September 10, 2013
A Message from the President It’s hard to believe that this is my 10th year at Edgewood College and my 19th year serving as a college president. In many ways, the last few years have been the happiest and most productive of my career. After much deliberation, Terri and I made the decision that this academic year will be my last in serving Edgewood College on a full-time basis as president. I made that announcement on September 10th at a College Assembly. I was educated for 12 years by Benedictine sisters and four additional years by the Benedictine monks for college. What a blessing to find the Sinsinawa Dominican community as the sponsors for Edgewood College. I described the Dominican sisters as “value driven, highly educated and mission focused.” Our relationship with the Dominican sisters as the founders and sponsors of Edgewood College could not have been better! We have been blessed with a strong Board of Trustees. They are absolutely dedicated to helping make Edgewood College a better place for students to receive a high quality educational experience. I am grateful for the leadership, commitment, and support of the Trustees during my time here. Terri and I found an outstanding faculty and staff at Edgewood College. They demonstrate their commitment to providing our students a first-rate education every day. That includes challenging the students as well as supporting the students - both in and out of the classroom. We are privileged to serve a socio-economically diverse student body that reflects our broader community. I was the oldest of five raised on a farm in Iowa from a family with extremely limited financial means. I had little aspiration of being able to attend college until my senior year of high school. It makes me proud that Edgewood College serves a student body where 35% of our full-time undergraduate students are eligible for the Pell grant. Most years, between one fourth and one third of our freshman class are the first in their family to go to college. Perhaps some of you are aware that I served as an infantry officer in Vietnam. Today, Edgewood College serves more than 140 veterans and their dependents. Many of these young people had it a lot harder than I did in Vietnam as they served multiple deployments and time away from their families and communities. I’ve gotten to know a number of the veterans and they tell me they have found a home at Edgewood College. In the coming year, we have much remaining to accomplish as we continue to lay the groundwork for a vibrant future for this College. I pledge to continue to work with our Trustees and our campus community in pursuing the goals of our Strategic Plan. I will make every effort to assure that there is a seamless transition to a new president. Please allow me this opportunity to thank the entire Edgewood College community for the many significant achievements of the past decade. The successes of Edgewood College belong to YOU who support this wonderful institution. Our achievements belong to the entire Edgewood College community. For that I am very grateful! Thank you.
Board of Trustees Chair Jim Barr, Mary Ellen Gevelinger, O.P. and Trustee Jan Eddy congratulate Dr. Carey, moments after he announced his intention to retire.