Centenary University names new president (updated)

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Centenary University’s board of trustees unanimously approved the appointment of Dale Caldwell as the school’s 15th president, effective July 1. 

Caldwell will be the first African American president in university history, the board announced Feb. 5. 

Currently executive director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Caldwell will succeed President Bruce Murphy, who announced his retirement plans this fall. 

Centenary Board Chair Rochelle Makela-Goodman said Caldwell was chosen from a competitive pool of more than 100 applicants. 

“Dr. Caldwell’s impressive experience leading programs that promote educational access, innovation, revenue generation, equity, and entrepreneurship, and his success in forging partnerships with New Jersey businesses to advance education, align strongly with our mission and the experience sought by students in our region,” Makela-Goodman said in a statement. 

Caldwell’s experience also includes serving as president of the board of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey, as well as being the founding executive director of the Newark Alliance, deputy commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting. 

As president of the Educational Services Commission, Caldwell spearheaded initiatives that resulted in a $132 million revenue increase during his 21-year tenure, according to Centenary. 

One of Caldwell’s missions is advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging. At Fairleigh Dickinson, he is the chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council, where he was instrumental in securing a $1.5 million state grant to provide diversity training and sensitivity analysis of instruction and courses. 

An active community member, Caldwell has served as president of New Brunswick’s Board of Education since 1998. In 2009, he was named the New Jersey School Board Member of the Year by the New Jersey School Boards Association. He is also a licensed local pastor with the Greater New Jersey Conference of the United Methodist Church. 

Caldwell earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University, an MBA in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and a doctorate in education administration from Seton Hall University. 

“I am grateful for the board’s confidence in my ability to lead Centenary at this pivotal time in the University’s history,” Caldwell said. “I look forward to strengthening partnerships between the University and business leaders to grow Centenary’s reputation for scholarship, entrepreneurship, and service.” 

Centenary’s current president will step down June 30, at the end of his contract. Murphy took the helm Jan. 1, 2020, and led the university through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“One of my proudest accomplishments as president is that Centenary didn’t miss one day of instruction as a result of the pandemic,” Murphy said in his retirement announcement. 

Founded in 1867, Centenary’s main campus is in Hackettstown, with its equestrian facility in Washington Township. 

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 11:48 a.m. ET Feb. 6 to remove reference to Murphy’s retirement plans.