Mount Vernon Nazarene University has named Dr. Carson Castleman as its next president, succeeding Dr. Henry W. Spaulding II, effective Aug 11.
"I am humbled and honored for this opportunity to serve my church and MVNU, a place Angela and I love so deeply," Castleman said in a news release. "Our lives started here in the 1990s, and our first child was born here, so we truly feel like we are coming home. Words cannot describe our gratitude and excitement to serve the MVNU community in this capacity."
A national search committee chose Castleman because of his background and leadership potential, the release reported. Castleman has served in higher education for 26 years, most recently at Indiana Wesleyan University, where he grew enrollment by 1,700 students in one year.
"We believe Dr. Carson Castleman is the right leader to move MVNU to new heights as the premier Christian university in the region,” MVNU Board of Trustees Chair Rev. Edward Phillips, J.D., said in the release.
Castleman started in higher education with MVNU in admissions and advancement roles before moving to Nazarene Theological Seminary and Indiana Wesleyan University, the release said. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Capella University. His background includes a master's degree in human resource management from Indiana Wesleyan and a master's in religion and counseling from Liberty University.
Castleman's wife, Dr. Angela Castleman, graduated from MVNU in 2000 and serves on the Board of Trustees and has worked in education for 24 years, according to the release.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional-age students, graduate students and working adults. It has a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Its 2,000 students hail from 25 states and 11 foreign countries, the release said.
