Associated Press Published

West Virginia Wesleyan Selects New President

Joel Thierstein

After eight months of searching, West Virginia Wesleyan College’s governing board has selected Joel Thierstein as the school’s next president.

Media reports say Thierstein will become the school’s 19th president. He is currently the executive vice president and provost of Mount St. Joseph University in Ohio.

 

West Virginia Wesleyan’s current president, Pamela Balch, announced in February that she will leave the school in December. She has led the school since 2006. Thierstein praised her ability to keep the school’s finances in good shape at a time when many small liberal arts colleges have sunken into debt.

 

Thierstein will begin his new role on July 1, 2017.

 

His past roles include a stint as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Kentucky State University.