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Wheeling University Names 13th President

  Monday, October 7, 2019 2:53 PM
  WU News

WHEELING, WV

Wheeling University Names 13th President

WHEELING – October 7, 2019 – The Board of Trustees of Wheeling University has announced the appointment of Ginny Favede as the institution’s 13th President. 

Ms. Favede was elected to serve as the Chair of the University Board of Trustees in July. The Board expects to elect a new Chair in the coming weeks to succeed Ms. Favede in her role. 

Wheeling University Board of Trustees’ Vice Chair, Dr. Shahady, noted, “We are pleased that Ms. Favede agreed to take on this role during such an important time in our institution’s history. As small, private institutions continue to navigate the challenges facing higher education, many institutions are looking to business-minded leaders like Ms. Favede. As a faculty member at my former institution, I saw great success when my institution sought a President with the skills and vision that she possesses. We are fortunate to have her accept this position.” Dr. Shahady is a graduate of Wheeling University.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the thirteenth President of Wheeling University, and to continue the positive momentum and collaborative process that our administrators, faculty, and staff have fostered throughout the Wheeling community,” says Favede. “I am grateful for the confidence of Bishop Mark Brennan, and the support of the Board of Trustees. I look forward to working closely with our faculty and staff, as we lead Wheeling University into a bold new era of academic, athletic, and administrative excellence.” 

“I am leaving the OVCEC to join a community that truly inspires me. I am honored beyond words by the invitation to serve as Wheeling University’s 13th President,” said Ms. Favede “I look forward to taking all I have learned throughout my career and helping the faculty, students, and staff, in the words of the University Motto – “Luceat Lux Vestra – Let Your Light Shine” – and provide opportunities for our students to find their place in the world and be the best they can be.”

Favede’s appointment as President reinforces Wheeling University’s ongoing commitment to providing students with a high-quality educational experience that is founded on long-standing liberal arts principles of curiosity and empathy, and on the lifelong values of an independent Catholic institution.

“I am pleased to accept the recommendation of the Board of Trustees to appoint Ginny Favede as President of Wheeling University. Ginny has been instrumental in helping the school move in a positive direction over the past ten months as a board member and then Chair of the board. As the only Catholic institution of higher learning in the state of West Virginia, we stand behind Ginny, the board, faculty, staff and students as the University works to fulfil the mission of Christ in our region,” stated Bishop Mark Brennan of the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese.


Founded in 1954, Wheeling University is the only Catholic institution of higher learning in West Virginia. Its mission is to provide a high-quality Catholic education to the men and women of the Ohio Valley region and beyond. By integrating education, research, and economic development with classical knowledge and Christian revelation, Wheeling University seeks to equip its graduates with the critical, creative, and empathetic tools they need to pursue rewarding careers and enrich their local communities.