GSE Alum Appointed Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for North Carolina A&T State University
Rutgers Graduate School of Education (GSE) is proud to share that Christopher C. Catching, Ed.D. ’08, has been appointed as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Dr. Catching brings knowledge and experience from five major colleges he has worked for, as well as his experiences at the GSE which helped propel his career and passion for higher education.
“Rutgers GSE prepared me to be a citizen of the academy, contributing to students’ learning in and out of the classroom, the development of new knowledge and evidence-based strategies to support students’ success and service to the field of higher education during my career,” Dr. Catching said.
Learning at Rutgers GSE
His studies at the GSE provided the foundation for service as a leader and practitioner-scholar. Dr. Catching chose to specialize in the sociology of education for his doctoral degree and was a recipient of the competitive Samuel DeWitt Proctor Scholarship.
“Learning about the legacy and impact of Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor had a significant impact on my doctoral journey at the GSE and will be valuable as I begin my new appointment as Vice Chancellor,” Dr. Catching said.
Dr. Catching learned from faculty who were inspired by Dr. Proctor’s work, who served as a faculty member at the GSE for 15 years, was the first African American faculty member at both the GSE and Rutgers University to have an endowed professorship named for him, and recruited and mentored generations of graduate students of color to Rutgers University. Dr. Proctor served as the fifth President of North Carolina A&T State University prior to his service at Rutgers. Further, the College of Education building at North Carolina A&T State University is named in recognition of Dr. Proctor.
“I am honored to have been selected to serve in this role and to now be a part of two communities where Dr. Proctor served,” Dr. Catching said.
He fondly recalls the transformative experience of participating in the GSE’s South Africa Initiative (SAI). With the support of Dr. Darren Clarke, he conducted research to address challenges faced by educators and learners in South Africa, collaborate with educators from the U.S. and South Africa, and facilitate post-experience discussions with the cohort of attendees.
“The SAI experience provided an international perspective on issues impacting historically underserved communities that has enhanced my understanding of challenges that impact students, families, and educational institutions in the United States,” he said.
Expanding Access to Higher Education
Working in student affairs holds personal meaning to Dr. Catching.
“During my pursuit of college, I experienced firsthand the disparities in access to educational resources for students from historically underserved communities,” said Dr. Catching, who grew up and attended school in Newark. “It reinforced the critical need to provide all students with the support and opportunities that can transform their lives and those of their families and communities.”
He attended college with the support of the Educational Opportunity Fund Program (EOF), New Jersey’s signature college access program for first-generation, limited-income New Jersey residents. This experience served as the catalyst for his passion and pursuit of a career as a post-secondary educator.
“My commitment as an educator has always been rooted in expanding access to higher education for historically underserved communities,” he said.
This commitment has guided him to intentionally serve primarily at public higher education institutions that serve large communities of historically underrepresented students. His dissertation, “Beyond Barriers: The Academic Resiliency of Black Male Scholars in the U.S. Educational System,” explored the experiences of successful African American male college students to further knowledge of ways to support African American students’ success and social mobility. The learning experiences and support that he received from GSE faculty including his dissertation committee, which included Dr. James Giarelli, Dr. Thea Renda Abu El-Haj, and Dr. Sharon Ryan, was instrumental in his successful completion of his doctorate and preparation to use what he learned to inform his leadership and practice.
Dr. Catching assumed his new role at North Carolina A&T State University in early February. He previously held positions at Stockton University, Southern Connecticut State University, Hofstra University, Rutgers University, and Seton Hall University. He earned his doctoral degree from the GSE in social and philosophical foundations, an M.A. in higher education and student affairs from New York University, and a B.A. in history from Montclair.
Dr. Catching lives by the motto: “Exposure is everything.”
“Greater exposure to diverse learning opportunities broadens our perspectives, fostering personal growth and enabling us to positively impact our students, families, and communities,” he said.