Davis & Elkins College President Chris A. Wood has announced two changes in campus top leadership effective July 1. Vice President for Student Affairs Scott Goddard will be named vice president for advancement, while Assistant Dean of Students Kate Garlick will take on the position of dean of students.
Goddard and Garlick have worked in unison to lead the Student Life team for the past three years by enhancing the learning environment through student involvement in extra-curricular programming and leadership development.
“Scott Goddard and Kate Garlick are both assets to Davis & Elkins College, and I am grateful that they are stepping forward to assume these new assignments which they will fulfill with competence and passion,” said D&E President Chris A. Wood. “Scott’s life has been committed to Davis & Elkins, and he has nurtured relationships over past decades that make him a natural selection for our vice president for advancement. Kate’s work in Student Life has been exemplary, and she brings energy and insight to this vital area of the life of the College. Both individuals are highly valued among our leadership team.”
In his new role, Goddard will oversee development, alumni relations, church relations, advancement services and the Augusta Heritage Center.
“As I transition from student affairs to advancement, I look forward to waving the D&E flag far and wide,” Goddard said. “For the members of the alumni community, board of trustees and friends of the College, I look forward to connecting or reconnecting on your home turf. My goal for the first year as vice president for advancement is to travel the entire country, spending time in every state with those who are passionate about Davis & Elkins College. While I will honestly miss the daily interactions with the students, I’m so looking forward to the move to advancement because I believe this is where I can make an even larger impact on the student experience. Seeing D&E’s newly developed master plan through to fruition will set the stage for the future. It won’t happen overnight, but this dream will become a reality with every passing mile and with every conversation that takes place. There is some hard work to be done, but the future looks bright for Davis & Elkins College.”
Goddard graduated from Davis & Elkins College in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and management. Within a few months of receiving his diploma, he joined the D&E staff as a resident director and became a contributor to the Elkins community as well. Rising through the ranks, Goddard served as assistant dean of students from 2000 to 2008 and dean of students from 2008 until he was appointed vice president for Student Affairs in 2011. In addition to those roles, Goddard was the head men’s golf coach from 2005 to 2010, assistant cross country coach from 1997-1999 and 2002-2004, head women’s cross country coach from 1999 to 2000 and served on the faculty as part of the First Year Experience Program. He received Davis & Elkins College’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in 2004.
Throughout his career in Student Affairs, Goddard has supervised a wide scope of offices including counseling, career management, community service, dining services, Greek life, health services, housekeeping, The Icehouse, international students, orientation, outdoor recreation, religious life, residence life, safety/security, student activities, Student Assembly and general campus life issues. He was instrumental in developing orientation programs and overseeing residence hall renovations, as well as other improvements that enhance students’ environment.
As advisor to Student Assembly and Senator Entertainment, Goddard organized numerous entertainment events including the annual Déjà vu music festival and D&E Night on the Town in partnership with the city of Elkins and Elkins Main Street.
“It is truly hard to believe that it is approaching 30 years,” Goddard said. “Like many before and after, Davis & Elkins College changed my life.”
In serving the local community, Goddard has volunteered with the Mountain State Forest Festival since 1992. He was appointed MSFF director general in 2016 after multiple terms as assistant director overseeing a variety of productions. He also has served on the board of directors. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors for The Arts Center in Elkins and the Elkins/Randolph County YMCA and is vice president of the Elkins Main Street board of directors.
In both his role at D&E and with the Forest Festival, Goddard booked concerts by some top names in the music industry.
Professionally, Goddard is president-elect and conference chairman of the West Virginia Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
In addition to his degree from Davis & Elkins, Goddard holds a Master of Arts degree in educational leadership from West Virginia University. A native of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, Goddard resides in Elkins. He is the parent of one daughter, Ellyse.
Garlick, in her new role as dean of students, will oversee all aspects of the Student Life office – residence life, judicial affairs and student organizations including Greek Life.
She joined the Davis & Elkins College Office of Student Life in 2018 as assistant dean of students, working directly with students to provide strategic supervision, leadership, and programmatic, budget and operational oversight for student activities, residence life, student critical incidents, Student Affairs administration and student leadership initiatives. The following year, she took on the additional role of Title IX & Section 504 Coordinator, a position in which she is responsible for monitoring D&E’s compliance with federal, state and institutional policies that promote a non-discriminatory and harassment-free environment. She also helps maintain a safe and caring campus environment through prevention education and the investigation of complaints of gender-based discrimination and sexual misconduct.
“I am excited to be serving Davis & Elkins College in this new role,” Garlick said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to receive invaluable guidance and support working with Scott Goddard these past three years. Davis & Elkins College is a blessing in my life, and I am grateful for the path that has led me home to West Virginia. Our campus community is vibrant and exhilarating. I look forward to continuing to lead the way by fulfilling our mission.”
Prior to her career at D&E, Garlick was the membership services manager for the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs at the organization’s international headquarters in Washington, D.C. Previously, she has worked as a West Virginia Specialized Foster Care program director, caseworker, community living manager and respite care provider.
In addition to her professional career, Garlick has attended and volunteered for the American Legion Auxiliary West Virginia Rhododendron Girls State since 2003.
A native of Fairmont, Garlick holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling and a Master of Science degree in human services management in special education from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland.