WSU Presidential Profiles

Since 1967, Wright State University has had extraordinary leadership. Each of the university's presidents has made a significant impact on and off the WSU campus.

Browse through our presidential profiles to learn about each of our six presidents.

2006–present || 1998–2006 || 1994–1998 || 1985–1994 || 1973–1985 || 1966–1973

David Hopkins

2006–Present

David R. Hopkins was appointed the 6th president of Wright State University on July 6, 2006, and assumed the office on February 1, 2007.

Hopkins has served as provost of Wright State University since 2003. As the university's chief academic and operating officer, he was responsible for overseeing and guiding all of the university's academic schools and colleges, as well as WSU's nationally funded research centers and institutes.

A central hallmark of his tenure at Wright State has been his leadership in the implementation of the university's five-year strategic plan, a dynamic and visionary document that defines the university's role in the world and its future direction in the region and beyond.

By aligning university resources and expertise, Hopkins helped garner unanimous support and participation from faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Through their combined efforts, the university achieved several milestones and launched key initiatives set forth in the plan, including an increase in student enrollment; the addition of several new degree and certificate programs; an increase in external funding; increased effort to recruit and retain diversity in the faculty ranks; and enhanced engagement with government, business and nonprofits to focus on emerging areas of need.

Hopkins came to Wright State from Indiana State University where he served from 2001–2003 as senior associate vice president for academic affairs and interim dean of the School of Business. While at Indiana State University, he also served as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs from 2000–2001; associate vice president for academic affairs from 1996–2000; assistant vice president for academic affairs from 1995–1996; and chairperson and professor in the Department of Physical Education from 1988–1994.

In 2005, Indiana University honored Hopkins with the John R. Endwright Alumni Service Award, an annual award that recognizes outstanding service and contributions by graduates of the IU School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Hopkins is a Fellow in the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' Academic Leadership Institute, a member of the Honor society of Phi Kappa Phi, and a past recipient of the Amoco Excellence in Teaching Award.

Hopkins serves on the following regional boards: Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute; Dayton Development Coalition; Wright Brothers Institute; Dayton YMCA; Miami Valley Research Foundation; Homeless Solutions Policy Board; Dayton Chamber of Commerce; and the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center. He is also chair of the Horizon League.

Hopkins holds a doctorate in kinesiology from Indiana University. Prior to his doctoral work, he received his master's degree in mathematics and his bachelor's in physical education from the College of Wooster, Ohio. Hopkins' research interest in is the area of exercise physiology and fitness and aging. He has authored or co-authored more than 60 publications and is the inventor of ACUFLEX instruments, which are used worldwide to evaluate joint flexibility.

Kim Goldenberg

1998–2006

Dr. Kim Goldenberg came to Wright State in 1983, when he joined the faculty in the Boonshoft School of Medicine. Named medical school dean in 1990, Goldenberg went on to become Wright State's fifth president in 1998.

A hallmark of his tenure at Wright State is a dedication to creating a culture on campus that embraced diversity.

The recipient, along with Wright State, of the Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice in the region, Goldenberg was also the 2002-2003 honorary co-chair of the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration in Dayton. He and his wife Shelley were active in the Dayton Urban League and the NAACP's fight for racial equality and human justice. Goldenberg also instituted Quest for Community: A Call to Action, a state-wide conference held annually at Wright State University exploring diversity issues in higher education.

During his presidency, Wright State earned a respected reputation for its collaborations and agreements with community organizations, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Veterans Affairs, and community hospitals.

In 2005, when the Congressional Base Realignment and Closure legislation threatened defense jobs at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Goldenberg gathered the university's experts to join with regional business and government in support of its long-term partner. Working side-by-side with the community, the Wright State team helped save over 5,000 jobs.

One noteworthy initiative during his tenure is WSU's participation in the governor's Third Frontier project. Through this $43 million project, Wright State established daytaOhio, an organization that partners to solve the complexities of large-scale data management issues.

One of the lasting legacies of the Goldenberg presidency is his leadership to the university's first-ever capital campaign. A resounding success, the campaign raised $123 million. The funds provided additional resources for nearly every area of the university and resulted in innovative new academic programs, major facility renovations, and new buildings across campus.

Harley E. Flack

1994–1998

The inauguration of Harley E. Flack as Wright State University's fourth president took place on October 7,1994.

During his tenure, Flack stressed collaboration and community building, both within and outside the university's walls. As a direct result of his leadership, he forged a proactive relationship between Wright State and Dayton Public Schools to improve educational opportunities for all children. In addition, the state of Ohio included a line item for funding educational services to support students with disabilities.

