Hall of Fame
Dave Wolk took over as the president of Castleton State College in 2001, and through tireless efforts more than doubled the institution's athletic offerings during his tenure. In 2009 Wolk ushered in the Castleton Student Initiative, a $25.7 million project which reinvigorated student life and learning and changed the face of campus, bringing with it the addition of a football program and the multi-purpose Spartan Stadium—now named in his honor as Dave Wolk Stadium. Wolk's investment in athletics paid massive dividends, increasing athletic participation rates five-fold and pushing the total offerings to 28 varsity programs at the time of his retirement. The increased enrollment brought in more students from across the country and around the world, providing a robust student experience for all at the “small college with a big heart.” Also included in the Castleton Student Initiative were renovations to Glenbrook Gymnasium, the Spartan baseball and softball fields, and an expansion of the Spartan Athletic Complex. The purchase of Spartan Arena and the addition of the Castleton Pavilion and new tennis courts came along with the project as well. Wolk guided Castleton through a turbulent time when parts of campus were under water following Hurricane Irene in 2011, and modernized the institution in 2015 with a name change to Castleton University. A man who was visible in all areas of the campus, he took great pride in knowing every student’s name that attended Castleton. The institution’s rapid growth was no hindrance to that mission, as he continued to interact with students, faculty and staff on a daily basis. Though Wolk retired in 2017, reminders of his presence remain throughout campus in the form of 343 green magnets with his daily reminder: “Keep Smiling.”
