Lori Hostuttler was named director of the West Virginia and Regional History Center in May.
“Lori Hostuttler has a demonstrated commitment and deep passion for West Virginia history and its application to the educational and land-grant mission of West Virginia University,” Tracy Grimm, associate dean for special collections and exhibitions, said. “Critical for this time in WVU’s history, Lori is and has been for a number of years part of a network of WVU campus faculty partners actively engaged in advancing students’ academic experiences through encounters with historical sources and guided experiential learning opportunities within the WVRHC.”
Additionally, Hostuttler has facilitated, sparked and partnered with successful and ongoing initiatives to identify and preserve multiple untold stories and hidden primary source collections to shed new light on West Virginia’s rich and diverse heritage.
As a leader in multiple local and regional history and professional organizations, she has established a network of individuals across the state and has and will continue to foster the advancement of WVU as the research center for scholarship on West Virginia’s unique contributions to our nation’s history.
“Lori Hostuttler has a demonstrated commitment and deep passion for West Virginia history and its application to the educational and land-grant mission of West Virginia University. Tracy Grimm
“Lori’s leadership, combined with a deep care for faculty, staff and the sustainability of the WVRHC, will carry the Center into the next phase of growth and increasing relevance for the mission of WVU,” Grimm said.
Hostuttler served as interim director since the retirement of former WVRHC Director John Cuthbert on December 31, 2021. She previously served as the Center’s assistant director for five years.
Hostuttler earned her bachelor’s in secondary education/social studies from WVU, a master’s in public history from WVU and a master’s in library and information science from the University of South Carolina.
The WVRHC director leads the Center’s activities. In consultation with Library administration, the director sets and supports the Center’s strategic direction, outreach programming and fundraising.
The WVRHC is the foremost historical archives library in the state, acquiring and preserving more than one million photographs and tens of millions of original documents and manuscripts pertaining to the history of West Virginia and the central Appalachian region. v