Centenary College News, Events and Annoucements

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ. August 11, 2008. Residents of the Skylands region need travel no farther than their own backyard for a taste of different countries and cultures this year, as a cornucopia of musical styles and performers fills the Centenary Stage Company concert season, with music from the heart of the Mississippi delta to the Castillian plains of Spain and the castles of England.

Classical guitarist David Burgess has been praised by musicians and critics worldwide, and is recognized as one of today's outstanding guitarists. His international appearances have taken him to concert halls throughout North and South America, Europe and the Far East. Hailed as "an artist of music with a magnificent technique," by the great Spanish maestro, Andres Segovia, Burgess has  performed at New York’s  Lincoln Center,  Carnegie Recital Hall and the Town Hall, among many.  "The breadth of his imagination is unmatched, his style is flashy, crisp, exciting and incendiary," raved CD NOW. David Burgess in Concert will open the CSC concert season, performing Saturday, Oct 4 at 8 PM.

Back by popular demand, New Jersey’s premiere dance company, the New Jersey Ballet, returns to Hackettstown Nov. 1st and 2nd for two performances.  With a repertoire of works ranging from Balanchine and deMille to Vesak and Bournonville, this company’s dynamic style spans from the classical, to contemporary, to exciting cutting-edge work. Performances times will be Sat, Nov 1 at 8 PM and Sunday, Nov 2 at 5 PM.

Celebrate black history month with the musical strains of the Big Easy and singular Blues artist Samuel James. Channeling the sounds of Mississippi  John Hurt and Piedmont soul, James is the master of ‘fingerstyle,’ slide, banjo, harmonica and piano. His music is infused with the deepest, most affecting tradition of the blues. Samuel James will perform Saturday Feb 7th at 8 PM.

“Lords and ladies” of the Skylands will be  transported back to the great cathedrals and royal courts of Europe when the Fanfare Consort performs on the Centenary stage C on April 4th at 8 PM.  With authentic period instruments, such as the clarion (the baroque valveless trumpet), the basso continuo, the fretted lute and harpsichord, the Consort is said to “ freshly unearth the splendors of the 16th and 17th centuries, from popular chestnuts to forgotten gems.” “They are not to be missed!” states Classical Public Radio Network host, Peter Johnson.

Tickets for all musical concert events at CSC are $20 for adults, $17.50 for seniors and students, and $15 for children under 12. Tickets for the NJ Ballet are $22.50 for adults, $17.50 for seniors and students, and $15 for children under 12 and are available through the CSC Box office at 908-979-0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org.

A special flexible subscription value is available for all performances at CSC, which allows patrons to combine the concert and theatre season for what has become known as “the best deal in the state.” The comprehensive Series Subscription includes all 7 events of the CSC season (4 concerts and 3 professional theatre productions) for the special price of $80. A “Pick 5” subscription can be purchased for $65. The Flex-plan allows for the exchange of tickets for alternate dates, based on availability, when conflicts arise. Patrons who subscribe before Sept 1 will receive the first CSC commemorative coffee mug.

The CSC professional  theatre season includes the American Premiere of “Laughing Matter” by April De Angelis (Oct 10 – 26), a holiday show and world premiere  “….At The Small Empire Music Hall” by Allen Lewis Rickman and Karl Tiedemann (Nov 21 – Dec 7) , and Bekah Brunstetter’s new play, “You May Go Now” (Feb 20 – Mar 8).Performances at CSC are made possible in part through the visionary support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ State Council on the Arts and CSC members and sponsors.

New Theatre!

The Centenary Stage Company  will find a new home with construction the Carol and David Lackland Center, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2009. With a 22,000-square-foot performance space, the facility is destined to become the most sophisticated performing arts venues in northwest New Jersey. The center will include a 500-seat theatre, a black box theater, a dance studio, scene shop, a costume shop, green room and dressing rooms.

