Cage chosen as next president of West Virginia State University
INSTITUTE, W.Va. — Ericke Cage is the 13th president of West Virginia State University.
Cage, who has served as interim president since last September, was chosen unanimously by the WVSU board of governors at a meeting Thursday morning.
Cage previously served as the university‘s chief operating officer and has managed the day-to-day operations of the university since former president Nicole Pride stepped down on July 30, 2021.
During his on-campus interview earlier this month, Cage told the James C. Wilson University Union University Faculty Forum that his work at WVSU during these trying times speaks for itself and his leadership.
“Under my leadership, we have brought stability to this university at a time of historic change and upheaval. We have done the work of restoring the spirit of the state by creating a culture of care, civility and compassion. We have established relationships that are already connecting the university to new opportunities,” Cage said March 16.
The BOG moved quickly to endorse Cage after an executive session on Thursday morning.
The board brought three finalists to campus for interviews.
Prior to coming to WVSU, Cage served as Senior Advisor to the President and University Ombudsman at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia – where he served as Senior Advisor to the President on issues related to university policy development, to governance and government relations, according to WVSU.
Prior to joining Norfolk State, Cage served as director of government affairs for Teach for America, and also served as legislative counsel to U.S. Congressman Tom Perriello, in addition to being a legal officer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a member legislation for the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Cage told MetroNews after his appointment as interim president that he always envisioned himself being a college president and that it was a great opportunity.
“As they say, when the opportunity knocks, it’s important that you’re ready to open that door. I think all of my experiences have prepared me for this moment in time,” Cage said.