West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson is Thanking West Virginians for Their Warm Welcome as He Ends His Statewide “Welcome Home Tour” and Prepares for the Second Year of His Presidency.
By Michael T. Benson
For West Virginia University
Thank you, West Virginia.
My sincere thanks for warmly welcoming my family and me to the Mountain State in year one of leading West Virginia University as the chief steward of West Virginia’s flagship, land-grant, R1 university.
It’s a tremendous responsibility, the full scope of which has been demonstrated time and time again as I’ve traveled to all 55 West Virginia counties with key staff members on our “Welcome Home Tour.”
Our tour started last July, soon after I officially took over as the University’s 27th president, and officially ended on May 15 in Monongalia County — home to WVU — with the lighting of the iconic Water Tower which stands right outside our front door, illuminating the “Flying WV” that serves as a rallying point for so many statewide.
In all, we covered more than 6,700 miles of highways and windy, country roads on the “Welcome Home Tour,” visiting more than 180 historical, cultural, and educational locations while meeting thousands of state residents, students, and other University supporters.
At West Virginia University, we often say “people make our points,” meaning the value of the work we’re doing each day is exemplified by our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. That same sentiment can be applied to all of West Virginia.
We’re grateful to the many people who hosted us along the way — those who made time to share their expertise, connected us with real examples of the University’s land-grant mission in action, took us into areas others may have missed, and showcased their heartfelt pride in the Mountain State.
After living in several other states and countries, I have been continually struck by the warmth and authenticity of West Virginians who are deeply invested in building their communities for better futures based on the goals we all have for the generations that will follow us — economic opportunities in safe spaces to learn and grow with our families and friends.
To understand where we’re going, we must appreciate where we’ve been. This is the foundational principle of my work as an historian, which is why I especially enjoyed the historical tour stops, from West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling to the International Mother’s Day Shrine in Grafton to the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum in Matewan, and many, many others. The founding of our state is wholly unique in the annals of American history and, yes, I am studying to see if I can pass the Golden Horseshoe exam.
WVU Extension plays key roles in improving the lives and livelihoods of all West Virginians with educational and other programming, and our visits to county Extension offices to talk with Extension agents and others were inspiring.
Ensuring better health care for West Virginians close to home, WVU Medicine serves as the University’s clinical health enterprise and the state’s largest health system and largest employer, and our tour included dozens of visits to WVU Medicine sites, staffed by WVU Health Sciences graduates in many cases, on the front lines of health care.
Most of our tour stops also included conversations with news reporters who are keeping the citizens they serve informed in challenging times for media. With a daughter working as a television reporter in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a son reporting for Politico, I understand that the Fourth Estate is vital and we’re thankful for the opportunities to talk with our community journalists about our work at WVU.
Overall, I consider the “Welcome Home Tour” one of the best experiences of my 31-year career in public higher education because it provided an opportunity to see West Virginia in all her glory.
So many of the sights and sounds we experienced are quintessentially West Virginia — the way early morning sun bounces off fog hanging low over dewy green hills; the crunch of slivered rocks underfoot on a forgotten trail; freight trains chugging around corners through deep, carved out valleys bound for destinations unknown; quiet towns with ice cream stands but no stoplights; wide vistas that open up unexpectedly at ridge crests; and the people who make it feel like home.
All of this will stay with my team and me as we lead West Virginia University into its next bold era.
Thanks again, West Virginia.
Let’s Go!
President Michael T. Benson, a veteran higher education administrator, became the 27th president of West Virginia University on July 15, 2025. He brings three decades of academic and administrative experience in higher education to his role leading West Virginia’s flagship, land-grant, R1 institution.
