January 6, 2023

Hackensack resident Jayden Hall honored at the Annual Freedom Fund Luncheon.

Hackettstown, NJ Jan. 6, 2023—Centenary University student Jayden Hall was recently honored by the NAACP Bergen County Branch at the organization’s Annual Freedom Fund Luncheon in Paramus. The Hackensack resident was the only Bergen County student recognized at the event.

When told of the award from the NAACP Bergen County Chapter, Hall was shocked: “I was really surprised. Only three students were honored, and I was the only one from Bergen County. Having that kind of recognition is really rare for me. It definitely gave my mom and grandma bragging rights.”

A graduate of Hackensack High School, Hall was nominated for the award by his high school guidance counselor, Lucinda McConnachie. In high school, he was president of the Future Business Leaders of America during his senior year. The honor roll student was also a member of the Robotics Team, Debate Team, Model United Nations, and the Community Service Club. During his senior year, Hall volunteered to participate in a study on race relations at the school conducted by his guidance counselor.

Hall is majoring in computer science at Centenary, where he is a first-year student. “I’m the first person in my family to go to college, so the financial aid package Centenary offered definitely helped,” said Hall, the oldest of three children.

At Centenary, the computer science program is endorsed by Google and I’ll be eligible to apply for an internship with Microsoft.

After graduation, he hopes to earn a master’s degree from either Cornell University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before working as a software or electrical engineer at a big tech company. Someday, he’d like to launch his own startup.

ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY

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 provides an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world. The University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township.