In addition to housing the theatre, the 68K square foot Lackland Performance Center will be a home for a variety of cultural activity, and will include WNTI, the College’s listener-supported public radio station, CCTV, Centenary’s Comcast-licensed television studio, and gallery space for visual artists. Named in honor of Carol Burgess Lackland, a Centenary graduate (Class of 1954), and her husband, David A. Lackland, a Centenary College Trustee, The David and Carol Lackland Center, has been designed to enrich student life and bring new cultural opportunities to northwest New Jersey.

CONTACT: Catherine Rust 908-979-0900 x5

Bill Mays Quartet Coming to Centenary

“Mays plays on pure inspiration, that exalted level where mere technical concerns have been long forgotten…the result is jazz of a sophisitication and sheer spontaneity that’s rarely heard.” - Mark Miller – Toronto Globe

Hackettstown, NJ, July 14, 2008. The last chance for music lovers to get their cool fix of live jazz in Hackettstown will be August 2nd, when the Jazz in July Series presents the Bill Mays Quartet, with Joe Locke on vibes, in the air-conditioned Centenary Stage Company theatre at 8 PM. A veteran of such notable New York venues as Birdland, The Blue Note, Iridium, The Village Gate, and more, Mays has been hailed as  "one of the masters of color and touch among today’s pianists” (JazzTimes). As a pianist, he has worked with such luminaries as Andrea Bocelli, Rosemary Clooney, Al Jarreau, Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Mel Torme, Dinooe Warwick, and Andy Williams, among many.

A former musical director for Sarah Vaughan, Mays is a also a prolific composer and arranger and has contributed to the recordings and libraries of such jazz greats as Phil Woods, The Woody Herman Band, Shelly Manne and Bud Shank. He has played with such elite jazz players as Gerry Mulligan, Ron Carter, Art Pepper and Benny Golson. You can hear Mays on the ivories in such movies as "Being John Malkovich", "Lethal Weapon", "Sleepless in Seattle", "Fargo", "Terms of Endearment" and more.

Throughout the world of avid admirers and jazz connoisseurs, Mays has become known as an innovator and major contributor. "A musician’s  musician for far too long, pianist Mays deserves wider recognition for the outstanding work he’s done," stated Entertainment Weekly.

Award-winning "Mallet Player of the Year" (Jazz Journalists Association-JJA) Joe Locke is considered to be one of the most gifted vibraphonists of his generation, with an international reputation as a player, composer and band leader. With Martin Wind on bass and Tim Horner on percussion to round out the quartet, the evening’s entertainment promises to be a most memorable conclusion to a successful 2008 season of Jazz in the Skylands.

Tickets for The Bill Mays Quartet  are $22.50 in advance, and $27.50 at the door. They are available through the Centenary Stage Co. Box Office at 908-979-0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org. Locally, tickets may also be purchased at the Skylands Bank, the Long Valley Music Center, Valley National Bank, Panther Valley Inn, Hackettstown Trading Post and Hackettstown Carpet.

All performances are in the Centenary Stage Company air-conditioned little theatre, and they are made possible through the generous support and leadership of Ed Coyne (CSC Chairman of the Board) and Coyne Enterprises, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The NJ State Council on the Arts, The Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour Foundation, the Hackettstown Regional Medical Center and Heath Village, with additional support from WNRJ Radio and WNTI Radio.

Houston Person Quartet Coming July 26.

"He’s one of the best ... he's got bull chops!” - Dizzy Gillespie

Hackettstown, NJ. July 7, 2008. Jazz’s working class hero, and icon of the blued-infused soul-jazz age, Houston Person and his Quartet will swing into Hackettstown on Saturday, July 26th with a performance guaranteed to bring "that happy, happy feeling" to the people of the Skylands. With a performance beginning at 8 PM, the Houston Person Quartet is the third concert in the Centenary Stage Company's Jazz in July Series on the campus of Centenary College.

