Welcome Week Festivities

To celebrate the start of another great school year at Centenary University, the Student Activities Office organized a full week of festivities to help new and returning students kick off the semester. 

Among the various events, two activities stood out as crowd favorites: a free coffee pop-up from the local business, The Laughing Goat, and free Rita’s Italian Ice.

On Thursday, Aug. 29, students and staff came together to enjoy free coffee provided by The Laughing Goat coffee truck. Over 100 tickets for free coffee were distributed at the pop-up location outside the Harris and Betts Smith Learning Center. 

The event was not only a hit with students and staff but also a great way to support a local business. In addition to their coffee truck, owners Sean and Courtney Spender own an ice cream truck named The Chuckling Cow, as well as a brick-and-mortar location in Washington. Visit The Laughing Goat Coffee Bar and Eatery, located at 16 E Washington Ave in Washington—just a 20-minute drive from campus! Their food trucks frequently host pop-up events at Tranquility Farms in Green Township, so be sure to check them out if you’re ever in the area.

“Centenary is great,”  said Sean Spender. “It’s so good to support local.” 

On Friday, Aug. 30, students flocked outside the Littell Technology Center to enjoy complimentary Rita’s Italian Ice. Student Activities handed out a variety of flavors for everyone to enjoy.

“Another great welcome week is in the books,” said Jamie Weingarten, Director of Student Activities. “We kicked off the 2024-2025 school year with crowd favorites, including free coffee from The Laughing Goat and free Rita's Italian Ice. When free food is involved, the campus really shows up. It was exciting to see so many new and returning students enjoying their first week on campus, and we’re even more excited for all the fun we have planned for the year ahead.”