Courtesy of Marshall

Toney Stroud

Toney Stroud, Marshall’s chief legal officer, said it is important for people to give back to those who invested in them.

“I think if you’ve had an organization or a person who’s been instrumental to you in your life,” Stroud said, “you need to pay that forward, and you need to give back.”

Stroud graduated from Marshall before getting his law degree from West Virginia University in 1988.

“What I have found at Marshall University is a strong commitment from those who attended Marshall,” said Charlotte Weber, the vice president for government relations at Marshall.     “They have a love for all things green and white, and it’s important to bring their expertise after they graduate.”

Growing up in a rural area in West Virginia, Stroud was the first in his family to go to college. He said his parents decided to help him succeed.

“My parents were very instrumental in just helping guide me and direct me and making sure that I had that pathway,” Stroud said, “and then Marshall University being there in my backyard was that pathway.”

Stroud said the biggest skills his parents taught him were work ethic and being a man of integrity.

Weber said Stroud is an individual who is always looking toward the future- always looking at where the university and students will be in the future. She said having individuals who look toward the future allows an organization to stay relevant and continue to leave an impact in the region it exists.

Stroud served one term on Marshall’s Board of Governors before being offered the position of chief legal officer.

“I was very humbled that I was selected by the governor and appointed to serve my alma mater; that meant so much and had such an impact on my life,” he said.

Stroud also said Marshall represents a place where anyone can come regardless of their background.

“Marshall University started me on the pathway, started me on the road to allow me to have a very successful career throughout my life,” he said.

Weber said Stroud gives more to the university by speaking to the on-campus pre-law club about his experiences as a lawyer and by teaching them about the field of law. 

“Tony goes, and he speaks about his legal experiences,” Weber said. “He shares those experiences with the goal of trying to help others grow, and, maybe, they might have an interest in that field that they didn’t know about.”

Stroud said being able to give back is important to him because it gives him a sense of making a difference. Viewing himself as an underdog, he said he was driven by the motivation to prove to himself and others he could succeed.

“When we’ve had people who have influenced us and have given us opportunities,” Stroud said,  “I think we owe that to others to make sure they have that same opportunity with those same opportunities.”