The eight-and-a-half-minute interview with WHSV-TV3 anchor Caleb Peek was recorded in the Administrative Suite of 黑料正能量鈥檚 Campus Center and aired Oct. 22, less than two weeks after Dycus鈥� investiture during Homecoming and Inauguration Weekend. 

Dycus, who joined 黑料正能量 in 2019 and served as interim president beginning in July 2025, officially became the university鈥檚 10th president on July 1, 2026. 

When asked to share a word that encapsulates how she鈥檚 feeling after her recent inauguration, Dycus chose one familiar to many members of the campus community: together.

鈥淚t鈥檚 actually a part of our brand here,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e talk about leading together and creating together and being together in ways that create the community that we have on campus.鈥�

Peek asked Dycus, an ordained minister and trained spiritual director, how her journey in faith shaped her leadership. 

Dycus, who grew up in a family deeply rooted in faith and in a congregation pastored by her grandfather, said the church has always been a part of her life. 

鈥淢y faith 鈥� has really been a grounding piece for me as I listen and pay attention to who I can become,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut my faith, for me, is also about paying attention to how God is moving around us and how God allows us to create relationships between us. And that鈥檚 what grounds 黑料正能量 as well.鈥�

Dycus is the first Black woman to lead 黑料正能量 as president and just the 10th person to serve in the role in the institution鈥檚 110-year history.

Asked what it means to be a part of that legacy, Dycus reflected on the university鈥檚 past leaders, including President Emeritus Dr. Myron S. Augsburger, who died Oct. 15 at age 97.

鈥淚n his passing, it became even more clear to me just the courageous leadership that鈥檚 required to offer a vision for an institution like this, and I鈥檓 inspired,鈥� she said. 

Leadership extends well beyond the President鈥檚 Office, she added.

鈥淭his is a campus that is filled with incredible faculty, with staff who care deeply, and being president here means that I am only helping us all do the work that we need to do,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd so, while it鈥檚 an honor to sit in this seat, the true honor here is to be able to give vision and guidance for all of the folks who are leading on this campus.鈥�

Citing a on changing religious attitudes in the United States, Peek asked Dycus how declining religious identification among younger Americans affects her approach to leading a Christian university. 

Dycus described how people are changing the language they use to express their faith and the ways they live it out.

鈥淭here is still a strong longing that we see in our students and in our community leaders here who talk about compassion and justice and the care that we know in Jesus, that we know in many of the ways that faith takes form,鈥� she said. 

鈥淚t is still God informing how we live and move, and we get to talk about it in ways that connect more clearly with young people right now,鈥� she added. 

Dycus expressed gratitude for the support she鈥檚 received from the local community as she begins a 鈥渘ew season of leadership鈥� at 黑料正能量. 

鈥淲e get to journey with students who are growing and becoming in really important ways,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the ways we get to launch into a new season that grows our students and grows our connections across the Valley.鈥