Ericke S. Cage, J.D., LL.M., is the 13th President of West Virginia State University (WVSU), a historically Black land-grant institution located in Institute, West Virginia. He was unanimously appointed by the WVSU Board of Governors on March 31, 2022, following his service as Interim President beginning in September 2021. In June 2024, he signed a new five-year contract, extending his leadership through 2029.
Under President Cage’s leadership, WVSU is undergoing a transformative renaissance marked by innovation, optimism, and measurable impact. In November 2024, the university broke ground on a $50 million state-of-the-art Agricultural Research Laboratory—the largest single investment by the State of West Virginia in WVSU’s history. At the same event, the University announced its largest cash gift in its history to support the establishment of the Purdy School of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. His administration has also launched WVSU’s first doctoral program in Educational Leadership, opened a Cybersecurity Innovation Center, and expanded the University’s presence in downtown Charleston through the new WVSU Center. These achievements are key components of Future State, the University’s five-year strategic plan, and a historic capital campaign launched in 2024, the second in WVSU’s history.
Prior to joining WVSU in July 2021 as Vice President and Chief of Staff, President Cage served as Executive Advisor to the President and Board of Visitors at Norfolk State University in Virginia. During the time at Norfolk State University, he played a pivotal role in securing the institution’s largest state appropriation and authored a $2.7 million grant to enhance student access, retention, and success. His career also includes roles as Director of Government Affairs at Teach for America, State Policy and Research Director for the national presidential campaign, and Legislative Counsel on Capitol Hill. He has held appointments at the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and began his professional journey as a high school government teacher in Halifax County, Virginia, where he was named Teacher of the Year in 2004.
President Cage is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in leadership studies. He holds a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University Law School, where he served in as Associate Editor for both the Women’s Rights Law Reporterand the Rutgers Business Law Journal, a member of the Moot Court Board, and Third Circuit Governor for the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division. He later earned a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in litigation and dispute resolution from The George Washington University Law School. His professional development includes graduation from the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College, the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, the Harvard University Seminar for New Presidents (2022), and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) New Presidents Academy.
Beyond campus, President Cage is an active national leader in higher education. He serves as Chair-Elect of the APLU 1890 Council of Presidents, Vice Chair of the 1890 Foundation, and as a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 1890 Taskforce. He also sits on numerous regional and national boards including the Charleston Area Alliance, Charleston Regional Chamber of Commerce, Advantage Valley, the Rotary Club of Charleston, the Truist Community Advisory Board, the Mountain East Conference, the West Virginia Start-Up Fund, the West Virginia State University Foundation, and the WVSU Research and Development Corporation.
A sought-after public speaker, President Cage has delivered keynote remarks for events such as the Salvation Army Celebration of Hope Dinner, the Healthy Grandfamilies Conference, the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Black History Month Speakers Series, West Virginia American Water Inclusion Day, the Kanawha Valley Business Forum, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lecture at Marshall University, and numerous Rotary Clubs throughout the state.
President Cage is married to West Virginia State University First Lady Roa Cage. Together, they are passionately dedicated to advancing the University’s legacy of excellence, access, and service to West Virginia and beyond.