Known as one of the gutsiest of the gutbucket saxophonists of the soul-jazz golden age, Person was the long-time musical partner to of the great Etta Jones for over 30 years until her recent passing. Person states that his mission is to give people "good solid melodies with some improvisation and plenty of blues feel. You always want that dance feeling there, that happy, happy feeling." People are the only barometer you have, Person has stated, and he believes that "Jazz is uplifting and important. And a release and a relief." It should make you feel good.

Houston Person is noted for having a tenor sound that is about as pure as it can be. Hackettstown’s Jazz King, Ed Coyne, calls Person's sound, "one of the most lush, elegant tenor sounds ever heard. The man plays the instrument with feeling. He doesn't 'scoop' the tones, he nails them with a legato finesse."

Get a taste of the luxurious Houston Person sound at http://www.houstonperson.com

Tickets for The Houston Person are $22.50 in advance, and $27.50 at the door. They are available through the Centenary Stage Co. Box Office at 908-979-0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org. Locally, tickets may also be purchased at the Skylands Bank, the Long Valley Music Center, Valley National Bank, Panther Valley Inn, Hackettstown Trading Post and Hackettstown Carpet. The Jazz in July 4-concert series may be purchased as a subscription for the low price of $80 for all four concerts.

All performances are in the Centenary Stage Company air-conditioned little theatre, and they are made possible through the generous support and leadership of Ed Coyne (CSC Chairman of the Board) and Coyne Enterprises, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The NJ State Council on the Arts, The Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour Foundation, the Hackettstown Regional Medical Center and Heath Village, with additional support from WNRJ Radio and WNTI Radio.

David Leonhardt Quintet Opens the Jazz in July Series at Centenary Stage.

June 17, 2008. Hackettstown, NJ. Cool jazz swings into Hackettstown as the incredible David Leonhardt Jazz Quintet opens the Centenary Stage JAZZ IN JULY series, now in its fifth exciting season, on Saturday, July 12 at 8 PM.

“David Leonhardt galvanized the audience into waves of applause and a standing ovation,” raved Andrej Pilarczyk of The Source.   Leonhardt’s all-star group has been heard at The Apollo Theater, the Blue Note, Birdland and festivals and theaters worldwide.  The Los Angeles Times heralded Leonhardt as “an intense and swingin’ artist.”  With a stellar reputation among jazz aficionados, Leonhardt has recorded and performed with such venerable jazz artists as David “Fathead” Newman, Herbie Mann, Ron Carter, Stan Getz, slide Hampton and Lewis Nash.   

Featuring the music of George & Ira Gershwin, Leonhardt thrives on creative improvisation performing American song standards, original compositions and jazz standards, in an evening guaranteed to swing. For a taste of David’s smooth recordings and performances, visit www.davidjazz.com.     

Tickets for The David Leonhardt Quintet are $22.50 in advance, and $27.50 at the door.  They are available through the Centenary Stage Co. Box Office at 908-979-0900 and online at www.centenarystageco.org.

Locally, tickets may also be purchased at the Skylands Bank,  the Long Valley Music Center, Valley National Bank, Panther Valley Inn, Hackettstown Trading Post and Hackettstown Carpet. The Jazz in July 4-concert series may be purchased as a subscription for the low price of $80 for all four concerts.

All performances are in the Centenary Stage Company air-conditioned Little Theatre, and they are made possible through the generous support and leadership of Ed Coyne and Coyne Enterprises, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The NJ State Council on the Arts, The Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour Foundation, the Hackettstown Regional Medical Center and Heath Village, with additional support from WNRJ Radio and WNTI Radio.

June 12, 2008. Hackettstown, NJ

Dear Centenary Community,

Please join me in welcoming Congressman Scott Garrett (NJ-R) to campus on Monday, June 16th at 3:30 pm in the Littell Technology Center lobby. Congressman Garrett will be on hand to announce the funds the federal government has set aside for Centenary to create a Law Enforcement and Community Response Training program.

