By Tammie Toler Presley
For Concord University
Retention gains, a new athletic facility, and record fundraising highlight a year of momentum for the Athens, W.Va. institution
Athens — Concord University closed out the 2025-26 academic year with numbers that tell a bigger story: more students staying, more doors opening, and more people investing in what Concord is building. July 1 marked President Bethany Meighen’s first full year at the helm, and by every measure, the Mountain Lion community lived out its motto “Come to Learn; Go to Serve.”
Student retention is projected to climb 6.56 percent, a modest-sounding figure that reflects a much larger shift in removing barriers rather than raising them. The university established 2,308 transfer course equivalencies through the Transfer Evaluation System, giving incoming students a clearer, faster path onto campus. On the administrative side, diploma processing turnaround time dropped by 80 percent, a change student are more likely to feel than to hear about, but one that speaks to a campus-wide push toward operational excellence.
“The accomplishments of this year reflect the dedication of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners,” said President Bethany Meighen. “Together, we are building a stronger future for Concord University.”
That future took visible shape across campus. Concord opened the Woodlyn & Earl Kendrick Athletic Practice Facility, added women’s triathlon and women’s wrestling to its athletics programs, and renovated athletic and student spaces to match the pace of a growing university. Deferred maintenance, the unglamorous but essential work of keeping a campus running, saw more than $11 million in support, alongside $7.5 million in federal Congressionally Directed Spending for Phase II of the Center for Rural Healthcare Workforce Solutions. Dorms across campus were also upgraded with new keyless entry systems, a quiet but meaningful investment in student safety. Academically, Concord expanded its reach with the addition of an
MBA with a Healthcare Administration emphasis, while the Two States One Rate initiative continued to advance affordability for students on both sides of the West Virginia–Virginia line. On-site admissions events at local high schools brought the Concord experience directly to future Mountain Lions across the region.
Community and culture were just as central to the year. Mountain Lion Monday became a new campus tradition, and the inaugural Family Weekend gave Concord families a reason to make the trip to Athens. The university’s first Day of the Mountain Lions raised more than $70,000 for athletic teams, while annual fund giving grew 12.5 percent, a signal that Concord’s alumni and community base is leaning in, not just watching from the sidelines. The university also recognized its Ten Under Ten alumni and the faculty mentors who helped shape them, reinforcing a through-line that runs from Concord classrooms to careers across the country.
Behind the scenes, Concord strengthened the systems that make this growth possible: expanding leadership engagement, participating in the Great Colleges to Work For survey, realigning key offices to sharpen recruitment and fundraising, and rolling out new software to streamline everyday processes like room assignments. The university also launched the OpenSesame professional development platform, reestablished employee wellness initiatives, and expanded support for faculty and student success through new Graduate Assistant positions.
Taken together, it was a year defined less by any single headline and more by consistency: small, deliberate investments in people, place, and purpose.
About Concord University
Concord University is a public institution located in Athens, West Virginia, home of the Mountain Lions. Guided by the motto “Come to Learn, Go to Serve,” Concord prepares students for meaningful careers and lives of service to their communities and beyond.
