Lackland Center to Be Cultural Hub in Hackettstown

Centenary College in Hackettstown today officially cut the ribbon on the David and Carol Lackland Center, a $30.5 million student center college and town officials expect to become "a cultural hub for the area."

The 68,000-square-foot building houses several student activities previously scattered around campus. The center opened for student use at the start of the semester.

"This center will not just serve Centenary but the entire region," said college President Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite.

Town officials anticipate that productions held at the center's 485-seat theater will draw outside visitors. Shortly after the ceremony, student stage workers were rehearsing set changes for an upcoming production.

On the second floor, campus radio and television studios were in various states of preparation. They are slated to go into use in October.

Students were using a dance studio on the ground floor. A spacious, 400-seat dining hall bustled with cooks working in open kitchens and students eating at tables and counters.

The center also has classrooms, offices, meeting spaces and lounges for student use.

Carol Lackland, who graduated from Centenary in 1954, said she and her husband David -- a Centenary trustee -- are patrons of the arts, which is how they decided to fund an undisclosed portion of the center's cost.

Today was the first chance they had to tour the completed building, she said.

"To see it come to life is very, very exciting," Carol Lackland said.

As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, college faculty and students put select items into a time capsule that will be stored in one of the center's walls for 50 years. The items included a yearbook, student newspaper, photos of college events and a bumper sticker for the campus radio station.