The federal grant of $894,348 from the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grant Program administered by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance will be used to develop a fully-integrated incident response and crisis management training for law enforcement officers and first responders serving 90 small rural and suburban communities in northwest New Jersey.

Through this program, law enforcement officers and first responders in Warren, Sussex and Hunterdon counties and other bordering municipalities in New Jersey will be able to access incident response and crisis management training. The project will be administered under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Linskey, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology.

I invite you to join us for this exciting announcement. Please advise the Office of Strategic Advancement at 908-852-1400 x2379 if you plan on attending.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kenneth L. Hoyt
Centenary College President

Hackettstown, NJ, May 21, 2008 - Travel back to a singular day in 1886 this June when the Centenary Stage Company  presents its historically narrated “Tillie Walk” during the Hackettstown Victorian Day,  with costumed guides leading participants on the path of Tillie Smith’s last night before her murder in 1886.   

The walk, which is expected to take approximately 45 minutes, will begin on Main Street at the Hackettstown Gazebo, will proceed to the location of the old Shields Hall, and trace steps back toward Centenary College where Tillie Smith worked and where the notorious murder took place over 100 years ago. The walk will conclude  at the college, where local legend  reports the ghost of Tillie still appearing from time to time on the grounds of Centenary College.  Leading the walk will be actress  Danielle Tampier (Hampton, NJ) from the Centenary College theatre program,  and  Centenary professor and actress, Lea Antolini (Sparta, NJ).  Historical commentary along the walk will be provided by Tillie Smith expert, Denis Sullivan, author of “In Defense of Her Honor, ” the definitive work about her death and the controversial trial surrounding the event.    

“The Tillie Walk” will be offered on Saturday, Jun 14 at 11 AM.   The cost the walk will be $7 per person, and will include refreshments at the end of the walk, as well as a brochure detailing the path to be followed, buildings of interest during the period, and locations where Tillie was known to have stopped along the path of  her last evening.  To reserve the tour in advance, participants may call the CSC Box office at 908-979-0900.

Other Hackettstown Victorian Day activities on  June 14th include the Victorian Home Tours from 10-4 PM, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides (11 – 3:30 PM), a Vintage Clothing Display and Victorian Tea (Centenary College 2-4 PM), Open House at the Hackettstown Historical Society, and a luncheon at the First Presbyterian Church (11am – 1 pm), as well as numerous crafts and vendors along the main street of Hackettstown.  

“The Tillie Walk” was developed originally in conjunction with a play about Tillie Smith, commissioned by the  Centenary Stage Company in 2001, and written by Jeanne Murray Walker.  All cultural events at CSC are made possible in part through the visionary support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and  CSC members and sponsors.

For more information, please contact Catherine Rust, General Manager Centenary Stage Company: 908-979-0900 ext. 5

Chicago, IL, May 4, 2008 - Students in Free Enterprise honored Centenary College's Dr. Steven McHugh, Assistant Professor of Business, who was named the national Sam Walton Students in Free Enterprise Fellow of the Year in a ceremony held yesterday evening in Chicago at the SIFE National Competition.

SIFE teams from around the country submitted written nominations of their Sam Walton Fellow for consideration for this highly-selective distinction.

"This is a wonderful honor for Dr. McHugh," announced Business Department Chair Dr. Heather Dunham. "It is a tribute to his leadership with the SIFE team."

Founded in 1975, SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) SIFE is a non-profit organization active on more than 1,800 college and university campuses in 40 countries. SIFE works in partnership with business and higher education to provide students the opportunity to make a difference and develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise.

For over ten years, more than 1,000 Centenary College students have participated in SIFE projects and presentations. The team's members hail from more than thirty-five countries across five continents, with a range of more than fifteen different majors. Their participation has included the development and implementation of more than 1,000 projects that meet the educational needs surrounding free market economics, skills needed in the global economy, personal financial skills, ethics and sociology.

