2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 17
Celebrating the life of James Wade Gilley, Sr., Ph.D.
Agreed to by the Senate, January 15, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 19, 2026
WHEREAS, James Wade Gilley, Sr., Ph.D., an accomplished engineer and distinguished higher education leader who made a transformative impact on academic communities across the Commonwealth and beyond, died on July 5, 2025; and
WHEREAS, a native of Southwest Virginia, Wade Gilley graduated from Fries High School in 1957 before earning a bachelor's degree in civil engineering four years later from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he was a member of the football team and the Corps of Cadets; and
WHEREAS, Wade Gilley began his career with the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and continued his academic pursuits by acquiring both a master's degree and doctoral degree in engineering, an experience that led him to teaching and inspired him to shift his focus to higher education administration; and
WHEREAS, over his illustrious career in higher education, Wade Gilley served as president at several universities and community colleges, including Wytheville Community College, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Bluefield State College, Marshall University, and the University of Tennessee; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his leadership and expertise, Wade Gilley was appointed to serve as the Secretary of Education in the Cabinet of Governor John Dalton and later held a number of senior administrative positions at George Mason University; and