Dr. Jennifer Orlikoff, who has been serving as interim campus president of West Virginia University’s Potomac State College since July 1, will be the permanent president of the campus in Keyser, effective immediately. Provost Joyce McConnell announced the change in the appointment today, citing “overwhelming” support for Orlikoff on the PSC campus.

“Jennifer has done so much in a very short time to build confidence in her leadership, her vision and her thoughtfulness in engaging with faculty, staff, students and the Keyser community,” McConnell said. “We are delighted to make her title permanent, especially when we know her vision for the future is one that builds on Potomac State’s many strengths.”

Prior to stepping into the interim role at PSC, Orlikoff directed the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, where she has been a faculty member of French in the department of World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics since 2008.

Orlikoff has held a number of student support or administrative roles at the University, has been actively engaged in helping students achieve global competencies and perspectives, and has served as chair of the WVU Faculty Senate. She is a visiting faculty member at the Royal University for Women in Bahrain and has led student trips both there and annually to several different regions in France.

“I feel like I have already found a home here at Potomac State,” Orlikoff said. “The campus and community have been so welcoming and supportive—I truly could not have done this job without the assistance of so many engaged faculty and staff here in Keyser. I am looking forward to continuing the great work we are doing for students.”

Founded in 1901 as a “preparatory branch” of West Virginia University, Potomac State College was built on the site of a Civil War fortress, Fort Fuller, and occupies 806 acres in a largely rural area of eastern West Virginia. Currently defined as a regional campus of WVU, along with the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, commonly-known as WVU Tech, the college offers 57 associate degrees and three bachelor’s degrees. It enrolls approximately 1500 students, of whom more than 1200 are full-time, and employs 167 faculty and staff.

Dr. Cari Carpenter, an associate professor of Department of English, currently serves as the interim director of the Center for WGST and has overseen the recent events surrounding the celebration of 125 years of women at West Virginia University, a celebration that Orlikoff set in motion before her appointment at PSC.

-WVU-

ac/11/16/16

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