Centenary Alumnus, Trustee to Address Graduating Class

A nontraditional student with an undeniable passion for learning and involvement with Centenary College will address the graduating class of 247 students at the upcoming commencement.

Centenary College Trustee and keynote speaker Wolfgang Gstattenbauer, class of '84, will speak at Centenary College's 138th January commencement Saturday at 11 a.m., at the John M. Reeves Student Recreation Center.

Gstattenbauer, a U.S. Navy veteran who served between 1964 and 1968, decided to take night classes in order to receive his college education, enrolling at Centenary College in 1979 and inevitably earning his associate's degree in business administration by 1984.

Following his graduation, Gstattenbauer continued his involvement with Centenary College, serving two terms on the Board of Trustees, from 1990 to 2005 and 2008 to the present.

He serves as chair of the academic affairs committee, supported the development of the Faculty Senate and has spearheaded many initiatives, including curriculum revision, tenure structure and the maintenance of high academic quality at the institution.

Additionally, he has donated his time and resources to various Centenary causes, including representing the college at formal events and conducting workshops in his professional field.

"I've always had the sense of giving back (to the college) because my Centenary College education certainly aided my career," Gstattenbauer said recently. "I wanted to give back to the community that has helped my career tremendously," he said.

The longtime executive at M&M/Mars International began his 29 years with the company in an entry-level position. He worked his way up to become the operations director and retired in 1997 as the personnel director, responsible for the eight manufacturing plants in the United States.

He is currently a member of the Sussex County Open Space Committee and serves as vice chairman of the Land Use Board of Frankford, where he lives with his wife, Phyllis.

For the graduating class, Gstattenbauer offered some advice: "Do the best work you can, always be prepared for the next step, hope to have the luck to be in the right place at the right time, and last, but not least, have perseverance to never give up," he said.

The graduating class will include undergraduate and graduate students from the main campus in Hackettstown and the Centenary College School of Professional Studies learning centers in Parsippany and Edison.

Gstattenbauer and John Franklin, chief executive officer of United Way of Northern New Jersey, will both receive an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Centenary College.

The United Way of Northern New Jersey is a nonprofit organization working to improve people's livelihood and strengthen communities.

"I am pleased that we can acknowledge these individuals in this manner as we have had a long-standing relationship with Mr. Gstattenbauer and the United Way," said Dr. Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite, Centenary College president, in a prepared statement. "I would also like to congratulate the graduates of 2013 whose hard work and dedication have paid off and who are now alumni of this institution. I wish them the best as they continue their professional or academic journey."