The Centenary SIFE Team began earning awards in 1996. Under the direction of Dr. Steven McHugh and Associate Professor of Business Cheryl Veronda, the Centenary SIFE team has gone on to win regional and national honors. In 2008 alone, the team captured first place in four competitions including the Discover Financial Services Success Skills Competition and the HSBC Financial Literacy Competition.

"I would like to thank the Centenary College community for all the wonderful and supportive messages regarding my recent award," said Dr, McHugh. "I am very proud of my work with our SIFE Team. It is an incredible joy to be associated with such wonderful young men and women. This award truly recognizes the hard work and dedication of each Team member. Their selfless support of me, Centenary, and Free Enterprise has made them into role models."

Learn more about the Centenary College SIFE Team here.

Centenary Performing Arts Guild Accepting Applications for New Internship in Education and Creative Dramatics

Hackettstown, NJ May 13, 2008 - The Centenary Performing Arts Guild at Centenary College is currently accepting applications for a new 2-week Internship in Education and Creative Dramatics for the summer of 2008.

Interns will be a part of a dynamic educational program under the theatre, offering summer workshops in creative dramatics to children ages 6–8 and 9-11. Applicants should have a background in theatre and an interest in the educational mission. Academic credits are available for qualified applicants  through Centenary College, as well as a $300 stipend for the 2-week program. The internship is open to High School and College-age students.

Interns will gain valuable leadership experience, assisting the Educational Director in the design and implementation of daily exercises and techniques, as well as acting as assistant directors for the final presentation of the program.

Interns will gain management skills in assisting in the preparation of programmatic material, as well as classroom experience with the children. The Internship will help to prepare future teachers in skills necessary to meet the NJ core curriculum requirements in the arts, which emphasizes teaching curriculum in and through the arts to maximize personal, intellectual and social development.

Interested applicants should contact the Centenary Performing Arts Guild  administrative offices at 908-979-0900 for an application and interview appointment.

The application deadline  in June 9th.

Hackettstown, NJ, May 13, 2008 – Four hundred nineteen individuals will graduate from Centenary College at the Hackettstown-based institution’s 133rd Spring Commencement Ceremony on May 17, which will be held on the grounds of the front lawn of the Edward Seay Administration Building on the Hackettstown campus beginning at 1pm. Radio personality Joan Hamburg will serve as the commencement speaker.

Joan F. Hamburg, Host of “The Joan Hamburg Show” WOR Radio HD, has covered the New York scene as a journalist and broadcaster for over 30 years, making her a pioneer among women in radio.  Around the radio station, her diverse knowledge of the industry makes her the go-to person for advice and ideas on internal issues from sales to programming.  As host of The Joan Hamburg Show, her daily call-in program on WOR Radio 710, Joan’s consummate shopping tips, advice and resources are legendary.

She is known throughout the country for her award-winning consumer affairs reporting,  celebrity interviews, and monthly remote broadcasts from Broadway’s famed Sardis Restaurant, where she welcomes the biggest celebrities from film, television and theatre.  She is dedicated to exploring the issues that affect us all in our daily lives, from the latest in medical advances to career and family concerns to theatre and restaurant reviews.  Her dedication is represented in the countless hours she spends researching her guests and following leads on topical stories.  Joan arrives at the radio station 2½ hours before her daily 9am-11am show, and works harder than ever to make sure she’s delivering the best radio show for her listeners.  

On a personal level, Joan is involved in numerous charitable organizations for which she has helped to raise millions of dollars.  Every day she helps her listeners who come to her off-air with advice on getting legal help or contacting the proper agencies on issues like immigration and domestic abuse, to name a few.  Joan volunteers for the New York City Public School System’s Principal for a Day.  She is a board member for the International Rescue Committee, a member of the East Hampton Historic Society, an advisory committee member for The Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine, and a long-time supporter of Women In Need, Safe Space, and the New York City Rescue Mission.

