It's All About Re-Inventing
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The Quill, May, 2016 Vol. 23, No. 6 See The Quill online at www.centenarycollege.edu/thequill @CentQuill @TheCentQuill Pres. Lewthwaite steps down, looks to new challenges: “ It’s all about re-inventing” has an interesting point of students to my house for din- enrolled in schools similar The Quill view on being a powerful ner, and been to weddings,” to Centenary. While 99% of dedicates this female. She talks with young she says, “It’s a totally differ- our students receive financial issue to Dr. women today who say the ent experience.” assistance, the sticker price Barbara-Jane discrimination is “over and Small liberal arts on this place continues to Lewthwaite as done with” and her reply is colleges are having a crisis. rise. How are future students she ends her a stern “No, it’s not.”But she According to the Associated going to afford it? Well, they tenure as also understands how much Press, “The Wall Street rating have to want it. College worse it could be. “I’ve had agency Moody’s predicts “I just finished off pay- President. Dr. Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite candid conversations with the number of four-year, ing my doctorate loan,” ad- with Stephanie [Bennett- nonprofit colleges closing mits Lewthwaite, “and it took By Micheal Clinton Smith],” she recalls, “and annually will triple in the 10 years to pay my under- If you’ve never and an EdD from St. John’s stories in the 1980s sound next few years, while merg- grad. It’s nothing new; there been inside Dr. Barbara- University, Dr. Lewthwaite like something out of the ers will more than double.” is just less of a willingness Jayne Lewthwaite’s office, came to us in 1985 as an 1950s” and most likely The number of traditional for people to want to [pay for it is not as intimidating as adjunct business profes- contributed to the location age students (18-22) is it].” Dr. Lewthwaite explains you might expect. Yes, it’s sor. Centenary was still a of Centenary in rural Warren dwindling. that there is some comparison tucked away inside the front women’s College, the campus County, New Jersey. “My Dr. Lewthwaite has faith that between a college education parlors of the Seay Admin- ended where the Taylor Me- head has hit the glass ceil- “the American higher educa- and a car. “You can get a istration Building and many morial Library and the John ing many a time,” she says, tion system is the best in the basic model without the bells students might walk right by M. Reeves Recreation center adding that she doesn’t let it world.” Admittedly, some of and whistles that will get you it without a second glance, do, and the most common limit her. the uneasiness or lack of faith where you want to go,” or but once you make it past depictions of education were The undergraduate in higher ed today comes “you can buy a BMW.” De- the doorway it feels just John Hughes’ The Break- experiences Dr. Lewthwaite from the assumption “that a spite all of the political speak, like Centenary: inviting. Dr. fast Club and Jeff Kanew’s delivered to the students college education is the key Dr. Lewthwaite is firm when Lewthwaite is a soft spoken, Revenge of the Nerds. “It was at Centenary was drasti- to the American dream,” says she says that “our students yet commanding and intel- a really interesting period to cally different from what she Lewthwaite, “not that it has are better than ever.” lectual woman who has been live through,” she explains; experienced during her 12 been explicitly stated that Although an ad- the leader of Centenary Col- “the college was on the brink credits in the MBA Program way.” With “free college” on ministrator by trade, Lewth- lege for the past eight years. of going out of business and at the NYU Stern School. the table via Senator Bernie waite’s first love is teaching. In the little off time she has, [then president] Stephanie “It was dog eat dog. Sanders, there may come “I love young people,” she Dr. Lewthwaite takes tap Bennet Smith brought us You would go to the library “resentment for the ivory said with a smile, “because dancing classes, enjoys inte- back.” The school went coed and the pages you needed tower,” explains Dr. Lewth- they’re the future. You re- rior design and architecture, in 1988 and Bennett-Smith for a paper would be ripped waite regarding the status of ally are affecting the future. has family Sunday dinners added programs like Criminal out of journals,” she recalls. small liberal arts colleges, “a You met them as they came and makes time to read as Justice and NCAA athletics “I hated it. It was not the feeling that perhaps we think