Editing Centenary University (section)

==History==

Centenary University was founded as the '''Centenary Collegiate Institute (CCI)''' by the Newark Conference of what was then called the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] in 1867.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Novak |first=Steve |date=2017-02-18 |title=Vintage photos of Centenary University over 150 years |url=https://www.nj.com/warren/2017/02/vintage_photos_of_centenary_university_over_150_ye.html |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=lehighvalleylive.com |language=en}}</ref> The name was chosen to commemorate the [[centennial]] of [[Methodism]] in the United States.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CENTENARY COLLEGE CATALOG ADULT & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES |url=https://www.centenaryuniversity.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/11_12_sps_catalog_final.pdf |access-date=Nov 24, 2020 |website=centenaryuniversity.edu |page=7}}</ref> It was built for $200,000. George H. Whitney, D.D., was president from 1869 to 1895.<ref>{{cite web|title=1890 Centenary Collegiate Institute|url=http://halfwaybrook.com/?p=2251|access-date=July 28, 2012}}</ref> The first [[commencement ceremony]] was held on June 25, 1875.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 2025 |title=150th Anniversary Centenary University Commencement Program |url=https://www.centenaryuniversity.edu/getmedia/8e4f9611-8fa8-4220-9e4d-e4a830e026db/5-5-CENfinal-Commencement-program-2025.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250509214332/https://www.centenaryuniversity.edu/getmedia/8e4f9611-8fa8-4220-9e4d-e4a830e026db/5-5-CENfinal-Commencement-program-2025.pdf |archive-date=2025-05-09 |website=centenaryuniversity.edu |page=2}}</ref>

Beginning as a coeducational [[College-preparatory school|preparatory school]], CCI became a girls-only institution in 1910. In 1940, it became a [[junior college]]: '''Centenary Junior College'''. It would subsequently become '''Centenary College for Women''' in 1956 before becoming '''Centenary College''' in 1976, a four-year college for women offering [[Associate degree|associate]] and [[Bachelor's degree|bachelor's]] degrees, with men allowed to pursue degrees only during night courses. In 1988, men were allowed to attend full-time. In 1995, [[master's degree]] programs were introduced.<ref name=":1" /> In 2016, Centenary College was granted [[University]] status by the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education.<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 May 2016|title=Surprise! N.J. College announces name change at graduation|url=https://www.nj.com/education/2016/05/surprise_nj_college_announces_name_change_at_gradu.html}}</ref>

In 1886, a 19-year-old kitchen worker at CCI named Tillie Smith was "outraged" and murdered in a field just off campus. A [[janitor]] at CCI named James Titus was convicted of the crime based on [[circumstantial evidence]] strongly influenced by [[yellow journalism]]. Authors and  historians generally consider this a [[false conviction]], but the debate over the facts continues perennially through [[dark tourism]] ghost tours, theatrical performances, books and [[Weird NJ]] magazine articles.<ref>{{Cite book|title=In Defence of Her Honor: The Tillie Smith Murder Case.|last=Sullivan|first=Denis|publisher=D.H. Thoreau Books|year=2000|location=Flemington}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/2013/10/tillie_smith_centenary_college.html|title=Tillie Smith murder at Centenary College remains part of Hackettstown lore|last=O'Donnell|first=Chuck|date=2013-10-06|website=lehighvalleylive|language=en|access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1887/05/18/archives/in-memory-of-tillie-smith.html|title=In Memory of Tillie Smith.|date=1887-05-18|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.njherald.com/news/20171026/following-the-path-of-tillie-smith|title=Following the path of Tillie Smith|website=New Jersey Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://weirdnj.com/stories/garden-state-ghosts/tillie-smith-centenary-college/|title=Murdered Maid Haunts Centenary College|website=weirdnj.com|access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/how-we-live/2018/04/30/maryann-mcfaddens-novel-1886-new-jersey-murder/557177002/|title=Mondays with authors: Maryann McFadden's new novel explores1886 NJ murder|date=2020-01-24|access-date=2020-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124122114/https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/how-we-live/2018/04/30/maryann-mcfaddens-novel-1886-new-jersey-murder/557177002/|archive-date=2020-01-24}}</ref>

On Halloween night, 1899, the original five-story CCI building burned to the ground in a fire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hackettstownhistory.com/narticle_halloween2007.shtml|title=Historic Hackettstown|website=hackettstownhistory.com|access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Morgan|first=Susan|title=HISTORIC SITES OF WARREN COUNTY|url=http://www.co.warren.nj.us/download/historic.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113155247/http://www.co.warren.nj.us/download/historic.pdf|archive-date=Jan 13, 2020|website=Warren County Cultural and Heritage Commission}}</ref> The new building termed "Old Main" (now known as the Seay Building), was designed by architect [[Oscar Schutte Teale]] in a [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]] [[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux Arts]] style<ref>{{Cite book|last=Herman|first=Jennifer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tc4uZ2HBG2oC&q=Renaissance,+Beaux+Arts,+Late+19th+And+20th+Century+Revivals+"seay+administration+building"&pg=RA1-PA206|title=New Jersey Encyclopedia|date=2008-01-01|publisher=State History Publications|isbn=978-1-878592-44-6|language=en}}</ref> and built atop the ruins of the original structure in 1901.<ref name="nrhpdoc" /> Only two buildings survived the fire, the men's gymnasium (now the Little Theater of the Seay Building) and the women's gymnasium (now the Ferry Building).

