Business

Gilmer officially becomes Potomac State president

PARKERSBURG -- The former president of West Virginia University at Parkersburg is transitioning to permanent president of WVU Potomac State College at Keyser.

Chris Gilmer has been interim president of Potomac State since leaving WVU at Parkersburg in June 2022 where he was president for four years. Torie Jackson was named interim president and a search for a new president is underway by the college's board of governors.

Gilmer is a first-generation college graduate, published author and advocate for underserved students.

Gilmer, named the interim president at Keyser in April 2022, will begin his new tenure immediately.

"It is with great humility and a sense of gratitude and collaboration that I embark on this new journey," Gilmer said.

"It took me about one minute to fall in love with this place and its people, and to see both the outstanding accomplishments of the past and present and the wondrous promise of the future."

Gilmer thanked WVU President E. Gordon Gee, Provost Maryanne Reed and Vice Provost Paul Kreider "for believing in me."

"I assure you that no one will work harder or with more joy than I will work with and for this college and the WVU System," Gilmer said.

Gilmer immediately connected with the college communty, according to Gee.

"From the moment he arrived, Chris prioritized making connections with students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community," Gee said. "His inclusive approach and dedication to our core mission, helping students learn and succeed, make Chris the right fit at the right time as we continue to expand opportunities at WVU Potomac State College."

In addition to being camus president, Gilmer will continue as a tenured professor in the Division of Liberal Arts, a role he began when he arrived at Potomac State.

Most of Gilmer's career, was spent as an administrator and faculty member in the historically Black colleges and universities system as executive director of the Vicksburg, Miss., campus of Alcorn State University. He also was vice president for academic affairs at Adams State University, the oldest federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution in Colorado. Gilmer is founder of the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students.

Gilmer chaired a network of technical assistance centers for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving all 50 states and other U.S. jurisdictions, and has consulted with the U.S. Department of Education's regional educational labs and comprehensive technical assistance centers.

"In less than a year, Dr. Gilmer has shown significant commitment to our Keyser campus' academic programs, faculty and students," Reed said.

"We have full faith in his ability to lead Potomac State College into the future through his service leadership and deep understanding of underserved populations."

Gilmer's degrees are in English, including a doctoral degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.