Joan has authored many books, including “Our Little Black Book of Shopping Secrets,” the “New York on $5 a Day” series and “City Wedding.”  Joan has been honored with a number of awards including the Anti-Defamation League’s Woman of the Year, Mirabella Magazine’s Outstanding American Woman, National Mother of the Year, the Gabriel Award for Excellence in Broadcasting, the National Council of Churches Award, The New York State Broadcasters’ Association’s Broadcaster of the Year Award, and The Daughters of the American Revolution’s Achievement Award.  She is the recipient of the prestigious 2006 Matrix Award for Excellence in Radio Broadcasting.

In addition to Ms. Hamburg, the College will bestow honorary degrees on the following:

Adelaide Shaffer Van Winkle is the retired President of Louis W. Shaffer, Inc. and is well known in the real estate field in New Jersey and the Eastern United States.  She has set many professional precedents such as being selected as the first woman President of the Central Bergen County Board of Realtors; the first woman President of the New Jersey Association of Realtors; first woman Vice President of the National Association of Realtors; President of the State of New Jersey chapter of the National Institute of Realtors; the first woman to hold the M.A.I. designation of the Appraisal Institute of Realtors; and the first woman to hold the S.P.A. designation of the society of Real Estate Appraisers.  Mrs. Van Winkle was the only woman Director of the Garden State National Bank in New Jersey and the second woman Director in banking in New Jersey.  She served as President of Louis W. Shaffer, Inc., from 1971 to 1994, a firm originally founded by her grandfather.  

Mrs. Van Winkle and the Van Winkle family have supported Centenary College for decades.  Centenary College students are familiar with the name, as Van Winkle Hall was named in their honor.  In 1983, the Van Winkle Achievement Award was established, a tribute to the Van Winkle family’s history and dedication to Centenary College.  The Van Winkle Achievement Award honors a distinguished person or professional with significant accomplishments, including outstanding service to Centenary College and the community at large, who bring honor to the institution.  Alumni and others closely associated with Centenary College are eligible for nomination.

Mrs. Van Winkle is presently serving on the Board of Overseers of Babson College.  She is a Trustee of Lasell College.

Octavia J. Brown is the Associate Professor of Equine Studies and Director of the Therapeutic Riding At Centenary (TRAC) program. Ms. Brown’s name has been synonymous with the field of horseback riding for individuals with disabilities, nationally and internationally, for more than 30 years.  

She was a founding board member of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (known as NARHA) in 1969. Since then, she has been a NARHA Board Member, Committee Chair, Accreditation Visitor, and Instructor Certification Examiner. She has taught and mentored dozens, if not hundreds, of people from all over the country who have established their own careers in this fulfilling profession.  

She is past President of the Federation Riding for the Disabled International, overseeing conferences in France and Hungary during her term.   

She was honored in 1982 as NJ Horse Person of the Year by the NJ Horse Council.  In 1990, she received the NARHA Directors’ Award and the NARHA President’s Award.  In 1998, she was awarded NARHA’s highest honor, the James Brady Award for Lifetime Achievement in Therapeutic Riding.

She founded the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center in 1972 – still operating successfully in Tewksbury Township.  She co-founded the first ever state therapeutic riding agency:  Horseback Riding for the Handicapped of New Jersey.   She spearheaded the movement that resulted in equine competition being accepted into the Special Olympics roster of sports. And most recently, she established Therapeutic Riding At Centenary (TRAC)  in Centenary’s own equine center as a training site for future therapeutic riding instructors.  

She has been associated with Centenary since 1993, when she was the Gates-Ferry Distinguished Lecturer.

Rev. Yong Gul Kim is a recently retired Episcopalian priest, having served the New York Korean Episcopal Church in Flushing, which he founded and served as pastor for 30 years. Rev. Kim is and has been a pioneer in the Korean immigrant community, and is highly respected in the greater New York area.

Since coming to New York in 1979 as the first Korean Episcopal priest, he has made many contributions as ecclesiastic and spiritual leader as well as for the area’s Korean community. He served as the President of the Council of Korean Churches of Greater New York which today represents more than 400 Korean churches of all denominations.

