Congratulations are in order for Felician University President James W. Crawford, III, who celebrated his historic inauguration to the post on April 29, 2022 after a week long celebration at the University. A former Navy officer and judge advocate general, President Crawford was named the sixth president of Felician University in June of 2021 and had been serving as Interim president since September 2020. President Crawford is the first Black president at Felician University and the first male to hold the position.
Chris Swenson, the former chair of the university’s board of trustees, said of Crawford, “His hands-on experience in steering the university during one of the most challenging periods in its history enables him to step into the role of president fully prepared to take us to new heights.”
Felician was the rare private university that saw an enrollment increase during the pandemic year, a time when other colleges have lost students.
While serving as interim, Crawford was named to a new Advisory Council on Racism for the Catholic Diocese of Arlington in Virginia by Bishop Michael Burbidge.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Crawford graduated from Belmont Abbey College and earned a law degree from the University of North Carolina. He also holds a master of laws degree in ocean and coastal law from the University of Miami, and a master of arts in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College. He has been named an MIT Seminar XXI fellow.
ICUNJ President, Steve Reynolds, was honored to be one of several representatives on hand to present congratulatory greetings to President Crawford at his Inauguration.
