Centenary College Gives Thanks for Strong Community Ties

Hackettstown, N.J.– Centenary College hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner for students where community leaders were invited to celebrate the holiday season.

“This has become an annual event for our students where we invite some community leaders,” says Nancy Paffendorf, Dean of Community and College Affairs at Centenary College.  “We work with and have established strong ties with some of these individuals and enjoy inviting them to our home as part of a relatively new tradition.”

In addition to the students, the following community leaders enjoyed an evening of conversation and Thanksgiving fare: Janen Ardia, General Manager and Executive Vice-President of ReMax Heritage Properties; Sarah Brelvi, Chief Professional Officer and Women’s Leadership Council Director, United Way of Northern New Jersey; Nancy Brown, Director of Constituent Services for Assemblyman John DiMaio, her spouse Harry Brown, Chairman of the Hackettstown Library Board, and his mother Helen; Keith DeTombeur, President of the Hackettstown BID Board; Maria DiGiovanni, Mayor of Hackettstown; Assemblyman John DiMaio and his family; Rick Gardner, Warren County Freeholder; James Graham, President and CEO, Warren County Regional Chamber of Commerce; Kevin Guyette, Director of Development for the Arc of Warren County; Assemblywoman Alison McHose and her family; Gail Lydecker Phoebus, Sussex County Freeholder-elect and Centenary alumna; Jason Sarnoski, Warren County Freeholder; Betty Schultheis, Mayor of Allamuchy; Jim Sheldon, Executive Director of the Hackettstown BID; Ed Smith, Warren County Freeholder-Elect; and Dolores Stammer, Regional Director of the N.J. Small Business Development Center of Northwest Jersey.

“Again, it was a pleasure to bring these guests to campus, and to the beautiful David and Carol Lackland Center specifically,” says Paffendorf.  “Hopefully, they will consider coming again soon this season for one of our many upcoming events or to take in one of our Centenary Stage Company performances.”

For information on events that are open to the public, visit www.centenarycollege.edu. 

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world.

Centenary College’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County).  The Centenary College School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in three locations: Hackettstown, Parsippany and Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.  The School of International Programs recruits international students for study at Centenary and Centenary students for study abroad.
 
###