University of Charleston

University of Charleston

Dr. Marty Roth named 2025 Education Champion of Children

CHARLESTON, WV, October 15, 2025 — University of Charleston President, Dr. Marty Roth, was named the 2025 Education Champion of Children by Every Child Now at the organization’s annual Champions Luncheon this afternoon.

The Every Child NOW event unites business leaders and changemakers from around the state to celebrate the Champion of Children award winners. The six awards represent the five pillars that make up child well-being: Connections, Economy, Education, Health, Neighborhood; plus, an overall Champion of Children.

The awards recognize leaders and organizations working to support children and families across West Virginia. Every Child Now’s mission focuses on instilling hope, demonstrating care, empowering growth, and investing in opportunities for young people throughout the state.

“This is truly a family award,” President Roth said. “It’s not an award for me, it’s an award for the University of Charleston. Every day, our faculty and staff work to instill hope in young people, demonstrate that we value them, empower them to succeed, and invest in their futures.”

The University of Charleston has experienced significant momentum in recent months. In October, the institution announced record enrollment of 3,032 students, its highest since 1969, at a time when many colleges across West Virginia and the nation are facing enrollment declines. UC is the only private four-year institution in the state to grow over the past decade.

In August, UC was named the Best College in West Virginia by Niche.com and ranked 202nd nationally among more than 1,000 top colleges and universities, making it the only private institution in the state’s top ten.

In addition to Dr. Marty Roth, the other Champion of Children awardees were: Overall Champion of Children is Joe Boczek, the founder and Executive Director of GameChanger.  Health Champion of Children is Gina Sharps, a dedicated public health professional and Executive Director of the West Virginia Oral Health Coalition. Connection Champion of Children is Greg Puckett, Executive Director of Community Connections, Inc., a leading nonprofit organization headquartered in Princeton, WV. Economy Champion of Children is Steve Roberts, President of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Neighborhood Champion of Children is Al Tucker, a retired Air Force colonel and engineer, and a member of the Band of Brothers, a Buckhannon-based Christian men’s group that raises over $60,000 annually through their “Help Us Help Kids” initiative.