The vocalist who once graced the cover of "Bluegrass Unlimited" magazine never imagined he would become a college president.
HACKETTSTOWN -- David Haney's first visit to northwest New Jersey was more than three decades ago and, he acknowledges, in a distinctly different less formal capacity.
It was August of 1982 and Haney, a former street musician, was playing in a band called Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys. The band, which toured internationally, had a gig in Stanhope, where Haney played guitar and shared lead vocals against the picturesque backdrop of Waterloo Village.
"I remember being surprised that New Jersey had such beautiful rural areas," Haney, a native of Minnesota, recalled.
Nearly 35 years later, Haney is back in one of New Jersey's rural areas again, this time as the president of Centenary University, a private college of about 2,100 students in Hackettstown.
Haney, 63, realizes that the transition from laid-back bluegrass festivals to the buttoned-up world of college presidents may seem surprising, he said. The vocalist who sang "gorgeous high leads and rich, resonant harmonies," according to a 1982 Boston Globe review, never imagined he would someday become a college president.
Then, a year after the band disbanded in 1985, Haney was promoted from English teacher to dean of students at a private boarding school in Boston.
"When I started doing that, I realized that hanging out with really smart people and running a school is the best job in the world," Haney said.
Can a new prez fix this pricey N.J. college?
Since his first visit to New Jersey, Haney has compiled a lengthy resume in higher education, all while mastering the mandolin, banjo and harmonica as he continues to perform bluegrass with his wife.
Haney, who holds a PhD in English from the University at Buffalo, got his start as an assistant professor in 1988 at Swarthmore College near Philadelphia.
He spent 11 years at Auburn University as the director of undergraduate and graduate studies for the English department before becoming an administrator at Appalachian State University in North Carolina and Black Hills State University in South Dakota.
Most recently, he was the vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty at Emory and Henry College, a private liberal arts school in Virginia.
After a varied career in administration, becoming a college president seemed like a natural transition, Haney said. Now, the man who once posed for the cover of "Bluegrass Unlimited" magazine is posing for photo portraits in front of bookcases and buildings.
"I think Centenary has the right idea about what higher education should be these days," Haney said, pointing to a mix of liberal arts and career-oriented options. 'It's an incredible location, too."
On the border of bucolic Warren County, in the same town where M&M's are made, Centenary University's main campus offers a mix undergraduate programs and graduate courses.
Twenty minutes away in Morris County is the well-regarded equestrian program. Satellite learning centers in Parsippany and Edison cater to adult learners.
While Centenary may have its perks in Haney's mind, he is becoming its president during an increasingly challenging time for small and mid-size private universities.
Enrollment at many of those colleges, Centenary included, has plummeted as the number of college-age students has declined and middle class families look for less expensive schools.
At Centenary, where tuition and fees are $32,098 for incoming students, enrollment has dropped more than 25 percent since 2009, a decline of more than 800 students.
Haney understands the challenge he is facing. But he says the school finished 2015-16 with a surplus, has a balanced budget for the current school year and recently saw a 5 percent increase in fundraising.
He wants to add new academic programs, win more grants and attract students from outside of northern New Jersey.
"If I do my job, we will have more money, I hope increase the endowment and the amount of scholarship money we can give to students and somewhat reduce our dependence on tuition," Haney said.
Even with a plan, Haney admits he's nervous about being a first time college president. At the university's Family and Alumni weekend on Sept. 24, Haney will escape to his comfort zone and perform bluegrass with his wife, Lisa Baldwin.
Baldwin, an elementary school teacher, is a singer and songwriter who nearly landed a record deal in Nashville in the 1990s, Haney said.
"If that had worked out I would probably be driving her bus instead of being a college president," he said.
Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.