Members of the WVU community, public officials and others are applauding the appointment of Dr. Christopher C. Colenda as WVU’s Chancellor for Health Sciences.

Gov. Joe Manchin

“I want to congratulate Dr. Chris Colenda for becoming the newest chancellor of the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Science Center. I commend President James Clements and the entire search committee for working extremely hard to select someone with a great record of service, commitment and expertise in the field of medicine. I am confident that Dr. Colenda will bring a great deal of passion and expertise to the job and I welcome him and his family to the great state of West Virginia.”

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.

“This is an essential role at our state’s flagship university, and I’d like to extend my greatest congratulations to Dr. Colenda for being selected. He brings with him undeniably impressive credentials, which signal a steadfast commitment to academics, public service and health care. The WVU Health Sciences Center has a strong history of education, research, patient care and outreach – and I look forward to what the future holds with Dr. Colenda and President Clements working together to lead this critical work.”

U.S. Rep. Nick Joe Rahall, D-W.Va.

“It gives me great pleasure to offer my sincere congratulations to Dr. Christopher Colenda on being chosen as the new Chancellor of the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center. His great work ethic and excellent leadership capabilities leave no doubt that we will continue to see exceptional things from the center. I commend Dr. Colenda’s commitment to the educational, research, clinical and outreach missions of WVU Health Sciences and his wish toserve our communities right here West Virginia.”

Congressman Alan B. Mollohan

“I’d like to extend my sincere congratulations to Dr. Colenda for being named the new Chancellor for Health Sciences at WVU. The Health Sciences Center, as much as any other department on campus, brings together the University’s different missions of research, education, and public service. Dr. Colenda has impressive credentials and background for his new position, and I look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead.”

Jane Martin, interim provost, WVU

“I am so pleased to know that Dr. Colenda has been selected as the new chancellor of the health sciences. He is superbly qualified by education and experience to guide the HSC for the future. His additional public health preparation and commitment to rural health will serve the citizens of our state well. On behalf of the provost’s office I extend a warm welcome, offer our congratulations and assure him that we stand ready to assist him in any way possible as he takes on this challenge.”

James Brick, M.D., interim dean, WVU School of Medicine

“I think Dr. Colenda is the best fit for the job; I’m very pleased. This is an important day in the history of the University and the Health Sciences Center and will help us to reconfirm our land-grant mission to serve all of West Virginia.”

Shelly Nuss, M.D., vice president of medical affairs, WVU Hospitals

“I think Dr. Colenda has the skill set to move this place to where we need to be – to the next level. He understand the needs of the faculty and will bring us even more national recognition for the great work we do here.”

Michael Vernon, Ph.D., chair of the WVU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

“All of the candidates were exceptional, but Dr. Colenda was the one I liked best. I know the rest of the faculty is very excited and happy to have permanent leadership in place. We can proceed on our journey to become one of the best academic medical institutions in the country.”

Bruce McClymonds, president and CEO, WVU Hospitals

“I’m delighted to welcome Dr. Colenda to WVU, and I look forward to working with him. His wealth of experience on the academic side along with his hands-on experience both as a doctor and an administrator are perfect complements to the big-picture vision he demonstrated in his interviews here.”

Fred R. Butcher, Ph.D., interim vice president for WVU Health Sciences Center

“I am very pleased to welcome our new Chancellor, Dr. Chris Colenda, to the family of Mountaineers. He’s experienced, he’s energetic, and he’s knowledgeable. But, most importantly, he shares our values. Dr. Colenda recognizes, as he said when he arrived, that our most precious resource is the intellectual capital we have in our faculty, our staff and our students. He will lead the tremendously talented and dedicated people of the Health Science Center forward in service to our students, our patients and our state, and we are ready to support him.”

Scot Remick, M.D., director of the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at WVU

“We are thrilled. The Cancer Center is delighted with the selection of Dr. Colenda. We fully endorse his vision for collaboration and partnership to build Health Sciences.”

Georgia Narsavage, Ph.D., dean of the School of Nursing

“He is the right choice at the right time. We are delighted to have Chancellor Colenda join the Health Sciences Center and the whole mission of improving healthcare in West Virginia. We are all behind him.”

Louise Veselicky, D.D.S., interim dean of the School of Dentistry

“I am really excited about somebody who has a well-grounded passion for the health of West Virginians and who’s completely aware that oral health is an important part of it.”

Jeff Neely, M.D., WVU physician and member of the search committee

“These are very exciting times with new leadership, and Dr. Colenda has the depth and breadth that’s critical for success in the Health Sciences Center.”

Sandra “Sam” Cotton, C-A.N.P., WVU nurse practitioner and member of the search committee

“He was an excellent candidate, and he’ll be an excellent chancellor. He understands the culture, and he has ties to West Virginia. This job is a people job, and he has the people skills.”

Judie Charlton, M.D., chair, Department of Ophthalmology

“Dr. Colenda has an excellent grasp of the special mission of land-grant institutions and he will help us better serve the needs of West Virginia.”

Giovanni Piedimonte, M.D., chair, Department of Pediatrics

“I am convinced the search committee and President Clements made the right choice. I appreciate his emphasis on the clinical mission, education, and, in particular, research. I feel strongly that he will push forward all those agendas. This new leadership has exceptional momentum that will bring West Virginia University to the next level.”

Patricia Chase, Ph.D., dean, School of Pharmacy

“We are so excited that Dr. Colenda is coming on board. He knows the value of the clinical pharmacist and that just left me glowing. He will be a tremendous addition. I love his passion and his personality. I think he will be fantastic. If we look at the work he has done in the past, we can use that to really get the Health Sciences Center doing some creative work. I’m just so excited.”

George Spirou, Ph.D., director, Sensory Neuroscience Research Center

“I think he’s an excellent selection. Dr. Colenda is a person who will be able to push forward all the missions of the Health Sciences Center. He will help grow our academic mission, our educational mission, and our clinical mission. He knows what he’s doing and he’s shown that. And past performance is the best indicator of the future.”

Gary Marano, M.D., interim president and CEO, University Health Associates

“Dr. Colenda has all the qualities we need to go forward at the WVU Health Sciences Center to provide healthcare to the state of West Virginia. He is a person who will make that happen and will lead us in that direction.”

-WVU-

08/19/09

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