Pamela Balch

Pamela Balch was inducted into the inaugural College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. She was previously inducted into the College of Education and Human Services Hall of Fame in 2014 and was named the College’s Distinguished Alumna that same year.

After earning her bachelor's degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College, Balch earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from West Virginia University and completed postdoctoral work through two Harvard University programs. She began her career in teacher education at WVWC and later held senior academic leadership positions across public and private institutions, including Associate Dean at San Diego State University’s Imperial Valley Campus, Vice Provost for Academic Planning at California State University, Chico, and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Bethany College.

She served as president of Mayville State University in North Dakota before returning to West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2006 as its president, a role she held for more than a decade. Under her leadership, WVWC achieved national recognition in U.S. News & World Report and was named to its “Great Schools at Great Prices” list. Balch secured one of only two $10 million Title III federal grants awarded nationwide at the time, leading to major investments in student success and campus infrastructure. Over $30 million in debt-free capital improvements were completed during her presidency.

Her recognitions include Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year, California Teacher Educator of the Year, Imperial County Woman of the Year, and the Buckhannon Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year. She was also honored with a leadership award for service to North Dakota, named an ACE Fellow, and elected to the Uniontown High School Hall of Fame in Pennsylvania.

She has served as Chair of the Mountain East Athletic Conference, Chair of the WV Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Vice Chair of the WV Independent Colleges and Universities Association, Chair of the Appalachian College Association, and Chair of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of The United Methodist Church. She has served as a board member of the Presidents’ Independent Colleges Enterprise (ICE), WV Campus Compact, WV Science and Research Council, Region VII Planning and Development Council, College Summit Advisory Board, Upshur County Development Authority, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and the Dakota Athletic Conference.

After retiring from West Virginia Wesleyan in 2016, Balch continued to support higher education nationally as a senior consultant with Academic Search, Inc.