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Meet Jim Cawley, President of Rosemont

President Cawley was named interim president by the Board of Trustees on June 3, 2022 and appointed as the College’s 15th president on October 28, 2022. His contract has been extended to June 30, 2028. A nationally recognized civic leader, academic administrator, and attorney, Cawley brings more than 25 years of experience in public service to Rosemont.

As a first-generation college student, Cawley is a steadfast advocate of the transformative power of higher education. He is passionate about Rosemont’s personalized approach to education and believes that Rosemont is uniquely positioned to provide a high quality, affordable, and accessible education to students from all backgrounds.

Cawley served as Temple University’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement (IA) from 2017-2021 where he spearheaded development efforts that raised over $360 million in four fiscal years and led a staff of 140 employees across 18 different schools, colleges, and units. He played a key role in advancing IA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts by improving recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations, adding diversity and inclusion representatives to senior leadership meetings, and implementing a series of self-guided and expert-led DEI trainings. Cawley served in a leadership role to prepare a strategic plan for the University. He also was responsible for engaging with a 360,000+ alumni population.

Rosemont Magazine sat down with Jim to learn more about his goals for Rosemont’s future as we enter the College’s next 100 years.

What excites you most about being at Rosemont?

I am most excited about interacting with the students and working with such an incredibly dedicated faculty and staff, and that I get to share a small part in the tremendous mission of this place. For over 100 years, Rosemont has stood for educational exceptionalism and even more importantly, great opportunity. Even today, many of our students are first-generation college students. And as one myself, I know the awesome evolutionary power that a strong education brings. To be part of the effort, to bring that opportunity to others, is good motivation to get out of bed in the morning.

How does your experience as a first-generation student inform your work as a college president?

Neither of my parents graduated high school let alone college. But they knew, inherently, how important it was for me and my sister to have a higher education experience. Much of who I am today is first, because of them, and second, because of the opportunities that were afforded to me in higher education. At the end of the day, it can truly be said that education is the ultimate antidote to many of our societal challenges. The more we can promote educational opportunities to every sector of our communities, the better off we will all be.

How do you view your role as college president?

With each college, the role of president differs. Here at Rosemont, I’m one of the family. I work hard every day to be worthy of the trust that the Board of the Trustees and the greater Rosemont community has placed in me. I do so because of how hard the Rosemont community is always working to fulfill the mission of this great institution. It’s no secret higher education has faced challenges in recent years. By working collaboratively with members of our entire community to proactively plan for Rosemont’s future, I believe we will be stronger than ever before. But we must work together. My overall priority is to ensure our students receive a high-quality education in a safe, supportive campus environment. I meet frequently with alums and foster close relationships with leaders in government, business, and education throughout the region to bolster our fundraising initiatives and explore new partnerships and programs. I have also been working to make improvements to facilities and to our grounds. I want Rosemont College to be a special place, to instill a sense of pride and belonging here, to build and grow the sense of family and community, and to plan for the long-term future of this institution. Rosemont is a community of people who are drawn to make a difference. As someone who has had a career as a servant leader, I relate to this. The fact that I can serve this community is a true blessing.

How can Rosemont rise to the challenges faced by all small colleges?

Rosemont is facing many of the same challenges that small colleges are facing around the country. The reality is that the population of high school students going to college has dropped, so more schools are competing to attract these students to their institutions. Rosemont is a very special place. A place where anyone with the drive, desire, and aptitude can unlock their potential. And while there are headwinds that all higher education is facing, I feel very confident that Rosemont will continue to be a destination for students of all ages. When I arrived, one of my first priorities was to launch a strategic plan. We have laid out an ambitious process campus-wide to help us differentiate ourselves and to chart a path forward. The world has changed, and we must consider how Rosemont will evolve to ‘meet the wants of the age’ as we have for more than a century. We provide an opportunity that many do not. When you come to Rosemont, you become part of a family. We are a community that truly cares about one another, a place where no one person feels successful until we are all successful. That fact will be the reason we thrive long into the future.

What professional accomplishment(s) from your past roles makes you proudest?

I know I’m supposed to say that it’s the big things that I did – either in public office, or in my roles in the private sector since then, and I’m very proud of a great many things that we were able to accomplish. What truly makes me proud is when I pass by a group of students – and perhaps one or all of them may not have been able to be here if I hadn’t done my job well in raising money for scholarships and working with our tremendous faculty to make sure that each individual student gets what they need to be successful. At the end of the day, I believe that to be the true legacy for all of us. What comes after us and to be a part of making that transformational opportunity available is my greatest accomplishment.

What do you do to relax?

Between spending time at Rosemont and trying to be a good husband and father, in my downtime, I sleep. Seriously. I try to play golf, although I do not do so well. I do read a fair amount. I like to take walks. I’m an avid sports fan. I’m a five for five guy when it comes to Philadelphia sports teams. The thing that I do most when I have free time is to spend it with family and friends because that’s what it’s all about.

What books and music do you enjoy?

When I'm in the car I normally listen to WIP SportsTalk radio in Philadelphia or Siriusly Sinatra on SiriusXM. I read a lot of historical biographies. Next up is Mother Mary Cleophus of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Mother Mary was quite a successful president, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to unlock her secret. I’m just getting into podcasts. In all due humility, my favorite podcast is going to be the one that we start here at Rosemont.