February 8, 2017

Hackettstown, N.J. February 8, 2017 – On March 20, 2017, Centenary University’s Dean of the Social Media Center of Expertise, Kathy Naasz, will be recognized by NJBIZ as one of New Jersey’s Top 50 Best Women in Business. An independent panel of judges selected Dean Naasz based upon the outstanding contributions she has made to the industry and community. Additionally, the University is pleased to announce that Dean Naasz has been named Centenary’s Vice President of Innovation as of February 2017. Kathy Naasz’s dedication and expertise will continue to serve as a fundamental force in Centenary University’s continued success.

Under Kathy Naasz’s leadership, Centenary is proud to be the first university in the tri-state area to offer a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in Social Media Marketing. The Social Media Center of Expertise, #theVIBE, at Centenary University’s main campus in Hackettstown, N.J. opened in October 2015 in response to the growing importance of social media marketing in business.

In addition to the Social Media concentration for business majors, #theVIBE offers a 16-credit minor in Social Media for students majoring in other fields and a 16-credit certificate for working professionals. The certificate can be completed in a blended format in just eight months. The Center features a wall with four touchscreens that serves as a social media command center. Students can run analytics or view conversations that are happening around certain brands globally. The center’s interactive TV panels and iMac computer lab allow students to share and display information instantaneously in a wireless fashion.

Kathy Naasz’s groundbreaking initiatives at Centenary University have been acknowledged internationally in business.

“The program Centenary University launched in Social Media will help fill the gap we see today in analytic talent and appears to be on the forefront of instilling the skills colleges should be teaching to future professionals,” says Kevin Hartman, Google Head of Analytics – Consumer Goods and Entertainment Sector.

The Social Media Center of Expertise in Hackettstown has been so successful that it has recently expanded to a second center at the Centenary University learning center in Parsippany, which will be focused on Social Media Marketing Certificates for adult working professionals.

In addition to her commitment to Centenary University, Kathy Naasz has previously held positions as President of IACBE Middle States Region, Global Executive Director at AT&T, and Co-Founder of a start-up online company. Through her corporate and personal experience, she has launched five businesses and has global work experience in over 14 countries. She enjoys bringing businesses and students together to collaborate and stimulate new ways of thinking. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College and a Master of Science in Management from Stanford University.

“I am honored to have been selected and look forward to getting to know the other rocking women who have earned the Top Women in Business distinction,” says Kathy Naasz. “Centenary University is a special place. It has staying power, as it was founded in 1867, and has creative power, as the culture is open to bringing new ideas from students, professors, and the community to life. In my new role focused on innovation, I hope to do even more.”

The NJBIZ Best 50 Women in Business Awards program honors New Jersey’s most dynamic women in business that have been making headlines in their field. To be eligible for this awards program, NJBIZ seeks female business leaders who are influential in their companies, industries and communities, as well as shaping the economic future of New Jersey. A highly selective and competitive honor, this award was also presented to the University’s President Emeritus Dr. Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite in 2015. Only two professionals who work in higher education were selected for this honor.

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University’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 University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County). The Centenary School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in two locations: 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.

 

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