Office of the President

a native of Huntington, West Virginia, became the 15th President of Davis & Elkins College in 2016.

President Wood has successfully implemented major campaigns that brought new residential construction to the campus for the first time in 50 years, energized faculty and staff to expand the college’s mission, and deeply enhanced relationships with the greater Elkins community.

President Wood’s leadership has driven exceptional financial growth and historic campus transformations. In 2018, the college successfully concluded the Secure the Future campaign, raising an impressive $101.4 million. This momentum continued with a $7.5 million addition to the Myles Center for the Arts, completed in 2021, and the 2024 opening of Glory Residence Hall, an $18 million project completed entirely debt-free. Furthermore, the college completed the $25 million Creating Home campaign to fund the new Freshmen Village.

These physical updates mirror a significant expansion of the college’s academic programs. Under President Wood’s leadership, Davis & Elkins has introduced forward-looking programs in digital media, special education, natural resource management, and cybersecurity. The college has also expanded its healthcare offerings, establishing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in 2019 and a Hybrid Associate Degree in Nursing program in 2026.

In 2026, the college launched the first master’s degree program in its history – a Master’s Program in Sport Management. This program will be followed by a Master of Arts in Literacy Education.

President Wood’s vision for Davis & Elkins College’s future began with a five-year strategic plan, resulting in the first Campus Master Plan since 1970. This plan prioritized the “value of place” in experiential education, enhancing student growth and inspiration. The first phase, upgrades to the Myles Center for the Arts, and the second, the completion of Glory Residence Hall, are now realized. Recently, President Wood led the development of a new strategic plan to guide the college into the next decade.

Beyond campus, President Wood has passionately strengthened “town-gown” relations. Working alongside First Lady Lisa Messinger Wood, the retired Executive Director of the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, the couple has united the local community and the college through numerous successful business collaborations. In recognition of their dedication, President and Mrs. Wood were named Citizens of the Year in 2022 by the chamber.

President Wood has dedicated his career to higher education and ministry. Prior to his tenure at Davis & Elkins College, he served as the vice president for advancement at Wesley College in Delaware and at the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina. He also served as the executive director of Mission West Virginia, Inc. As an ordained United Methodist pastor, he led congregations in Illinois and Maryland. President Wood earned a Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University and graduated magna cum laude from West Virginia Wesleyan College. He also completed additional graduate study at the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy.

President and Mrs. Wood have been married for 39 years. They are the proud parents of two daughters and have four grandchildren. The Woods, along with their miniature schnauzers, Hallie and Henry, reside at Hearthstone, the historic President’s home on the Davis & Elkins College campus.