[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 123 (Thursday, July 17, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4444-S4445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Tribute to E. Gordon Gee

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a dear friend of 
mine who has dedicated nearly two decades of his life to the service of 
our great State of West Virginia and, really, to the betterment of our 
students seeking higher education; the man who has been President of 
more universities than anyone else in the world--Dr. E. Gordon Gee, 
president of West Virginia University, who retired this week.
  Dr. Gee--or Gordon, as we call him--was fortunate to serve two 
tenures as President of WVU, first from 1981 to 1985 and, again, from 
2013 to 2025, where he brought his strong desire for community and his 
absolute love of education to our home among the hills in West Virginia 
in Morgantown.
  I know I speak for everyone when I say how much we will miss his 
signature bow ties--and I think he must have thousands of them--and his 
love for athletics, which has led him to be a leader, not just at WVU 
and his other schools but also at the NCAA. You know, he even offered 
to suit up for the WVU football team, although he is quick to admit he 
is not much of an athlete. But he has such infectious energy and 
thoughtful guidance, and his legacy will be felt at WVU for generations 
to come.
  To understand the impact that Gordon has made on West Virginia, I 
must expand on what WVU really means to our State and people far 
outside our borders. WVU was established in 1867, initially named the 
Agricultural College of West Virginia. It became our State's first 
public land-grant university. Since then, individuals from across our 
State, country, and world, have become Mountaineers, and many are WVU 
grads, including many members of my family.
  There are a couple of things I must note about WVU. First of all, 
Mountaineers are everywhere. There isn't a town across West Virginia or 
an airport across the country--and I would even say the world--where 
you don't see the trademark blue and gold Flying WV logo or hear 
``Country Roads'' being played. Mountaineers serve as a point of pride 
to our State and bring recognition to the wonderful people, passion, 
culture, and history that we have in our State of West Virginia.
  Second, Mountaineers are changing the world. Across WVU's 13 colleges 
and schools--whether it is engineering, agriculture, law, or medicine--
Mountaineers are making a difference. WVU is the State's only 
institution to hold the title of an R1 university, the benchmark that 
recognizes exceptional research capacity. This is a status that WVU 
received in 2016 under Gordon's leadership.
  Gordon's connection to West Virginia isn't just a professional one; 
it is a personal one too. He chose to return to West Virginia, not once 
but twice, because he believes in West Virginia, our people, and WVU. 
When he speaks of his love and passion for our State, it is 
unmistakably heartfelt. Gordon believes in the power of education. And 
that belief has left its mark, not only on Morgantown but across every 
corner of our great State and, honestly, across the country.
  When Gordon became president of WVU the first time in 1981, he was 
only 37 years old. When he returned to Blaney House--which is the 
residence of the president--in 2013, I will say he came back seasoned 
with the experience and perspective that WVU really needed.
  Through the foundation of his four pillars--education, healthcare, 
prosperity, and purpose--Gordon has guided WVU through both times of 
success and tumult, including through a global pandemic. He made 
education for our children in West Virginia more accessible and 
obtainable and moved our State toward one of his principles that 
Virginians should not have to leave our State's borders to receive the 
healthcare that they deserve.
  The impact Gordon has made is apparent in many areas, but 
particularly noteworthy is the impact he has made through the continued 
expansion of WVU Medicine. As the chairman of the WVU Medicine board of 
directors, Gordon oversaw the addition of 20 hospitals under the WVU 
Medicine umbrella that span across our State and increased the capacity 
and research support for WVU's world-class facilities, like the 
Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, our Cancer Institute, Heart and 
Vascular Institute, and new Children's Hospital.
  As West Virginia's Senator, I have had the privilege to work with the 
wonderful and incredibly impressive

[[Page S4445]]

people of WVU Medicine and have visited these facilities many times. 
Let me tell you, they are on the cutting-edge of medical achievements 
that will save lives and change our world. Gordon's leadership has been 
a critical part of this success, and it is fitting that his recently 
finished portrait will live at the WVU Medicine campus.
  Although Gordon was born in Utah, he is the first to tell you that he 
is a ``born-again'' West Virginian. He has made our State his home, and 
the effort and energy that he puts toward benefiting the lives of his 
fellow West Virginians is evident.

  Two of Gordon's four pillars that I mentioned earlier--purpose and 
prosperity--relate directly to economic development in our State. Along 
with the Marshall president, Brad Smith, Gordon was central to 
developing the First Ascent Program in West Virginia. This program 
connects recent WVU and Marshall graduates with workforce opportunities 
within our State that launch their professional careers and keep our 
best and brightest at home, contributing to our communities.
  The dynamic duo, as I would call them, also worked together to 
establish Ascend West Virginia, which has been a successful effort to 
attract remote workers to West Virginia's mountains, highlighting the 
wonderful outdoor recreation opportunities that our State offers to 
young professionals and their family.
  Additionally, Gordon has made it a priority to visit and spend time 
every year in all 55 counties of our State, showing the excellent work 
of the WVU Extension services, designed to build prosperity, enhance 
educational opportunities, improve health, and create purpose in 
communities across the entirety of our State.
  While Gordon's presence as WVU President will be missed, we know that 
he will continue to make a difference in West Virginia. As I said when 
I started this speech, the legacy he built will continue to be felt for 
generations to come.
  I know that I join Gordon and our State when I say we look forward to 
the leadership and experience that the new WVU president, Michael 
Benson, brings to Morgantown. In a recent article published at the WVU 
Magazine, I found the advice that Gordon gave to his successor to be 
wise, true, and eloquent:

       If you love the state and its people, they will love you 
     back.

  And that has certainly been the case for Dr. E. Gordon Gee and the 
time he has spent in Morgantown.
  On a personal note, Charlie and I have been the recipients of emails, 
texts, and letters from Gordon that have lifted us up in tough times 
and, really, in good times, as well. I have leaned on Gordon's counsel 
as I have made difficult decisions. And he has always taken the time to 
give me very thoughtful advice. Both Charlie and I can safely say our 
lives have been enhanced by Gordon and by the friendship that we have 
fostered with him and Laurie.
  Here in the U.S. Senate--and as I look at the President of the 
Senate, I know this is true of you, being from Ohio--there are many 
Members here in the U.S. Senate that have Gordon on speed dial. But I 
am eternally grateful we West Virginians are the ones who get to claim 
him.
  Gordon, I wish you the best in your next chapter. And I have heard 
him talk about his retirement. He always reminds everybody, ``I have 
not died. I have not died.'' But I hope you enjoy the well-deserved 
time that you can now spend with your Laurie, who has made an 
incredible mark on our State and the university alongside you, as well 
as your daughter Rebekah and those two beautiful young twin 
granddaughters whom you love so dearly.
  Thank you, Gordon, for all you have done for WVU, West Virginia, all 
of your leadership, your vision, your heart, your sense of humor, and 
all that you have done for our State and our people, those of us, like 
you, who call it home.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.