Personal: The 2007-08 academic year marks the seventh year for Dr. Caldwell as the head of the Winston-Salem State University Athletic Department. After serving as the Director of Planning and Development at Iowa Valley Community College District prior to his move to WSSU, Dr. Chico Caldwell is well into his sixth year as the Director of Athletics at Winston-Salem State University where he has been instrumental in leading the Rams in a transition from the NCAA Division II level to NCAA Division I competition (I-AA in football) through a five-year reclassification program.

Throughout his career Caldwell has served as a coach, athletic director, dean of instruction, interim dean, instructor and fundraiser. He has vast experience in interacting with the community and business leaders, as well as in fundraising and student leadership development. As the head of the WSSU Department of Athletics, he is responsible for sweeping changes that have both restructured and reorganized the athletic department. He has dramatically improved every area of WSSU Athletics from fundraising and facilities, all the way to graduation rates.

He is truly a leader and pioneer in the area of college athletics and has helped to put WSSU into the national spotlight. Caldwell has balanced the WSSU Athletic Department budget for the last three years and has helped athletic fundraising efforts to exponentially grow in size. He has added more than a dozen full-time positions within the WSSU Department of Athletics and has helped the Rams in their move to Division I with an extensive research-and-development program to support athletics. He was the organizer and project manager in the restoration and improvement of the WSSU Clarence E. "Big House" Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame and single-handedly launched both the WSSU Red and White Athletic Fund and the upcoming Amon's Club Ram Boosters.

Prior to his coming to WSSU from the Iowa Valley Community College District, Caldwell served as the athletic director and head basketball coach at West Virginia State College, head basketball coach at South Carolina State University, assistant basketball coach and physical education instructor at Livingston University, and as a coach and administrator at Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama. While at West Virginia State, Caldwell was named West Virginia Conference Coach of the Year in 1990 and Athletic Director of the Year in 1989. He built program funding from $200,000 in 1987 to $500,000 in 1988 and continued to build funding to more than $1.5 million during his time at WVSC from 1987 to 1991. At Miles College, Caldwell led the basketball team to four consecutive conference championships, advancing to the NCAA Division III finals once. He was also named Coach of the Year in 1978 by the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

In addition, he was the college's Teacher of the Year in 1979 and Most Outstanding Administrator in 1977. Caldwell earned his B.S. degree in Sociology/Psychology at Miles College, his Master's degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and his Ph.D. from Iowa State University. He has been married to his wife Bertha for 35 years and they have two children, Felicia (33) and Brian (27).