▁Liber ty ▁was ▁so ▁named ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 th ▁Century ▁as ▁the ▁western most ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁liberty ▁provided ▁through ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Dr . ▁Paul ▁N . ▁El bin ▁( at ▁age ▁ 3 0 , ▁the ▁young est ▁president ▁of ▁a ▁four - year ▁college ▁in ▁the ▁U . S .), ▁the ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁Academy ▁transition ed ▁to ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁State ▁Te ach ers ▁College ▁and ▁eventually ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁State ▁College . ▁ ▁Under ▁El bin ' s ▁ 3 5 - year ▁leadership , ▁the ▁college ▁developed ▁a ▁full ▁curr icul um , ▁fac ulty , ▁staff , ▁student ▁services , ▁and ▁activities ▁including ▁music ▁and ▁theatre . ▁ ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁was ▁approved ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁university ▁by ▁the ▁West ▁Virginia ▁High er ▁Education ▁Policy ▁Commission ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁Board ▁of ▁Govern ors ▁voted ▁to ▁change ▁to ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁University ▁on ▁May ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁The ▁bulk ▁of ▁its ▁student ▁body ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Northern ▁Pan handle ▁of ▁West ▁Virginia , ▁eastern ▁Ohio , ▁and ▁western ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁After ▁Robin ▁Cape hart ' s ▁ten ure ▁as ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁West ▁Liber ty ▁University ▁and ▁a ▁short ▁inter im ▁presiden cy ▁by ▁the ▁much - ad m ired ▁Dr . ▁John ▁McC ull ough , ▁Dr . ▁Stephen ▁Gre iner ▁was ▁selected ▁un anim ously