Bishop Samuel Moore

At Marshall University and by many in Huntington, he's known as "Bishop Moore."

It's a title that comes with a hefty amount of respect, the kind that comes to those who listen, who take the time to understand, and who will stand up for those they represent.

For the Rev. Samuel Moore, that respect has been compiled through the different roles he's played in the Huntington community. He's been pastor at Full Gospel Assembly in Huntington for decades, and was consecrated as a bishop in 2010 by Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Inc.

He also served as a longtime educator in Cabell County, mostly as a science teacher at Cammack Middle School, a role for which he was honored with the prestigious Milken Award. He then retired in 2010 as assistant principal at Spring Hill Elementary.

Now a member of Marshall University's Board of Governors, he speaks not only as an experienced educator but as a respected voice for the surrounding community.

"I think Marshall is a leader in so many ways," Moore said. "Especially now that there are more nontraditional ways of getting an education - I think Marshall's role in this community is to make a push to expose kids to education, along with the public school system, to show them all the opportunities that open up to career options."

As an educator himself, he always enjoyed working with the students who were harder to reach.

"I liked having the kids with challenges, and hopefully I could make a dent in their agenda," he said. "I could relate to them. I wasn't one of the top students when I was going through school."

Moore was born in 1954, the year that the Brown v. Board of Education ruling determined that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. He grew up in Gary, a coalmining community in McDowell County, West Virginia. During his school years, integrated schools were an option, but districts maintained separate schools for a long time, allowing Black families to choose. Moore went to the integrated school.

"My father worked in the coal mines. His thinking was, 'I can't guarantee you're going to learn what my boss's kids learn, but I'm going to guarantee you're exposed to the same things,'" Moore said.

He had white teachers, so his only exposure to Black teachers was on TV shows like "Room 222," but when it came time for college, education was the major he chose. He graduated from Bluefield State with a degree in elementary education, followed by an off-and-on pursuit of his master's degree in educational administration from Marshall, which he completed in the late 1990s.

He taught elementary school and coached middle school basketball in Mercer County for the first seven years of his career, before coming to Cabell County, where he found his way to middle school teaching and eventually administration.

In the meantime, he was also establishing his career in the ministry.

"My grandfather was a pastor, and my father was a pastor, so I grew up in church and went to church more than I wanted to," he said. "People would tell me, 'You're going to be a preacher,' and I'd say, 'I'm not going to do that. I'm going to be a football player.'"

But he felt a pull. As he drove back and forth between Bluefield and Huntington, where he was attending Marshall for his master's degree, "I would find myself on the highway developing sermons and things like that," he said. "It was like a calling, a burden - whatever you want to call it - but I said, 'Whatever you want me to do, Lord, I'll do it.'"

After his grandfather passed away, he ended up being appointed pastor at the same Huntington church, Full Gospel Assembly, where he continues to pastor today.

"I was 27 years old. That night (I was appointed pastor), I became the youngest member of the church," he said. "It was an interesting dynamic. It took a while for them to gravitate to me, but it worked. This is my 42nd year there."

As a bishop, he also works with 15 churches in his diocese. Over the years, pastoring, teaching and community service have always woven together, he said.

"In the Black community, when there are problems, most of the people come to the pastors," he said. "Between that and the fact that I've spent a lot of time in the school system, I have that connection and thankfully have a pretty good relationship with most people in the community. There is a trust level there.

"It helps me in the community to be able to address things and, in a position like this at Marshall on the Board of Governors, I can speak to people here at Marshall and in the city."

As it grows, Marshall should listen to and work hand in hand with the citizens of the neighboring Fairfield neighborhood and the Huntington community, he said. He also would love to see increased collaboration between Marshall and surrounding schools, to raise awareness about Marshall For All and all the doors now open for students.

Brad has done a tremendous job of reaching out to people to motivate them. He has notoriety around the world. He can pick up the phone and call just about anyone, and they'll answer. I think we have a world-class president who's trying to build a world-class university here.

Moore and his entire family have ties to Marshall, including his three children who are alumni and his wife, Renna, an alumna who worked with Marshall's HELP Program for many years. His grandchildren attend local schools.

He wants to make sure all children see a path to good jobs and an impactful career. President Brad D. Smith has done an excellent job of establishing programs to reach new students, Moore said, as well as collecting input from the people affected by the university.

"Coming from industry and his background, it's about collaboration in leadership, and I think he's done a tremendous job bringing that into the university to where people feel like they have a say. I think that's huge," Moore said. "It seems to boost morale, particularly among faculty members."