Wayner owns a specialized equine massage therapy business and has been accepted to the inaugural class at the Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University.

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ, May 12, 2025—As a college senior, Sophia Wayner is already the owner of a thriving business focused on specialized equine massage therapy. But that’s just one item on her impressive resume. On Saturday, May 10, Wayner graduated as the valedictorian of the Centenary University Class of 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Health. She earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average (GPA). 

            A resident of Califon, NJ, Wayner is a competitive equestrian in the sport of dressage and recently gained acceptance to the inaugural class at the Schreiber School of Veterinary Medicine at Rowan University. She was also a member of the Centenary University Honors Program—which first sparked the idea for her business. For her honors capstone project, Wayner attended a two-day workshop in New York to become certified in the Masterson Method, a type of equine massage therapy that responds to subtle changes in a horse’s body language to pinpoint and release tension in the muscles and nervous system.

            “I love the whole holistic approach of developing a partnership with the horse,” explained Wayner, who is also certified in equipage sports massage. Her business, Lyrical, LLC, combines both forms of massage to treat her clients’ horses. “I’ve found that the combination of light touch and deep pressure massage is a better approach to making the equine nervous system more effective. My client list has been growing—people have seen me working on my own horses and word has spread.”

            One of her clients is the Centenary University Equestrian Center, which offers a nationally-recognized academic and competitive program on the collegiate level, as well as TRAC (Therapeutic Riding At Centenary), an adaptive riding program that provides equestrian opportunities for adults and children with physical and cognitive disabilities and specialized populations such as military veterans, at-risk youth, and residents of assisted living facilities. As part of her honors capstone project, Wayner conducted a series of seminars at Centenary to teach the Masterson Method to faculty and fellow students.         

            As a first-year student Wayner signed on as an instructor in training with TRAC and is hoping to become certified as a TRAC facilitator this year through PATH Intl., a global organization leading the advancement of professional equine-assisted services that support more than 53,000 special needs individuals, including nearly 6,000 veterans. Wayner’s diagnosis with autism at age 20 has provided her with valuable insights in working with TRAC participants.

            “It made so much sense, and has also helped me to relate to TRAC participants,” she said of the diagnosis. “My nervous system has always been in fight or flight mode, triggered by specific noises or different textures. Now, it’s something I embrace—this is what makes me be me. It’s easy to see the lows in a diagnosis like autism, but then you miss the advantages. For instance, the visual arts have always been a huge strength for me, and now I use that strength to educate others.”

            As she reflects on her Centenary career, Wayner credits professionals at Centenary’s equine center and Disability Services Office, as well as her family and friends, with providing the encouragement to explore her interests. “I’m thankful for the support of my parents and boyfriend, Nic Radovanic—this year’s first-generation valedictorian—as well as people at the Centenary University Equestrian Center such as Dr. Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy, Dr. Lynn Taylor, and Karen Brittle,” Wayner said. “In high school, everybody gets caught up in the names of schools, like big-name and Ivy League colleges. But there’s nothing better than a small school, where faculty encourage you to discover your talents and flourish. At Centenary, everyone embraces your differences and helps you to find your superpower.”

ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY

Centenary University offers extraordinary learning opportunities that empower students to develop intellectually, emotionally, and interculturally—keys to career and personal success. Under the leadership of President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., the University aspires to advance its reputation as a world class institution offering innovative programs, including the world’s first Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, to lift the future for our students and local communities.