Alice Lloyd College confirmed last week that Charles Marshall, the college provost, will assume the presidency in August 2026 after a unanimous selection by the board of trustees. Marshall, a graduate of Alice Lloyd College, was chosen after presenting his vision for the institution at the board meeting, and his appointment marks the first time an alumnus will serve as the college’s president.

Marshall’s ties to the campus are deep and personal. He and his wife Kassi are both graduates, two of their children are current students at the college, and another attends the on campus June Buchanan School. Marshall framed his goals in terms of the college’s longstanding regional mission, saying, “To help educate Appalachian students to come back to this region and uplift our region. So, it’s not really my vision, but it’s the vision of the school. My job as president will be to continue that vision to produce the next leaders of Appalachia.”

Community leaders and residents of Perry County are likely to view the selection as a continuity decision, one that preserves the college’s character based, Christian context and its focus on serving students who are often the first in their families to attend higher education. Marshall said the role carries personal significance because of his own background, noting, “In this role I’m thankful to give back to the school and give back to students just like myself, those first generation college students looking for their future.”

The college also highlighted Marshall’s participation in the Gatton Winston Scholar program, which financially supports graduates who seek advanced degrees. According to the college, it is the only program of its kind in the nation. Marshall reflected on that experience and his desire to return, saying, “I went away as a Gatton Winston Scholar, but always wanted to come home, what I consider home. Alice Lloyd College is home.”

Local public health and workforce planners say institutions that train and retain professionals from the region can have outsized effects on access to care and other services in rural counties. Marshall emphasized homegrown professional development as central to the college’s mission, invoking founder Alice Lloyd’s belief that the best way to bring doctors, lawyers and teachers to the region is to educate them locally. “Back to Mrs. Lloyd’s vision, she knew the best way to have doctors, lawyers, teachers, those things in the area was to home grow them. So, we’re hoping to continue to home grow the future leaders of Appalachia,” he said.

Marshall also highlighted the campus community as a defining strength, describing a close knit atmosphere that stretches across generations. “The family. We are all family. From the people that work here to the students, it is a very family atmosphere. You may go in the hunger din, or cafeteria, and see a kid that is four years old playing with a faculty that is 60 years old. We’re one big family and we all look out for each other,” he said.

As president elect, Marshall said he looks forward to partnering with donors who support student opportunities and to sustaining programs that help Appalachian students advance. For Perry County, his appointment signals both continuity and the potential for renewed emphasis on training local professionals who can address long standing needs in education, health and economic development.