Both formed interests in their lifelong ambitions as the result of classes they attended at CHS.
Hopewell Valley Central High School with the support of Merrill Lynch hosted the first Distinguished Graduates Award Reception on March 13 at the Hopewell Valley Golf Club.
The award was created to recognize outstanding achievements of Hopewell Valley graduates. Committee Chairwoman Lynne Cullinane said the award became a reality thanks to the support of school administration, the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education, and Helene Garcia, vice president, community leadership for Merrill Lynch.
The first recipients are Alicia Campi and Geoffrey Noden. Both formed interests in their lifelong ambitions as the result of classes they attended at CHS. On March 14, Dr. Campi and Mr. Noden returned to CHS this time to share their knowledge and experiences with students.
Dr. Campi is a member of the Class of 1967. She received a bachelor’s degree in Far Eastern history from Smith College, a master’s degree in East Asian/Mongolian studies from Harvard University, and a doctorate in Mongolian studies from Indiana University. She has studied Chinese language at Middlebury College, Princeton University, Taiwan, Singapore, and Shanghai, and was the first U.S. student to do post-doctoral Mongol language study at Mongolia State University in 1990.
She has written extensively on Mongolian culture, politics, economics, and environment. Dr. Campi is employed as chief executive officer of Fusion Technology, Inc., in Maryland.
Geoffrey Noden is a member of the Class of 1978. Upon graduation, Mr. Noden began an apprenticeship in woodworking and then established a fledging business in his basement shop. In 1982, he was the first American student to attend the John Makepeace School for Craftsmen in Wood, Devon, England. Mr. Noden holds one patent for a woodworking tool he designed, with a second patent pending for a woodworker’s bench.
Mr. Noden lives with his family in Titusville, and continues to design and build furniture in his Hamilton shop.

