( Bluefield)—Dr. Brian Noland, who was appointed Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission earlier this year, has accepted an invitation to deliver the commencement address at Bluefield State College’s 2007 graduation exercises. BSC President Dr. Albert Walker extended the invitation to Chancellor Noland. Bluefield State’s 110 th commencement program will take place on Saturday, May 12, 2007.

“We look forward to Chancellor Noland’s message to graduates and their families,” noted Dr. Walker. “He’s a very talented, positive leader and has been a much appreciated advocate for public higher education in West Virginia.”

Dr. Noland’s professional career has been primarily focused in higher education and higher education policy.  Prior to joining the Commission’s staff, he served as the Associate Executive Director for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, and was a faculty member in the Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University.  His scholarly focus has been in the areas of access, accountability, and governance, with articles published in The Journal of College Orientation and Transition, The Journal of Social Indicators Research, and The Handbook of Political Science Literature on Interest Groups.  Dr. Noland received his B.A. and M.A in Political Science from West Virginia University, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

More than 300 Bluefield State College students will receive diplomas during the 2007 commencement exercises at the Brushfork Armory.

November 6, 2006