As the Director of the Youth Center established by the Council of Churches he helped many Korean immigrant youths who needed guidance and assistance because of drug abuse and gang involvement.

He has served on the Korean National Council of Churches; was President of the Korean Council of Churches of Greater New York; was a Vice Dean and Faculty member of the New York United Seminary; President of the Board of Directors, New York Youth Center (Korean);  President, The Association of Korean Congregations of Episcopal Churches of America; and Chairperson, Committee for the Peaceful Unification of Korea.

Rev. Byung Woon Kim is the pastor of the Manna Presbyterian Church in Seoul, South Korea and founder and director of Manna Mission Center, which provides welfare ministry to reach out to people with social service needs, without charge.

Rev. Byung Woon Kim has branched out into the healing ministry by acquiring the JaeJoong Medical Center and building a 300-bed, ten story facility in the urban center of Seoul. His vision is to provide affordable and humanitarian medical services to the poor.

Through his church he has reached out to the global community by sending missionaries to Nepal and the Philippines. He founded “Open Space for the Citizen”, and is the Director of the Seoul Metro Culture, an innovative subway ministry. He is the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jeajoong Medical Welfare Center, Inc., and was elected President of the Alumni Association of the Graduate School of Yunsei University Theological School.

“These illustrious individuals are certainly worthy of our recognition,” says Centenary’s President Dr. Kenneth L. Hoyt.

Centenary College will award 29 associates degrees and 262 bachelors degrees. 128 master degrees will also be presented to the graduates.

Hackettstown, NJ, May 12, 2008 – Thanks to a nomination essay written by Centenary Education major Kristina Neubert ‘08, John Skodocek was named the Skylands Co-op Teacher of the Year at Centenary’s Education Forum on Friday April 25th. This award is bestowed upon one teacher annually who made a positive impact on the student teaching experience of the Centenary student who nominates him or her.

Mr. Skodocek a 30-year teaching veteran, has been the co-operating teacher for Centenary College’s Kristina Neubert at Great Meadows Regional Middle School for her Practicum in the fall and for her Student Teaching this spring.

Assistant Professor of Education Marianne Pratschler AA ’78 and BS ’79, says, “I am Kristina's Centenary Supervisor and I have seen the very best possible professional relationship for her. Mr. Skodocek has helped develop a wonderful novice teacher with his understated guidance.”

Centenary Lady Cyclones Soccer Team Make Impact on PAC.

Hackettstown, NJ, April 10, 2008 – Centenary College’s Lady Cyclones women’s soccer team has been becoming more competitive with each passing game, thanks in no small part to the combined efforts of Coach Kevin Davies and his dedicated team, who have had the best season in Centenary’s history (with a record of 14-6-2) this year and made the conference and regional finals. But Coach Davies does not just emphasize athletic spirit among these Lady Cyclones; he also places a high priority on academics.

When Coach Davies began work at Centenary ten years ago, he said other teams considered the Lady Cyclones an easy victory—this is no longer the case at all. The team is now quite competitive and its debut in the PAC has been a successful one. According to www.thepaconline.org, the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) was formed in 1992 to meet the needs of the various small, private, four-year colleges in eastern Pennsylvania. As these colleges developed athletically, there was a need to address the individual and collective concerns of each institution in regard to intercollegiate athletics.

The Lady Cyclones have made three post season appearances during his career in both a combination of the Skyline Conference and ECAC Metro Region.  Since coming to Centenary he has taken the Women’s Soccer program to the next level, continually filling their schedule with high quality opponents.  The Lady Cyclones have developed an exciting style of soccer, one that makes it enjoyable for fans to watch and very competitive for team members to play. 

