Following the tradition of naming campus buildings for distinguished educators, West Liberty University will name its multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building for Dr. Clyde Del Campbell.
The announcement was made today at West Liberty’s Highland Center by President Robin Capehart who said that ground will be broken this spring as part of the University’s 175th anniversary celebration.
Almost all of West Liberty’s buildings are named for educators who served the University. The Elbin Library, Hughes Hall, Krise Hall, Rogers Hall, McColloch Hall and Curtis Hall are named to honor men and women who devoted their lives to the School.
Dr. Campbell, who lettered in three sports at Warwood High School and who has taught Sunday School for decades at Warwood United Methodist Church, enrolled as a teenage freshman at West Liberty in 1950 and worked his way through West Liberty, graduating with distinction in three years. He has had constant association with the University for the past 60 years.
After receiving his Masters Degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina and a PhD in bio-chemistry from West Virginia University, he became a part-time chemistry professor at West Liberty. He also worked as a research chemist at Mobay Chemical (now Bayer Material Science LLC) where he secured 31 patents and wrote six major research articles. Later, he joined the West Liberty faculty full time. Then he began a meteoric rise to Science Department Chairman, Academic Dean and President in 1984. After retiring in 1995, he continued his service to young people of the Ohio Valley by serving as President of the West Liberty Alumni Association. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the West Liberty Foundation.
“Dr. Campbell has served West Liberty University and the surrounding community for many years. Personally, Clyde has been a great mentor and I am proud to be a part of this historic moment,” stated President Robin C. Capehart.
Concerning his tenure as President, the late Al Blatnik, a well known coach at the University, wrote a few years ago, “President Clyde Campbell brought back West Liberty to the excellent college it was by showing his understanding, interest and support of all programs. The University that it is today can be credited in part to the contribution of Clyde Campbell, a scientist, and an academician.”
In his book “West Liberty, From Academy to University A History,” Professor emeritus David T. Javersak wrote, “President emeritus Campbell’s record at West Liberty as a student, faculty member, administrator, and alumnus is matched only by the legacy of former President Paul Elbin.”
His wife, Joan, is a retired Warwood Elementary School teacher. His daughter, Leslie, a special education teacher in Ohio County, lives in Warwood with her three children.