Dave Cillay has been named the permanent chancellor of the WSU Pullman campus, a role he’s been serving in as an interim since June. Cillay also will continue to serve as Global Campus chancellor.
In actively strengthening ties with the Pullman community while streamlining the chancellor’s office’s operations, Cillay proved not only that the role is vital, but that he is best suited for it, WSU President Kirk Schulz said.
“Dave has been immensely effective in serving as the interim chancellor of WSU Pullman these past six months,” WSU President Kirk Schulz said. “Whether actively engaging with current and prospective students or further partnering and strengthening relationships across the Pullman community, Dave has delivered.”
Schulz continued, “The role of the WSU Pullman chancellor has evolved since it was first introduced. We can’t lose momentum in serving the critical needs of the Pullman campus and community. That is why I am proud to make this appointment permanent now.”
During the first six months of his tenure as Pullman chancellor, Cillay said the opportunities that manifest from strong relationships with the Palouse community, as well as the thousands of alumni who regularly return, quickly came into focus.
“The strength of our campus depends on having a vibrant community around it, and so Kirk and I came to understand how having a leader of the Pullman campus could contribute to that vitality and capitalize on the possibilities in front of us,” Cillay said.
The operations and objectives of the Pullman chancellor’s office were honed under Cillay’s leadership. Several positions previously in the office have been reassigned to better align with the university’s mission. It’s allowed Cillay to be a more engaged ambassador to the Pullman community as well as to the prospective students and families visiting the campus.
Pullman Mayor Francis Benjamin said Cillay has already shown a desire to further connect the campus to the city around it.
“Town-gown relationships are critical for communities like ours, and I’ve been overjoyed to see Dave actively engaging with civic groups and have heard nothing but support for him as chancellor,” Benjamin said.
Marie Dymkoski, executive director of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, said Cillay’s decades of community involvement serves him well in the chancellor role.
“As a long-time community member, Dave understands Pullman and how important collaboration is,” Dymkoski said. “As our largest economic driver in the region, it will be very important to continue working together to make Pullman an exceptional college town. As Chancellor, Dave has already put into motion several opportunities to hear from different stakeholders in the community and I look forward to working with him more closely in the future.”
The extra effort Cillay devotes to the health and vibrancy of the local community is also apparent to developer Duane Brelsford, a 1981 WSU graduate and prominent member of the Pullman community.
“Dave is focused on the wellbeing of the campus as well as the community that surrounds it,” Brelsford said. “Growing enrollment is critical to that work, and it’s an effort that he is keenly focused on.”
Having been a part of the community for more than three decades, Cillay has hit the ground running and is energized about the potential to bring more people to campus as well as the downtown area.
“We used to have a number of events that enhanced home football game weekends, things for families to get involved in and that generated business for our Pullman community,” Cillay said. “I want to find ways to bring some of those events back, as well as identify new potential offerings for all of our community.”
Following his appointment, Cillay and his family relocated to the Ida Lou Anderson House, which historically has been the house of university presidents. In 2022, the house was made the official residence of the WSU Pullman chancellor.
