WVSU Sticks With Ericke Cage As Next President

West Virginia State University’s Board of Governors named Ericke Cage as its 13th president Thursday. He had been serving as interim president of the historically Black university since September.

“I want to thank the Board of Governors for the trust they have placed in me to serve West Virginia State as the university’s 13th president,” Cage said in a news release. “I look forward to building on the work we have already started, and the successes we have achieved in moving WVSU forward.”

Cage joined the university in July as vice president and chief of staff and was appointed by the Board as the university’s chief operating officer on July 30.

WVSU credits Cage for prioritizing institutional stabilization and operational optimization, renewing school spirit, developing and expanding high demand academic programs, and cultivating a diverse range of internal and external relationships.

Prior to coming to WVSU, Cage worked as executive advisor to the president and Board of Visitors at Norfolk State University.

Cage is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.

He holds a juris doctorate from the Rutgers University Law School, and a masters of law in litigation and dispute resolution from the George Washington University Law School.

Cage replaces former president Nicole Pride, who resigned last summer, less than one year after becoming the university’s first female president.

Pride had faced pressure from school officials to leave office following alleged “condescending and abusive dialogue” toward fellow employees.