Grace Seaman – 2026

During her time at Centenary, she was involved in IHSA and VITA, gained valuable hands-on experience, earned multiple Dean’s List honors, and completed cybersecurity coursework through Rize at Centenary.

Grace also completed a six-month co-op with Johnson & Johnson Global Finance, where she supported financial auditing for global clinical drug trials, budget forecasting, and inter-company transaction updates. After graduation, she began an internship with Centenary University’s Finance Department, gaining experience in financial reporting, budgeting, audit preparation, departmental analysis, and process improvement.

Grace credits Centenary not only for preparing her academically, but also for helping her develop the confidence and network needed to succeed.

“Centenary gave me the necessary educational foundation to excel in my chosen fields, but you can get that anywhere,” Grace shared. “What you can’t get anywhere is the confidence to pursue and achieve your goals through the assistance of the professors they provide.”

For Grace, Centenary faculty served as mentors who encouraged her, helped her build connections, and introduced her to opportunities such as VITA, where she volunteered in tax preparation while strengthening her professional skills.

“Being able to do volunteer tax preparation not only helped others, but also helped me develop my skills,” she said. “And my internship with Centenary has allowed me to work far closer with financial processes than ever, proving that even after graduation, Centenary still has so much to teach and provide.”

Looking ahead, Grace plans to pursue her CPA license and hopes to continue learning from mentors before eventually opening her own firm. She also hopes to one day mentor recent college graduates as they begin their professional journeys.  Outside of work and academics, Grace enjoys horseback riding, baking and cooking, reading, hiking with her German Shepherd, and volunteering to help clean up a wooded nature preserve in Bernardsville.

Her advice to today’s students is simple: “Don’t follow the herd. Not when choosing a school, major, or even electives.”

For Grace, choosing Centenary allowed her to graduate without debt, develop a strong network, gain practical experience, build lasting friendships, grow her own profitable business, and create a life that supported her goals academically, financially, and personally.

“I couldn’t be happier that I chose to take a path not many of my peers had considered,” she shared.

Grace’s story reflects the power of a Centenary education — one that gives students the foundation, confidence, and support to build their own path and pursue success on their own terms.