West Virginia University’s next president, Michael T. Benson, is already making waves before officially taking office. With a personable leadership style and a commitment to opening doors—literally and figuratively—Benson is setting a tone of accessibility, inclusion, and student-focused growth.
During a recent visit to WVU’s Reynolds Hall, Benson toured the impressive facility alongside Josh Hall, Dean of the John Chambers College of Business and Economics.
As he walked the halls, Benson asked questions, interacted with faculty and staff, and showed a clear interest in the details—like the origin of a unique table in the faculty commons. But more telling than his curiosity was his instinct to hold doors for others in the tour group, a small gesture that revealed a lot about his approach.
“I really do like people,” Benson said. “I like talking to them. I like finding out about them, and I love being around students.” That enthusiasm is more than talk—Benson has already demonstrated his commitment by getting personally involved in student outreach.
Just a few weeks ago, he called in all the university’s deans and went through a list of accepted students who hadn’t yet paid their enrollment deposits. Together, they picked up phones and began calling the students themselves.
Benson recalls speaking with one mother who asked why the president of the university was calling. “I said, ‘Well, I’m Mike Benson. I’m the new president at West Virginia,’” he shared with a laugh. His hands-on approach to boosting enrollment reflects his top priority for the university: increasing student numbers and improving access.
But enrollment isn’t Benson’s only focus. He’s passionate about creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students—regardless of religion, race, or gender. “There’s no law against empathy,” he said. “Whether it’s your religious faith that teaches you that, or just the decency of being a human being.”
Benson plans to build an atmosphere where every student feels supported and valued, aligning with his upbringing. “My parents taught me that every single person is important. You’re no better than anybody else.”
His goals stretch beyond campus. Benson, who studied abroad himself, wants more WVU students to have the chance to do the same. While walking past floors in Reynolds Hall named after international cities, he learned those were destinations where WVU students have studied. That inspired him to expand global opportunities, helping students gain cultural insights and career advantages.
He also praised the college’s support fund program, which provides financial help for students needing business attire or struggling with rent at internships. Benson hopes to expand such programs across the university. “The idea that we’re going to help students with basic needs so they can succeed—I just love that,” he said.
Though he doesn’t officially begin his role until July, Benson is already shaping his vision for the university. He’ll spend the next couple of months wrapping up duties at Coastal Carolina University while engaging remotely with WVU leadership.
Despite comparisons to his well-known predecessor, Gordon Gee, Benson isn’t trying to fill anyone’s shoes. “There’s only one Gordon Gee,” he said. “I’m going to try and chart my own path, always reflecting on the work that all my predecessors did.”
When Benson arrives full-time, he’ll bring his family along, with his daughter finishing high school in South Carolina before moving to Morgantown. As WVU gears up for a new chapter, Benson is ready to lead with empathy, energy, and an open-door mindset that places students at the heart of every decision.
“We are kind of in the beginning processes of a strategic plan that I think is gonna be really exciting, that’s gonna chart a very, very bold path forward for us,” Benson said. And with him holding the door, that path may be more open than ever before.
