Gaston Caperton graduated from the University of North Carolina and began his career in a small insurance agency in Charleston, West Virginia.  Gaston became the company’s principal owner and turned it into the tenth largest privately owned insurance brokerage firm in the nation. 

Gaston served two successful terms as the thirty first governor of West Virginia, from 1998-96. Due to his financial management approach, Financial World magazine called the Mountain State the most improved nation.  He was instrumental in establishing additional funding for faculty salaries for the Marshall University Lewis College of Business. 

Gaston’s political legacy was bringing computers to West Virginia’s impoverished schools. His aggressive school building program resulted in $800 million in investments for 58 new schools and 780 school renovations.  Gaston raised teachers’ salaries from forty-ninth to thirty-first nationwide and trained 19,000 educators through a statewide Center for Professional Development. 

Gaston has received numerous state, national and special recognition awards.  He has been awarded seven honorary doctoral degrees including one from Marshall University.

Elected the eighth president of the College Board on July 1, 1999, Gaston has moved quickly to launch sweeping initiatives, including organizational restructuring and strengthening of core programs.  The Board’s mission is “to prepare, inspire, and connect students to college and opportunity, with a commitment to equity and excellence.”  USA Today called him an “education crusader.”