Alum Leads Family Legacy Forward with First Franchise

Using her finance degree, great-granddaughter of Nasto’s Ice Cream founders will help manage new shop

Key Highlights

• ^{SHU alumna Victoria Nasto ’25 has taken on ownership and management of her family’s newest Nasto’s Ice Cream franchise location in Woodbridge, NJ}
• ^{This marks the company’s first franchise and first expansion in more than 86 years since the original Newark shop opened in 1939}
• ^{Victoria is a fourth-generation member of the Nasto family, long known for classic Italian desserts like tartufo, spumoni, gelato, Italian ice and pastries}
• ^{She credits her SHU finance degree and SHU’s emphasis on leadership, teamwork and community engagement with preparing her to take on business ownership}

Sacred Heart University alum Victoria Nasto ’25 stepped into the role of owning and managing her family’s newest location of Nasto’s Ice Cream alongside her sister. Marking the brand’s first expansion in more than 86 years, the shop opened this November in a shopping center in Woodbridge, NJ.

As a fourth-generation member of the Nasto family, Nasto has grown up surrounded by the legacy of the company her great-grandparents founded in Newark, NJ, in 1939. The ice cream shops specialize in signature Italian desserts such as tartufo, spumoni, gelato, Italian ice, pastries and more.

Over the years, she gained valuable skills and took on greater responsibilities, starting as the company’s social media manager and stepping into the role of managing the store nearing her college graduation.

“Since then, my family and I have looked for ways to expand the business, ultimately deciding to franchise,” Nasto said. “I’m proud to not only manage our first franchise but also have ownership of the store, which I’ll be running alongside my sister Gabriella.”

Nasto graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance, and she credits her four years at Sacred Heart University with providing the foundation and confidence needed to step into a management and ownership role at her family’s business.

“SHU emphasized not only academic learning but also leadership and community engagement,” Nasto said. “I learned the value of leadership, teamwork and building meaningful relationships. These lessons will now guide me in my career managing employees, serving customers and making strategic business decisions.”

For Nasto, Sacred Heart didn’t just prepare her professionally, it shaped who she is as a leader and gave her the confidence to take on the responsibility of business ownership.

To learn more about Nasto and her sister’s new business, listen to the Heart to Heart podcast.