National organization supports university leadership, advances institutional excellence, and enhances public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society.

The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) has named Centenary University President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., to its Board of Directors effective Jan. 4. The board includes national leaders in higher education, including college presidents from CIC member institutions.

            Centenary University is a member of CIC, an organization that supports university leadership, advances institutional excellence, and enhances public understanding of the many contributions independent higher education makes to society. CIC membership includes more than 700 nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils of independent colleges, and other higher education affiliates. 

A leading voice in New Jersey higher education, Dr. Caldwell assumed the presidency of Centenary University on July 1, 2023. Under his leadership, the University has launched several new partnerships and academic programs that are creating new pathways for students of all economic backgrounds to earn a college education. An agreement announced last month with The Patrick School allows for the national high school boys basketball powerhouse to relocate to the Centenary campus, creating an innovative dual enrollment program for high school students to live, study, and train on the University’s campus. Last summer, Centenary also announced a partnership with Ideal Institute of Technology that provides opportunities for vocational students from Ideal to gain job skills and earn a salary, while pursuing an undergraduate degree from Centenary.

Dr. Caldwell’s goal is to make higher education more accessible to students who may not otherwise pursue a college degree. Now, he has expanded his efforts beyond Centenary’s campus to encourage more high school students to consider college, launching a speaking tour called Simplifying College at New Jersey high schools. The tour focuses on teaching prospective students about the value of college, the financial aid and scholarship process, and the college opportunities close to home in New Jersey.

It’s a message he hopes will expand across the country through his participation on the CIC Board of Directors: “Thousands of high school students here in New Jersey aren’t considering college at all because no one has encouraged them to apply. They don’t understand the benefits of college and think they can’t afford tuition because the process to receive financial aid and scholarships is confusing. It’s the same across the United States. Yet, studies show that earning a college degree is one of the biggest predictors of career success. College graduates have 57 percent more employment opportunities, have received 72.4 percent of all jobs offered since 2010, and earned an average salary of $84,000, compared to $49,000 for those without a degree. That’s an important message that I think needs to get out there.” 

ABOUT CENTENARY UNIVERSITY
Centenary University offers extraordinary learning opportunities that empower students to develop intellectually, emotionally, and interculturally—keys to career and personal success. Under the leadership of President Dale Caldwell, Ed.D., the University aspires to advance its reputation as a world class institution offering innovative programs, including the world’s first Master of Arts in Happiness Studies, to lift the future for our students and local communities.