Neil Roth retires after transforming technology at West Virginia Wesleyan College

July 2, 2026 - 11:57

Neil Roth retired on June 30, closing a career that spanned nearly 43 years as the top technology leader at West Virginia Wesleyan College. During his tenure, Roth guided the campus through a radical evolution, from the era of clunky mainframe computers all the way to the early days of artificial intelligence.

When Roth first started, the college relied on punch cards and centralized computing systems that filled entire rooms. He oversaw the shift to personal computers, the rise of campus-wide networking, and the explosion of the internet. In his final years, he helped lay the groundwork for cloud services and AI tools that are reshaping how students learn and faculty teach.

Colleagues described Roth as a steady hand who never chased trends for their own sake. Instead, he focused on making technology serve the college's mission. He was known for listening to faculty concerns and finding practical solutions, even when budgets were tight.

Roth's retirement marks the end of an era for West Virginia Wesleyan. The college now faces the challenge of replacing someone who not only managed its technology but also shaped its culture around innovation. For Roth, the work is done. He leaves behind a campus that moved from the age of mainframes to the edge of artificial intelligence, all under his watch.