Benjamin D. Caldwell selected as dean of Radford University’s College of Graduate Studies and Research
Following a national search, Benjamin D. Caldwell has been selected to serve as the next dean of Radford University’s College of Graduate Studies and Research.
Caldwell currently serves as dean of both the Graduate School and the College of Professional Studies at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Caldwell to Radford University,” said Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kenna Colley. “His colleagues describe him as ‘a resourceful and energetic leader, who works incredibly hard to build vision alongside faculty and staff, and he has a knack for getting people on-board to create and implement the collaborative visions.’ Dr. Caldwell instantly connected with our search team members and provided many examples of strategic initiatives that he has developed. I look forward to welcoming him to the Radford family.”
As part of the national search, a Search Committee, comprised of numerous campus stakeholders, devoted countless hours to the overall process and engaged with many outstanding candidates. Search Committee Chair Angela Stanton said, “I would like to thank the Search Committee for their hard work, insights and committed engagement throughout the process. Dr. Caldwell is a dedicated academic leader, who will make an outstanding addition to the Radford University community.”
“I am very excited about coming to Radford University as the new dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research,” said Dr. Caldwell. “Radford has an excellent academic reputation and is highly regarded across the nation. My visit to Radford as a candidate for this position confirmed that and more. Everyone I met was so welcoming, and I could tell that the faculty, staff and administrators I met truly enjoyed working together. Something else that resonated with me during my visit was the dedication to the students and faculty at Radford. When I moved into my first administrative role as a department chair, I knew that my priority from that point on was to assist students and faculty in achieving their goals. I look forward to continuing with that philosophy at Radford.”
Prior to serving as dean of both the Graduate School and the College of Professional Studies at Missouri Western State University, Caldwell served as chair of the Department of Chemistry (2007-2012). Caldwell is a professor in the Department of Chemistry (2009-present). While at Missouri Western State University, he also held the positions of associate professor (2003-2009) and assistant professor (1998-2003) in the Department of Chemistry. In addition to his dedicated service at Missouri Western State University, Caldwell served as a clinical associate at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri (2003-2015).
Caldwell earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. He will officially join the Radford family on July 1, 2019.
For the Spring 2019 semester, Artis College of Science and Technology Dean J. Orion Rogers will also serve as the dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research as the college’s prior leaders, Laura J. Jacobson and John Brummette, return to full-time teaching positions.