A newly formed West Virginia State University alumni group wants the college's next president to be a local graduate.
The group of current and former students already has identified a preferred candidate, and are petitioning the college's Board of Governors to consider placing David Fryson, currently vice president of West Virginia University's Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on their presidential short list.
"He'd be a perfect fit," said Lynn Rousseau, a local resident who started a committee to draft Fryson.
When asked if the position is one he'd be interested in, the Dunbar native said it wouldn't be appropriate to comment at this time. Fryson, who is involved in revitalization efforts on Charleston's West Side, has been a part of West Virginia University President Gordon Gee's senior leadership team since 2012.
"I am honored that Ms. Rousseau and others have reached out to me to express interest in having me be considered for the presidency at WVSU, my alma mater," Fryson wrote in an email to the Gazette-Mail.
While he didn't rule out interest in the job, Fryson declined to comment further.
Rousseau said Fryson has previously said working for West Virginia State is something he's thought about and that it would be "a dream come true for him."
West Virginia State University started the search for a new leader on Monday, days after current President Brian Hemphill announced he would resign. He joined the college in 2012. He'll step down after the spring semester to become president of Radford University in Virginia.
Hemphill is the university's 10th president.
Rousseau said the group hopes the next president will be a West Virginia State graduate.
Hemphill attended colleges in North Carolina and Iowa. His predecessor, the late President Hazo Carter, Jr., graduated from Tennessee State University.
Fryson has a degree in education from West Virginia State.
"He's from here, he went to State, his kids went to State and he's such a wonderful guy," Rousseau said.
Fryson, who is an ordained minister, often preaches in churches on Charleston's West Side.
"He's well connected there," Rousseau said.
Fryson is at the head of a West Virginia University study into revitalization efforts on the West Side. In November, he announced the university would continue partnering with local groups and community leaders to try and change one of the Mountain State's most economically distressed urban areas.
Through that study, Fryson is partnered with the Rev. Matthew Watts, pastor of Grace Bible Church. Watts is an influential community leader who also is part of the group hoping to bring Fryson to West Virginia State.
Watts did not return a request for comment Thursday.
Rousseau said she already has written a letter to West Virginia State's board urging its members to consider Fryson when they look at candidates. She also said her group will reach out to other alumni for support.
The president's office at West Virginia State will be vacated in May. The board on Monday voted to seek the help of an executive search firm to find Hemphill's replacement.
No timetable for having a new president in office has been given yet.
Presidential searches typically take several months.
Reach Samuel Speciale at sam.speciale@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-7939 or follow @samueljspeciale on Twitter.