New Business Dean Brings Fresh Ideas and a Vision for Student Success
Widener has welcomed Cary Caro as dean of the School of Business Administration. A respected scholar and collaborative, data-driven leader, Caro is committed to student success and advancing innovation in business education through experiential learning, strategic partnerships and aligning business education with workforce needs.
He brings more than 15 years of higher education leadership experience, including serving as dean of the School of Business at La Salle University and chair of the Division of Business at Xavier University of Louisiana.
We sat down with Caro to learn more about his background and his vision for the future of business education at Widener.
What made you interested in joining the Widener community?
What drew me to Widener was the combination of a vibrant student community, an engaged and expert faculty, and an administration that genuinely believes in the spirit of this institution. That combination is rare. Every conversation I had during the search process reinforced the same thing: people here are proud of Widener, and that pride is earned. I felt it immediately, and I wanted to be part of building on it. Joining this community isn't just a career move for me; it's a privilege, and I don't take it lightly.
What is your vision for the future of the School of Business Administration?
There is immense potential here in how we operate, who we are, and who we serve. Ultimately, I want the School of Business to be known as the place where you learn, you grow and you earn a career. That is not a slogan. It is a standard we will hold ourselves to.
College should be challenging. Our students should be pushed, stretched and asked to do more than they thought possible. But that challenge only means something if it leads somewhere. Our graduates invest years and real money in this degree, and it is incumbent on us to make sure they land the careers they came here to build.
That is the future I want for this school: rigorous, practical and accountable to the outcomes our students deserve.
What opportunities and challenges do you see artificial intelligence creating for today's students and future business leaders?
AI is everywhere, and we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend it is just a passing fad. AI has the potential to change how we operate, to make us more efficient with our resources, and to help us tackle the most difficult questions of our lifetimes.
That said, AI is a tool. A thought partner. A way for us to dig deeper into complex problems and find practical solutions that work. It does not replace judgment, and it does not replace the human being asking the question.
So here at Widener, our job is to teach students how to ask the right questions. That is the real skill. Technology will keep changing. What will not change is the need for people who can think critically and creatively about the problems that matter most to our society. That is what we are building here.
Building strong partnerships has been a hallmark of your career. What types of collaborations are you most excited to pursue at Widener?
I believe strongly that we are only as strong as the legacy that came before us. My immediate priority is engaging our alumni. This is their school, and I want them to feel that ownership again, not just through events but through real involvement with our students. Mentorship, hiring, guest teaching, advisory roles. Our alumni built the foundation we stand on, and this next generation of leaders deserves access to that experience.
Equally, the Philadelphia-Delco region has a healthy and diverse industry ecosystem, and we are sitting in the middle of it. As we build relationships, I want to be intentional. That means matching our strengths as a school to what the region actually needs, not chasing every partnership opportunity that comes our way. Depth over breadth. The partnerships we build should make our students more employable and our region more competitive. That is the standard.
What book, podcast, or other piece of media has influenced your thinking recently?
“Robot -Proof” by Vivienne Meng has really shaped my thinking. What struck me most was her argument that, as artificial intelligence makes knowledge increasingly accessible, the competitive advantage for our graduates will not be what they know, but how they think, how they learn and how they work with others. That resonates deeply with me. For generations, higher education has rewarded students for finding the right answer. Ming challenges us to spend more time helping students ask better questions, navigate ambiguity and remain curious throughout their careers.
As an educator, scholar, and now dean, your schedule must be packed! When you do have free time, how do you like to spend it?
My free time starts and stops with my family: my spouse Clay and our dog Charlie. Together, we love finding new adventures, whether that is a new destination to explore, a new restaurant to try, a good book to debate, or a friendly competition in sports or video games. We are also huge sports fans and love supporting our local Philadelphia teams when they are in town.
