E. Gordon Gee President at West Virginia University | Twitter Website
E. Gordon Gee President at West Virginia University | Twitter Website
West Virginia University President Gordon Gee sent a letter to faculty, staff, and students on Wednesday, the first day of the fall semester.
In his letter, Gee reflected on his return to West Virginia University in 2014 and praised the university community for its energy, enthusiasm, and sense of purpose. "When my journey as a higher education leader led me back to West Virginia University in 2014, I remarked on the talented faculty, staff and students who were so passionate about fulfilling West Virginians’ hopes and dreams," he wrote.
Gee highlighted several achievements over the past decade, noting that WVU is the only flagship R1 land-grant institution in the state and one of only five such universities nationwide. He emphasized investments in academic programs that align with student and industry needs. "Over the past 10 years, our robotics teams have placed first at nine national or international competitions," he said. He also mentioned recent funding from NASA to support a new robotics engineering program.
The president underscored WVU's contributions to healthcare research, including work by Dr. Ali Rezai and his team at the Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute. Their research on Alzheimer's disease and opioid addiction was featured on “60 Minutes” earlier this year.
Gee reported significant growth in externally supported research expenditures at WVU. "For fiscal year 2024, West Virginia University crushed its record in externally supported research expenditures with $275 million — an 82% increase from five years ago," he stated.
He urged faculty and staff to engage with campus activities and welcome new members of the university community. Students were encouraged to explore new activities, make friends, participate in student organizations, attend sporting events, and utilize available resources.
Gee concluded his letter by encouraging everyone to commit to excellence as they begin a new semester. "Together, we can reach our highest purpose and our highest potential," he wrote.
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