Caldwell Today
While the college administration of the 1970s and 1980s focused on expanding and developing Caldwell in other crucial areas, the 1990s and 2000s once again brought new growth to campus. This included the expansion of the library and the addition of the Alumni Theatre, Werner Hall, and the George R. Newman Center.
The groundbreaking for the library expansion took place on May 5, 1990. This doubled the space of the library, created a dedicated space for the Archives, and added the 250 seat Alumni Theatre. The dedication ceremony took place on April 17, 1994 and the new expanded library became known as the Jennings Library in honor of Sister Vivien Jennings, O.P., Caldwell’s sixth president.
Construction began for a new academic building in March 1995. The building was completed and dedicated in March 1997. The new building included a lecture hall, classroom space, faculty offices, a suite for the graduate program, lounges, and the president’s office. It was later named Werner Hall after Sister Patrice Werner, O.P., who was president of Caldwell College from 1994-2009 and had dedicated many years of service to the college.
Athletics have been an important part of Caldwell’s culture since its inception. In 2002, Caldwell was recognized as a NCAA Division II institution. As a result of this new status, plans were drawn for the construction of the George R. Newman Center, which would house the college’s athletic programs.
When you look at Caldwell’s campus from a bird’s eye view, it is clear that Caldwell has experienced a great deal of growth and change throughout its history. One thing, however, has remained the same: these buildings and grounds have always felt like “home” to the campus community.
