The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

The Caldwell College Board of Trustees has announced the selection of Nancy H. Blattner, Ph.D. as its eighth president. Blattner, who is currently Vice President and Dean for Academic Affairs at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri, will become the first lay president in Caldwell College’s 70-year history. She will succeed Sister Patrice Werner, O.P., Ph.D., who is retiring June 30, after 15 years as Caldwell College’s president.

Nancy H. Blattner, Ph.D. assumes her duties as Caldwell College''s eighth president July 1, 2009.

Dr. Blattner was selected after a national search and numerous interviews by a 13-member Presidential Search Committee, which was comprised of Board of Trustees members, staff, faculty, students, and Sisters of St. Dominic of Caldwell, the order that founded Caldwell College.

In making the formal announcement, Dr. Alexander Giaquinto, Chair of the Caldwell College Board of Trustees said, “We are very excited about the selection of Dr. Blattner. I have no doubt that we have found the person best qualified to lead the College in this new day." He added, “Dr. Blattner is bringing to Caldwell a solid background in Catholic, private and public higher education. We will benefit from her energy, strong academic and management foundation, and fundraising success.”

College President Sister Patrice Werner, O.P., Ph.D. said Dr. Blattner is “a passionate, inspiring leader, who will continue Caldwell’s tradition of outstanding academics, excellence in teaching, and commitment to social justice, while keeping alive the Catholic Dominican mission, that is the heart and soul of Caldwell College."

“I am delighted to be chosen as president at Caldwell College, because the institution has an outstanding reputation as a liberal arts college with strong career-based programs. Members of the faculty have excellent credentials and the staff make providing service to students the top priority,” Dr. Blattner said. “I look forward to strengthening or building upon the many successes that Sister Patrice has accomplished during her 15-year tenure as the president at Caldwell.” She added, “My husband Tim and I were both impressed with the people we met while we were visiting the campus. They were so obviously proud of the institution, and we are honored to be invited to become part of the Caldwell community.”

Dr. Blattner assumes her duties as Caldwell’s president July 1, 2009. A formal inauguration will be scheduled in the fall.

Blattner brings over two decades of experience in Catholic and public higher education to Caldwell. At Fontbonne University, she has been responsible for leadership of the entire Academic Affairs division, including all departments, faculty and curriculum, the library, the office of institutional research and assessment, the registrar’s office, ESL programs and study abroad. She has overseen all academic budgets, hiring of all faculty members, department chairs and deans. She initiated and found funding for the university’s first endowed chair. Prior to that, she was Interim Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Support Programs and an American Council on Education Fellow at Longwood University in Virginia.

Blattner spent 15 years at Southeast Missouri State University in positions as Academic Associate, Office of the Provost, Associate Dean, School of University Studies and Director of Writing Assessment. While there, she attended the Harvard Management Development Program. Prior to those positions, she taught English at the University for seven years. Blattner was also Regent on The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi''s Board of Directors from 2004-2007.

She holds a B.S. in Secondary Education/English and an M.A. in English from Southeast Missouri State University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Dr. Blattner and her husband are the parents of three adult children.

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