Tributes Pour In For Marshall University President

  Marshall University President Stephen Kopp passed away Wednesday evening in Huntington. Kopp suffered a heart attack early in the evening and was then transported to Cabell-Huntington Hospital in Huntington. There he was pronounced dead at 9 p.m. 

According to a Marshall University press release the leadership team will meet first thing Thursday morning to review the university’s operation plans of continuity. 

Kopp began his tenure at Marshall in 2005 as the University’s 36th president. According to Marshall’s website, Kopp is credited with $200 million in new buildings and renovations.  

Senator Jay Rockefeller released a statement saying, “Under nearly a decade of Steve Kopp’s leadership, Marshall University has flourished. Steve ushered in a time of remarkable growth in research, scholarshiop and development. The University, the city of Huntington and the state of West Virginia have benefited from his vision. 

Kopp is survived by his wife Jane and two children, Adam and Liz. 

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today issued a statement following the passing of Marshall University President Dr. Stephen J. Kopp.
 
            “Dr. Kopp came to Marshall with a vision for growth and opportunity for its students, the faculty, the staff and the entire Huntington community,” Gov. Tomblin said. “Throughout his more than nine years as president, he dedicated himself every day to fulfilling that vision and ensuring the success of students not just at Marshall but across his adopted home state. He and his wife, Jane, fell in love with the people and beauty of West Virginia, and he was always so proud to share that love for our state wherever he spoke. Joanne and I extend our sympathy to Jane and his entire family.”

“President Kopp was thoroughly devoted to Marshall University, and especially to its students. Under his thoughtful leadership, Marshall has thrived as a place for students to learn, to grow, and to give back to our state and the people around them. Our higher education community is diminished by President Kopp’s passing. We send abiding prayers to his wife, Jane, and their children and grandchildren, and to the students, faculty and staff of Marshall University.” –Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor, W. Va. Higher Education Policy Commission
 
“A true ‘Son of Marshall,’ Dr. Kopp stood for everything the Marshall University community holds dear – loyalty, academic greatness, and the power of higher education for the public good. President Kopp will be missed profoundly, but his impact and legacy will most certainly endure.” –Dr. Bruce Berry, Chair, W. Va. Higher Education Policy Commission

“The passing of Marshall University President Stephen Kopp is deeply saddening and a tremendous loss to both Marshall and our entire state. President Kopp’s extraordinary vision transformed Marshall University, and his dedication to the University and its students is truly commendable. My husband Charlie and I offer our deepest condolences to President Kopp’s wife, Jane, and their children.” -W. Va. U.S. Senator-elect Shelley Moore Capito