Hall. He started as professor of Scripture and Hebrew, and then moral theology and canon law. Synott became rector of the seminary on October 31, 1895 when the current rector, Father O'Connor, was transferred. Two year later, on June 16, 1897, the Board of Trustees of the College elected Synott as President.

Under Synott's leadership, a laundry facility was added to the campus as well as improvements to the seminary and the construction of a library. Built in 1898, the two story building was named after the fifth President of the College, Marshall. It originally contained 18,000 volumes. During this time, the Setonia Athletic Association was founded to encourage sports at the College.

Synott died March 19, 1899, less than two years later.