Dale G. Caldwell (born July 6, 1960) is an education and religious leader and the 15th president of Centenary University. Assuming office in 2023, he became the university's first Black president.[1] He is also the pastor of Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield, New Jersey.[2] Caldwell has been the president of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey since 2001,[3] was the founding president of College Achieve of Greater Asbury Park Charter School since 2017[4] and a former member of the New Brunswick Board of Education from 1998–2024.[5]

Dale G. Caldwell
Dale G. Caldwell, 15th president of Centenary University

Early life and education

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Caldwell was born on July 6, 1960, in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, Gilbert and Grace Caldwell, met in Greensboro, North Carolina where they were both attending college. His father, Rev. Dr. Gilbert Haven Caldwell, graduated from North Carolina A&T and became a United Methodist pastor who knew and marched with Martin Luther King Jr.[6]

Caldwell is a 1978 graduate of the Hopkins School in New Haven, Conn.[7] He earned his Bachelor in Arts in economics from Princeton University in 1982.[8] Caldwell earned an Master of Business Administration in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1988 and a Doctorate in Education Administration from Seton Hall University in 2017.[9]

Career

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After graduating from the Wharton School, Caldwell worked in the public sector health care practice of Deloitte Consulting from 1988 to 1999. He left Deloitte to become the founding executive director of the Newark Alliance, where he led the organization in enhancing education and economic development of New Jersey’s largest city.[10] He left the Newark Alliance to serve as the assistant commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for Governor Jim McGreevey’s administration from 2003 to 2005. He was later promoted to deputy commissioner and served as the chief operating officer of the department.[11]

USTA

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Caldwell became the first Black president and CEO of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Eastern Section in 2006. The election was challenged by the losing candidate, Gerard E. Cuva, a white tennis instructor from Albany, who filed a lawsuit contending that the vote counting was improperly influenced. The lawsuit was ultimately overturned.[12]

The newly installed USTA Eastern Section president suggested that the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) create an exhibit called “Breaking The Barriers” celebrating Black tennis history. Caldwell served as the co-curator of this exhibit with Arthur Carrington. It debuted at the 2007 US Open, where more than 26,000 spectators viewed the exhibit.[13] The success of the exhibit inspired Caldwell to found the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2008 to celebrate players and contributors who were denied the right to participate in white only tennis tournaments and events.

As chair of the USTA Strategic Planning Committee, Caldwell created the New York Open, a professional tournament in Central Park. It was designed to help players rated 300 and below in the world earn extra income.[14] The tournament ran from 2013 to 2019. In 2021, Caldwell was inducted into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame.[15]

Education

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Caldwell was elected to the board of education of the New Brunswick Public Schools in 1998 and served as the school board president for six years. In 2009, he was selected as the New Jersey School Board Member of the Year by the New Jersey School Boards Association.[16] During this time Caldwell also founded the consulting, training and coaching firm Strategic Influence.[17]

Caldwell has been a member of the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey School Board since 1999 and has been reelected president every year since 2001.[3] He has been the founding board president of the College Achieve of Greater Asbury Park Charter School since 2017.[4]

In 2013, the Village Charter School in Trenton, New Jersey, named Caldwell head of school.[18] In 2015, he was named the Charter School Administrator of the Year from the New Jersey Charter School Association for his work leading the Village Charter School.[19]

Fairleigh Dickinson University

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Caldwell became the executive director of the Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Silberman College of Business at Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2018.[20] In this position, he led the expansion of the Veterans Launching Ventures program,[21] the New Jersey Family Business of the Year Awards, and the Executive Coaching program.[22]

He held this position until he became president of Centenary University in 2023. Caldwell is a licensed local pastor in the United Methodist Church and has been the pastor of Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield since 2021.

