A campus-wide email was sent out on Tuesday morning announcing that Dr. Kathryn A. Foster is the 16th president of The College of New Jersey. The New Jersey native has 30 years of experience as a former President of the University of Maine at Farmington, a teacher, scholar, leader and advocate for public higher education. The TCNJ Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the appointment.
“…In Dr. Foster, we have found the ideal person to lead our college. She brings visionary leadership, a strong academic perspective, and long-range strategic planning skills that will continue to position TCNJ for the future as a national exemplar,” Jorge Caballero, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, wrote in the email.
During Dr. Foster’s five years at the University of Maine at Farmington, she became a president focused on high-impact, community-engaged, experiential practices. The email states that Foster is a strong communicator and a careful steward of institutional resources. Her work represents values our college embodies; engagement, inclusiveity, integrity and self-reflection.
She has degrees from The Johns Hopkins University, Berkeley, and Princeton University. She has also shown service to others through her former work in the U.S. Peace Corps.
Dr. Kathryn A. Foster will officially begin in the position on July 1. Foster will replace R. Barbara Gitenstein, who has served in her presidential role since January 1999.
According to the TCNJ website, Dr. Foster said “I am honored and humbled by the trust the board has placed in me. TCNJ is an exceptional place with the highest standards and deeply rooted values that mirror my own. I look forward to working with its talented, wise, and dedicated community, from whom I will learn and with whom I will enjoy serving to advance this exceptional college.”
The College of New Jersey is excited to welcome this new addition to our community.
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