In 1957, a student-run [[College Radio|college radio]] station, [[WXPJ|WNTI]], began broadcasting on campus. Eventually becoming an [[NPR]] affiliate serving the regional community with an adult [[Album-oriented rock|album rock format]], the [[FM broadcasting|FM]] transmitter was sold to [[University of Pennsylvania]]-based [[WXPN]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-24|title=WNTI license sold to Philadelphia public radio station - News - New Jersey Herald - Newton, NJ|url=https://www.njherald.com/article/20151013/NEWS/909018031|access-date=2020-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124202629/https://www.njherald.com/article/20151013/NEWS/909018031|archive-date=2020-11-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Lustig|first=Jay|date=2015-10-06|title=WNTI-FM is sold; DJs say goodbye online|url=https://www.njarts.net/radio/wnti-is-sold-djs-say-goodbye-online/|access-date=2020-11-24|website=NJArts.net|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-10-06|title='WNTI Is Over': Centenary College Radio Station Reportedly Sold|url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/hackettstown/wnti-over-centenary-college-radio-station-reportedly-sold-0|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Hackettstown, NJ Patch|language=en}}</ref> As of 2020, a student-run [[internet radio]] station operates at WNTI.org.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ABOUT WNTI|url=http://wnti.centenaryuniversity.edu/about-us/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128094142/http://wnti.centenaryuniversity.edu/about-us/|archive-date=Jan 28, 2020|access-date=Nov 24, 2020|website=WNTI.org}}</ref>

The Centenary Stage Company, a professional [[Actors' Equity Association|Equity]] theater, has been operating on campus since 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Centenary Stage Company - Hackettstown, NJ|url=https://scenicwilddelawareriver.com/entries/centenary-stage-company-hackettstown-nj/4ab2d9cf-c3c3-4c2a-b6d9-f4cc3f0dd601|access-date=2020-11-25|website=scenicwilddelawareriver.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Message from Carl Wallnau|url=http://www.centenarystageco.org/message-from-carl-wallnau|access-date=2020-11-25|website=Centenary Stage Company|language=en}}</ref> In 1992, a "Women's Playwright Series" development program offered grants, workshops, prizes and world premieres for the underserved voice of women in theater.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Women Playwrights Series {{!}} Centenary Stage Company {{!}} Hackettstown, NJ|url=http://www.centenarystageco.org/women-playwrights-series-1|access-date=2020-11-25|website=Centenary Stage Company|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Wilcox|first=Stephen|title=Women Playwrights Series at Centenary Stage Co|url=https://gardenstatewoman.com/item/308-women-playwrights-series-at-centenary-stage-co|access-date=2020-11-25|website=gardenstatewoman.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> Centenary also offers an intensive [[Musical theatre|musical theater]] program for intermediate and advanced [[Child actor|young performers]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Centenary sets fall Young Performers Workshop|url=https://www.njherald.com/news/20190815/centenary-sets-fall-young-performers-workshop|access-date=2020-11-25|website=New Jersey Herald|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Young Audience Series {{!}} Centenary Stage Company {{!}} Hackettstown, NJ|url=http://www.centenarystageco.org/young-audience-series|access-date=2020-11-25|website=Centenary Stage Company|language=en}}</ref>

In 1999, Centenary founded the Center for Adult and Professional Studies program. In 2011, the program was renamed the School of Professional Studies.<ref name=":2" />

In 2024 Centenary University and the Ideal Institute of Technology joined forces to offer both vocational training and higher education. This collaboration offers work-based college programs to local residents who may be underserved in their community.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ideal Institute & Centenary University Partner in Work-Based Pilot Program |url=https://njbmagazine.com/njb-news-now/ideal-institute-centenary-university-partner-in-work-based-pilot-program/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=New Jersey Business Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

Additionally, Centenary and [[The Patrick School]] (TPS), a private high school known for their nationally ranked basketball program, announced a partnership that relocated TPS to the Hackettstown campus in 2024 with students also having the option to live on campus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Volkland |first=Kristen |date=2024-12-09 |title=CU Signs Use Agreement with National High School Basketball Powerhouse The Patrick School |url=https://www.centenaryuniversity.edu/news-and-media/cu-signs-use-agreement-with-national-high-school-basketball-powerhouse-the-patrick-school |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126230355/https://www.centenaryuniversity.edu/news-and-media/cu-signs-use-agreement-with-national-high-school-basketball-powerhouse-the-patrick-school |archive-date=2025-01-26 |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=centenaryuniversity.edu}}</ref> TPS alumni include [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] stars [[Kyrie Irving]], [[Adama Sanogo]], and [[Samuel Dalembert]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=lehighvalleylive.com |first=Glenn Epps {{!}} For |date=2025-01-26 |title=Meet the NJ high school basketball captain destined for the NBA |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/2025/01/the-patrick-school-a-magnet-for-nba-hopefuls-finds-home-on-campus-in-warren-co.html |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=lehighvalleylive |language=en}}</ref>