Awards and honors

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  • ROI-NJ 150 Most Influential C-Suite Executives in New Jersey (2023)[23]
  • NJBIZ NJ Power 50 - Ranked the 9th Most Influential Person in Higher Education (2023)[24]
  • Inducted into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame (2021)[15]
  • AARP New Jersey Andrus Award (2021)[25]
  • New Jersey Charter School Association Administrator of the Year Award (2015)[16]
  • USTA Eastern Section Leslie G. FitzGibbon Man of the Year Award (2014)[26]
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Educational Merit Award (2010)[27]
  • New Jersey School Boards Association New Jersey School Board Member of the Year (2009)[28]
  • Fred Woodbridge Award given by the Princeton University Class of 1982 (1997)[29]
  • Hopkins School Distinguished Alumnus (2024) [7]

Bibliography

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  • Caldwell, Dale (2022). Intelligent Influence in Baseball. Absolutely Amazing eBooks. ISBN 978-1-955036-31-3.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2022). Breaking The Barriers. Absolutely Amazing eBooks. ISBN 978-1-955036-09-2.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2017). The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Student Achievement. Lambert Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-3-330-33104-4.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2013). Fruit of the Spirit Hymnal and Calendar. Intelligent Influence Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-9838963-8-8.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2012). Intelligent Influence. Intelligent Influence Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-9838963-0-2.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2011). Tennis in New York. Intelligent Influence Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9838963-0-2.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2008). School To Work To Success. Luminary Media Group. ISBN 978-1-930580-76-3.
  • Caldwell, Dale (2004). Fruit of the Spirit Poems and Hymns. Ulyssian Publications. ISBN 978-1-930580-53-4.

References

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  1. ^ "Centenary University appoints first African-American, an FDU official, as president". New Jersey Herald. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  2. ^ Church, Covenant United Methodist. "Covenant United Methodist Church". Covenant United Methodist Church. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  3. ^ a b "Board of Directors / ESCNJ Board of Directors". www.escnj.us. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  4. ^ a b "Our Board – College Achieve Public Charter School". Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  5. ^ Parmalee, Thomas (2023-02-07). "Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, a Former NJSBA School Board Member of the Year, Named Next President of Centenary University". New Jersey School Boards Association. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  6. ^ "Rev. Gil Caldwell, civil rights pioneer, dies". United Methodist News Service. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  7. ^ a b "Hopkins' Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Dale Caldwell '78". February 15, 2024.
  8. ^ Larcara, Jacqueline (27 May 2023). "There's a New College President". paw.princeton.edu.
  9. ^ "Centenary Summer 2023 Magazine" (PDF). alumni.centenaryuniversity.edu. 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  10. ^ Parmalee, Thomas (2023-02-07). "Dr. Dale G. Caldwell, a Former NJSBA School Board Member of the Year, Named Next President of Centenary University". New Jersey School Boards Association. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  11. ^ "Creating Communities of Learning" (PDF).
  12. ^ Collins, Glenn (May 8, 2006). "Race Question Follows Suit Over Tennis Job". New York Times.
  13. ^ "Breaking Barriers - International Tennis Hall of Fame". breakingbarriers.tennisfame.com. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  14. ^ "A WORD FROM OUR FOUNDER DR. DALE G. CALDWELL". Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  15. ^ a b "2021 Eastern Hall of Fame: Dr. Dale Caldwell". www.usta.com. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  16. ^ a b "City School Board Vice President on 'Wall of Fame'". TAPintoNewBrunswick. May 23, 2019.
  17. ^ "Dale G. Caldwell '82". Thrive: Empowering & Celebrating Princeton's Black Alumni. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  18. ^ "Princeton Alum Dale Caldwell Appointed Head of Village Charter School in Trenton". Princeton, NJ Patch. 2013-08-06. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  19. ^ "About Rothman Institute". Fairleigh Dickinson University. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  20. ^ "New Executive Director for Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship". New Jersey Business Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  21. ^ Wilson, Steven (2022-09-26). "FDU Rothman Institute Program Helps Veterans Launch Businesses". New Jersey Business & Industry Association. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  22. ^ STAFF, NJBIZ (2023-09-18). "No. 9: Dale Caldwell". NJBIZ. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  23. ^ Staff, ROI-NJ (2023-09-28). "Presenting the 2023 Champions of the C-Suite honorees: A-E". ROI-NJ. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  24. ^ STAFF, NJBIZ (2023-09-18). "No. 9: Dale Caldwell". NJBIZ. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  25. ^ "AARP New Jersey Recognizes Dale Caldwell for his Dedication and Commitment to Community Service with its Most Prestigious Volunteer Award". New Jersey. 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  26. ^ "Dale Caldwell Wins USTA's Leslie G. FitzGibbon Man of the Year Award – New York Tennis Magazine". Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  27. ^ "International Tennis Hall of Fame". www.tennisfame.com. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  28. ^ "Caldwell Named 15th President of Centenary University". New Jersey Business Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  29. ^ "Fred Woodbridge Award | Princeton University Alumni".