Beverly Warren wakes up at 3 a.m. to begin her days as provost and senior vice president of Virginia Commonwealth University. 

“I can’t say enough about Beverly,” said Catherine Howard, vice provost of communications at VCU. “She’s very approachable.”

Warren has served as a provost, dean and professor at VCU since arriving to the university in 2000. She was announced as Kent State’s 12th president at a Board of Trustees meeting Jan. 8. 

“It is Kent State’s gain,” VCU Director of Communications Pam Lepley said. “I’m actually going to copy our president [Michael Rao] in saying that she is tireless in commitment to academic success. She herself calls it a ‘laser focus’. ”

That very focus, Rao said in a formal statement after Warren was announced at Kent State, is part of the reason why she “will be missed by all of us who had the good fortune to work with her.”

Howard said Warren was instrumental in improving VCU, helping to shape the Living-Learning Communities as well as starting the award-winning “My Tuition” website at the university.

Warren, 65, said the morning before she was announced, Rao sent her a message of support. She said over the next couple of months, she will juggle almost two jobs as she finishes her provost position at VCU and learns more about her presidential responsibilities at KSU.

 “VCU is proud that Dr. Warren has been offered the presidency of a great institution like Kent State University,” Rao said. “She leaves a legacy of excellent and unselfish service as one of VCU’s greatest academic leaders.”

Before leaving for VCU, Warren headed the Physical Education and Exercise Science chair at Lander University. Current president of the university Daniel Ball said he entered started at Lander as an “outgoing star,” Warren, left for VCU in 2000.

“As I recall, she was a very capable administrator,” Ball said. “We’re confident she’ll do very well. We think she will do herself, Lander and [Kent State] very proud.”

Warren also worked for Appalachian State, where she was an associate professor and director of graduate programs. She also served as a faculty member at Auburn University, Smith College and University of Montevallo.

“She was very deliberate in making sure students were included in the process [of running a university],” Lepley said. “She makes sure students are a part of how the university is run. She does not just give a nod to students, but includes them as well.”

Jimmy Miller is the administration reporter for the Daily Kent Stater.

Jimmy Miller is the administration reporter for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected]