This year we prepare to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Centenary’s founding. The little institution built in a Hackettstown cornfield has evolved from a coed preparatory academy to an all-women’s college, and now, to a coed University recognized for its innovative academic programs.

As alumni, our memories of Centenary have been shaped by the traditions that have enriched campus life across the decades. For some, those memories include intimate teas in the President’s House and choral events in New York. Equine studies majors fondly recall their time in the stables and competing in equestrian events, while graduates of the School for Professional Studies look back on the evening classes that helped to propel their careers. Whether you wore a white jacket to class, sported a riding habit or arrived to campus after work in a business suit, this is your University. Alumni of all eras have contributed to the special history that defines Centenary today.

This academic year we honor our past, but it’s also an opportune time to set our sights on the future. With University status and a new president, a new era has dawned at Centenary. In this issue, we explore the traditions that paved the way for today’s Centenary, as well as what it means to be a University. Our president, David P. Haney, Ph.D., also shares his plans for Centenary. As we look forward to Centenary’s next 150 years, I invite you to renew your acquaintance with the University by attending one or more of the many events planned to celebrate this milestone. We represent many different times in this institution’s history, but together, we are Centenary.

– Wolfgang Gstattenbauer ’84/13 HA

Stay tuned for additional events to take place throughout the year, such as a 150 years of fashion show, Student Spirit Week, signature events with Athletics, SPS, AAEB and Alumni Engagement.