October 31, 2022
Hackettstown, N.J., Oct. 31, 2022—For Great Meadows resident Andrew Kmetz, the decision to attend Centenary University was an easy one. Aspiring to a career in sports management, he was impressed by Centenary’s concentration in the field, including the University’s excellent track record for placing students and graduates in jobs with professional sports franchises.
Then last spring, he received a call with the good news that he was named the Centenary University 2022 Hackettstown High School Scholar, a designation that recognizes outstanding academic achievement and a commitment to community service. The award covers full tuition for four years of study at Centenary. “I couldn’t believe it,” he recalled. “My mom was so happy she started bawling her eyes out.”
A 2022 graduate of Hackettstown High School, Kmetz is an honor roll student who participated in soccer, basketball, and baseball. Two of his coaches—both Centenary graduates—urged him to check out the University’s concentration in sports and entertainment management: “Both of my coaches studied sports management at Centenary. They knew I was applying for the scholarship, but recommended I attend Centenary even if I didn’t get the full ride.”
Centenary sports and entertainment management students routinely earn internships and post-graduate jobs in the sales, marketing, and operations divisions of professional sports teams, including the New York Jets, New York Red Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, New York Mets, Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia 76ers, Somerset Patriots, Sussex County Miners, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and many more.
Community service is important to Kmetz, who was a member of his high school’s Key Club. A member of Scouts BSA Troop 158 in Hackettstown, Kmetz earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2021. His Eagle Scout project—creating fleece blankets for cancer patients at Hackettstown Medical Center—honored his grandmother’s successful fight against breast cancer and his late grandfather, a father figure to Kmetz who passed away after battling pancreatic cancer.
After arriving at the University, Kmetz’s Eagle Scout project caught the eye of Centenary University Assistant Professor of Business Linda Poisseroux, Ph.D., who directs the competitive student business team, Enactus. Inviting him to join the team, Dr. Poisseroux introduced Kmetz to Chi Force, a line of medical jackets for chemotherapy patients created by Enactus team members. The team was also awarded a patent last year for Shieldz Wearable Technologies, a fatigue alert device developed by students to detect drowsiness in truck drivers and other motorists. “I definitely want to check out Enactus,” said Kmetz, a business administration major. Reflecting on his full, four-year scholarship, he added, “I owe everything to my mom, Pam Kmetz. She’s been my number one supporter through school, sports, and Eagle Scout.”
ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix provides an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world. The University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township.