The First Woman President of New River Community and Technical College in West Virginia

Bonny Copenhaver has been appointed as the first woman president of New River Community and Technical College in Beaver, West Virginia, effective January 2019. The community college enrolls just under 1,200 students. Women make up 64 percent of the student body.

Dr. Copenhaver has dedicated her career in higher education to working in community colleges. Most recently, she served as vice president of academic affairs and campus administrator at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Superior, Wisconsin. In 2010, she received the Woman of Achievement award from Women in Higher Education in Tennessee.

“New River CTC is a great resource to the community. I’m honored and humbled to be chosen as the college’s next president,” Dr. Copenhaver said. “The college is a young school and holds tremendous potential. I’m excited to be a part of that growth.”

Early on in her presidency, Dr. Copenhaver plans to visit each of New River CTC’s nine county service regions. “I look forward to reaching out, learning about and getting to know the communities New River CTC serves. I can tell that each has its own personality and needs, and I want to help to connect with the people and businesses so that each community really feels that New River CTC is its community’s college,” she said.

Dr. Copenhaver holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree both in English and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from East Tennessee State University.