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Forward thinking 101: Dale Caldwell is bringing new ideas to his new role as president of Centenary University

By Tom Bergeron

About that reading, writing and arithmetic idea … Dale Caldwell, the dynamic and innovative new president of Centenary University, has some thoughts.

Don’t be confused, Caldwell isn’t moving away from a traditional liberal arts education. Far from it. The ability to think and communicate is just as important now as it was when Caldwell earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University four decades ago.

But, as he begins his first school year at Centenary, Caldwell is working to establish the small private university in Hackettstown as one that is thinking outside the box to meet student needs in a post-pandemic world. It starts with this:

• Emotional well-being;
• Intellectual curiosity;
• Intercultural competence.

“That’s the secret sauce,” he said. “Our mission is to focus on developing students emotionally, intellectually and then culturally.”