Felician University Names James Crawford Next President

RUTHERFORD, NJ — James W. Crawford is set to become the sixth president of Felician University, the Board of Trustees announced recently.

Crawford most recently served as interim president at the university, and will remain "working closely with the Board of Trustees, he will continue to advance the positive course he has established while serving as Interim President."

Crawford is a retired Admiral and the 43rd Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the United States Navy. He served under six Presidents and was Lead Counsel for the principal military advisor to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Chris Swenson, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, said the decision came after an "intense 360-dgree review involving a large cross section of internal and external stakeholders."

"Many we spoke to during this process described him as inspirational, a servant leader and someone who truly lives our Felician core values. 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," Swenson said.

A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Crawford graduated from Belmont Abbey College and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina. He 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 was named an MIT Seminar XXI Fellow.

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