West Virginia University has chosen a leader with 27 years of experience in her chosen field of public safety and on its Morgantown campus to lead the University Police. Sherry St. Clair, WVU’s first female chief, begins her new leadership role this week. 

“My passion for the department, WVU and the Morgantown community runs deep, and I look forward to leading University Police,” St. Clair said. “I’ve served in several roles in this department, always with an eye on keeping our students, faculty, staff and the entire campus community safe and engaged in safe activities.”

St. Clair was selected following an extensive national search to fill the position.

A diverse hiring committee, including representatives from across WVU, reviewed the skills and qualifications of more than 50 candidates before making the selection. Other key stakeholders from within the University, including members of the WVU Public Safety Advisory Committee and the broader Morgantown community, also were engaged as part of the selection process.

St. Clair joined the department as an officer in 1994 while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Fairmont State University. She completed training at the West Virginia State Police Academy in 1995.

Since then, St. Clair has taken on various roles of increasing responsibility within the department, including several supervisory positions, and in 2018, was named University Police’s first female captain. She has completed several training and certification programs during her tenure at WVU, including the nationally recognized Police Executive Development program through Pennsylvania State University earlier this year.

St. Clair is a member of the WVU CARE Team, a cross-functional team that helps at-risk students access the support and assistance they need to succeed at the University. St. Clair also is a member of the WVU Public Safety Advisory Committee, the Monongalia County Sexual Assault Response Team and the WVU Pedestrian Safety Committee, among other groups.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to promote campus safety and continued engagement between officers and students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the community,” St. Clair said.

Congratulations!