A native of Neath, South Wales, Coach Davies began his professional playing career there, prior to moving on to the Briton-Ferry semi-pro team.  He then moved to the U.S. in 1994 to attend East Stroudsburg University and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training.  Davies also coached for one season in 1998, with the New Jersey ODP (Olympic Development Program).  He currently holds a USSF ’A’ coaching license, while supporting numerous youth soccer clubs around the Hackettstown area.  Besides his coaching duties at Centenary, he is one of the college’s Athletic Trainers.  He resides in Hackettstown with his wife, and their two children.  Coach Davies has totaled a career mark of 62-73-4. 

Coach Davies is equally committed to academics in his players, and recently completed a report about the subject. He beams with pride to announce that his team ranks among the highest Grade Point Average (the 25 athletes have an average GPA of 3.2 and improving), and notes that a full one third of all incoming Centenary freshman are athletes. Because Centenary College is a Division 3 soccer team, no scholarships are offered to the players and those that partake tend not to be concerned with a professional soccer career. These players truly compete for love of the game.

Coach Davies says, “Soccer is my great passion in life, but I also place academics on an extremely high agenda for my players. I have known several athletes that have said athletics have kept them in college.” He is obviously committed to strong interactions between students, instructors, and coaches, and believes, “Discipline on the field is not far removed from discipline in the classroom. Both are equally important.”
 
With the improvements already made, one can only believe more exciting improvements are to come for the Lady Cyclones soccer team.

Wally Parker Jr. to Present "Making Your Mark in an Ever Shrinking World" at Centenary College.

Hackettstown, NJ, March 27, 2008 – Wally Parker Jr., in his capacity as Centenary’s Gates-Ferry Lecturer for the 2007-08 year, will present “Making Your Mark in an Ever Shrinking World” on March 31 at 1:40 p.m. in the George H. Whitney Chapel.

Centenary’s Dr. Heather Dunham, Dean for Business and Education, says, “We are so very eager to have Mr. Parker back to Centenary College. He is such a captivating and dynamic speaker whose message appeals to both traditional and non-traditional students alike. He also has the uncanny ability to capture their interest—and their imaginations.”

Wallace P. Parker Jr. was President of Energy Delivery and Customer Relationship Group at KeySpan, a holding company created when the Long Island Lighting Company merged with Brooklyn Union in 1998. Mr. Parker was responsible for the Gas Business Unit which consists of KeySpan Energy Delivery of New York, Long Island and New England. He is also Vice Chairman and CEO of KeySpan Services, which is comprised of KeySpan Home Energy Services, KeySpan Business Solutions and KeySpan Communications.

His civic activities include Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service, member of the Board of Cancer Hope Network and member of the Board of City Year. He is the Brooklyn and Staten Island Chair of the New York Blood Center. He has been a member of Junior Achievement of New York, and the Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens Chambers of Commerce. Mr. Parker is Past President of the Church Council of the First Congregational Church where he lives and has taught Business Management at Kean College.  

The Gates-Ferry Distinguished Visiting Lectureship at Centenary College recognizes the dedication to the College of Joseph R. Ferry, Trustee from 1948 to 1976 and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees for 20 years.  It was established to set high standards and goals for students and faculty alike, and to enrich the quality of life on the Centenary campus.

Dr. Robert Frail to Present “Asian Cultures: Opposition is Friendship” at Centenary College on April 16.

Hackettstown, NJ, March 25, 2008 – Centenary’s Dr. Robert Frail, Associate Professor of French and English and Director of International Studies, will present a lecture entitled “Asian Cultures: Opposition is Friendship,” on April 16 in the Front Parlours of the Edward W. Seay Administration Building.  The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. with a reception at 6:30 p.m.

In this presentation, Dr. Frail will provide a brief overview of Centenary's commitment to global education, show slides regarding Asian culture and how Asian cultures differ from each other and from Western cultures, highlight trends in Asian countries (namely, Taiwan, Tibet, and North Korea) regarding changes and patterns over the next decade, and discuss the U.S. presidency and what Americans should look for in a candidate, in the context of relationships with Asian nations.