Other university milestones reached during his tenure were the reaccreditation of the university's programs by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools following a two-year long self study; approval by the Ohio Board of Regents of WSU's Ph.D. in engineering program; the establishment of a faculty senate; and the establishment of WSU as the leader in the Informational Technology Research Institute, an academic/industrial research and development collaborative with the Ohio Board of Regents, the Miami Valley Economic Development Coalition, and Wright State.

Dr. Flack came to Wright State from Rowan College of New Jersey, where he was provost and executive vice president.

Paige E. Mulhollan

1985–1994

Paige E. Mulhollan was named WSU's third president in 1985. He is best known for shaping Wright State's mission as a metropolitan university dedicated to service and leadership to the Dayton metropolitan area. Wright State hosted the first national conference of metropolitan universities in 1990 and launched the journal for member universities.

Another legacy of the Mulhollan years is an expansion of facilities and programs that enhance student and academic life: on-campus housing increased to nearly 2,000 students; the Ervin J. Nutter Center and the Fritz and Dolores Russ Engineering Center were built; and a new Student Union began construction. The College of Science and Mathematics split in 1985 to form the College of Engineering and Computer Science; the Center for Teaching and Learning opened in 1993 to assist faculty development in teaching; and Wright State athletics moved to Division I competition. Mulhollan came to Wright State from Arizona State University–Tempe, where he served in the executive vice president post.

The 1990's have seen continuing community support for Wright State. Research funding topped $20 million in 1991–92, and in 1992, the Kellogg Foundation announced a $2 million grant to fund the Partners for Community Health Development Project, designed to improve health care delivery and develop innovative ways to train health care professionals.

Construction continued with the opening of the Ervin J. Nutter Center in 1990 and the Fritz and Dolores Russ Engineering Center in 1992.

Robert J. Kegerreis

1973–1985

Robert Kegerreis, described as the man who brought Wright State University through adolescence and into adulthood, became WSU's second president in 1973.

He served during the longest presidential term during the years that Wright State experienced the most change. he oversaw an explosive growth in curriculum—the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Professional Psychology, and the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program all began during his term, and eight major structures were built. He extended the university's physical reach into the community by acquiring the Kettering Center, the Cox Heart Institute, and the Fels Institute.

Kegerreis secured a major coup for scholarship funds during his presidency, with the donation of a $1 million scholarship endowment from the late Charles H. Hewitt, one of the largest gifts at the time in Wright State's history.

Kegerreis came to the university in the summer of 1969 as a faculty member, and later served as dean of the College of Business and Administration and then vice president and director of administration.

Today, Kegerreis still resides in the Dayton area and is active in community life.

Not only did the university grow with the ongoing construction, is also added new programs. The School of Nursing admitted its first students in 1973, the School of Medicine in 1976, and the School of Professional Psychology in 1979.

With the 1980's came a growing excellence in the programs and students. In 1980, the Ohio Theatre Alliance listed WSU Theatre's audiences as the largest of any university in the state. In 1983, the WSU delegation to the National Collegiate Model United Nations returned the top award, beginning an unparalleled 16-year streak of taking top honors at the annual event. And in 1983, the men's basketball team won the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Brage Golding

1966–1973

Brage Golding, known as an innovator with an entrepreneurial spirit, was named Wright State's first president in 1966. He came to the fledging independent university from Purdue University School of Chemical Engineering, where he served as dean.

During his six-year tenure as president, the university expanded to include an impressive library, a student center with adjacent student housing, a gymnasium, and a creative arts center. Full accreditation, at both the graduate and undergraduate level, was achieved. Enrollment grew to more than 11,000 and the faculty expanded from 140 to 450.

Under Golding's leadership, Wright State University grew to encompass four colleges, three divisions, and a graduate school, with branch operations in Celina and Piqua. Golding earned his bachelor's and doctorate degrees from Purdue University. He left Wright State to assume the presidency of San Diego State University and later Kent State University. He currently resides in San Diego and writes a column for the San Diego Metropolitan magazine.

Although Wright State opened its doors in 1964 as the Dayton Campus of Miami and Ohio State Universities, it wasn't until October 1, 1967, that it became Wright State University, when its charter officially went into effect.

When doors opened for classes in 19964, the campus consisted of one building, Allyn Hall. By 1966, when Golding became president, three buildings stood, and when the university was officially chartered on October 1, 1967, it was home to four academic buildings and a student center. The 1960s were a decade of amazing growth: between 1964 and 1967, the student body grew from 3,204 to 5,000; by the 1970–71 academic year, enrollment ballooned to 11,000.

By the end of the decade, the Ohio General Assembly had approved the largest single physical expansion in 20 years, with a $14 million appropriation to build the University Library, Creative Arts Center, and Physical Education Building.