We CU at Home With Us!
Centenary is known as a safe, supportive space for learning, but our beautiful campus in historic Hackettstown, NJ is so much more! No matter your preferences – social activities to meet new people, cheering for the home team, online gaming, cosplay, or service opportunities to change lives… YES! You can do THAT here!
First Generation Students
Centenary University First Generation Students and Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) Honor Society
A First-Generation Student is a someone whose parents did not graduate from a four-year college or university in the United States.
First-generation students often work hard to gain admission to college, arriving on campus academically prepared but with limited insight into what lies beyond the classroom. The Centenary University First Generation Society (CUFG) recognizes the unique challenges these students face and offers a supportive space to connect, share experiences, discuss expectations and frustrations, and exchange best practices. It provides an opportunity to build lasting relationships with peers who are navigating college from similar backgrounds and perspectives.
In 2024, Centenary was inducted as a FirstGen Forward Network Member.
FirstGen Forward offers a national model for scaling holistic support for first-generation student success. In recognition of our dedication to empowering students, we were named a top performer for social mobility by US News & World Report in 2023-2024. This honor reflects our commitment to creating a campus that not only supports these students in transforming their own futures but also in shaping the futures of generations to come.
Mentors and Ambassadors
Our First-Gen Peer Mentor program allows upperclassmen to share their experiences with first- and second-year students. These first-hand insights often inspire new First-Gen students to step outside their comfort zones and try something new.
Additionally, students can work with First-Gen students at local high schools, helping them understand that higher education is achievable and guiding them through the college application and decision-making process. We aim to expand the program by sending students back to their high schools to share their own First-Gen experiences.
Speakers and Workshops
In addition to First Gen Speakers, workshops are held each semester specifically for First Generation students. Topics include Financial Aid Forms, Budgeting 101, Networking, Career Pathways, Campus Resources and Services, Stress Management and Mental Health, and Understanding College Culture.
Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha)
Tri Alpha is a national honor society for First-Generation college students, with chapters at universities across the U.S. Centenary inducted its first members in November 2023.
The Tri-Alpha induction ceremony takes place each year in early November, coinciding with National First-Generation College Celebration Day on November 8. Students, faculty, and staff interested in joining can contact the CU Tri-Alpha Chapter anytime for consideration. Invitations are sent in mid-October.
To become a member, candidates must:
- Come from a family where neither parent nor legal guardian has earned a bachelor’s degree,
- Be a current associate or bachelor’s degree candidate at Centenary University, enrolled at least half-time, and have completed at least 30 credit hours (with one course taken at Centenary for transfer students), maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.2, or
- Be enrolled in a graduate program, having completed at least 9 credit hours and maintaining a GPA of at least 3.5.
Tri-Alpha offers lifetime membership, with dues of $25 for students and $40 for faculty and staff.