here, and then you watched much as possible (especially to attract the male population. type of atmosphere I en- we’re something special.” them as they walk across if it is not about higher edu- While this switch to joyed.” Dr. Lewthwaite was Centenary has some that platform and you’re like cation). co-educational is seen, his- much better suited for the stigmas it needs to shake as “Wow.”They can’t see what’s For the current torically, as a pivotal moment academic environment here well. Our Equine program, happened to them as I can. I students at Centenary, Dr. for Centenary College, Dr. in Hackettstown, NJ. “This which has been a flagship also learn as much from my Lewthwaite has always been Lewthwaite’s presence during is what a real education is,” initiative, is often looked at students as they learn from our president. This month, this transition is no coinci- she says; “there is constant as a socioeconomic privilege. me. I think education is the as the Class of 2016 gradu- dence, but more likely a gift access to faculty and a class “Not all those students, but answer to everything.” Dr. ates and begins to spreads from God. Arguably, two of of 20 students is considered many of them, I wouldn’t say Lewthwaite has always said their wings out into a world Centenary’s most influential large.” Faculty get to know are rich, but are certainly not that she enjoys spending outside Hackettstown, so presidents have been females students on a personal level poor. Usually upper middle time with students, and I’ve does Dr. Lewthwaite. who climbed their way to and see the impact they have class because it takes so believed it every time. Armed with an the top right at the begin- on the lives of their students, much money to ride,” says Propelled by this undergraduate degree from ning of a national feminist while their own lives are Lewthwaite, and the same passion, Dr. Lewthwaite’s Pace University, an MBA movement. Dr. Lewthwaite affected as well. “I’ve had can be said for students (Continued on p. 4) 2 Viewpoint! A photo reminiscence A quiet classroom moment Faculty photo for The Hack 1986 (See more about Pres. Lewthwaite on p. 4.) As Accolade, honored in the 1994 Hack edition Raymond W. Kelly, former com- mission of the NYPD to speak at Centenary’s 141st commence- ment ceremonies in May Raymond W. Kelly Centenary will hold its 141st May Commencement at 1 p.m. on May 14, on the front lawn of the Edward W. Seay Administration Building. Ray- mond W. Kelly, who has served as the Commissioner of the NYPD, U.S. Treasury Department Under Secretary for Enforcement, and Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service, is this year’s keynote speaker and will address Centenary’s 525 graduates. With 50 years in public service, including 14 years as Police Commissioner of the City of New York, Raymond W. Kelly is one of the world’s most well-known and highly esteemed leaders in law enforcement. Kelly was appointed Police Commissioner in January 2002 by Mayor Michael Bloom- berg, making Kelly the longest serving Police Commissioner in the city’s history, as well as the first to hold the post for a second, separate tenure. He served as Police Commissioner under Mayor David N. Dinkins from 1992-1994. In 2002, Commissioner Kelly created the first counterterrorism bureau of any municipal police department in the country. He also established a new global intelligence program and stationed New York City detectives in 11 foreign cities. Under Kelly’s leadership, the NYPD lowered violent crime by 40% from 2001 levels, while also dedicating extensive resources to the successful prevention of any future terrorist attacks. Commissioner Kelly also established the Real Time Crime Center, a state-of-the-art facility that uses data mining to search millions of computer records and put investigative leads into the hands of detectives in the field. These department-wide improvements have served as the model for other law enforcement agencies around the world. In addition, Nancy Johns Paffendorf ‘79/’81/‘06, Dean for Community and College Affairs, will be receiving the coveted Dominick V. Romano Volunteer Award at Commencement for her efforts in the area of community relations throughout the region. Paffendorf has held many positions at Cente- nary College including Acting Registrar, Director of Alumni Affairs and Dean for Academic Policy and Programs. She served on the Alumni Association Executive Board for 20 years and is one of Centenary College’s original 125 Distinguished Alumni. Paffendorf holds three degrees from Centenary Col- lege: A.S. in Liberal Arts, B.A. in Individualized Studies and M.A. in Leadership and Public Administration.