riccards became president of st. john's college in santa fe, new mexico in 1986. he worked to build a new library for the school, and served on the new mexico council for humanities. in 1989, he left for the presidency of shepherd college (now shepherd university), a liberal arts college in the eastern panhandle of west virginia. riccards established a new science and technology building built with federal funds, and planned the senator robert c. byrd center as part of a renovation of the library. riccards also served on the national skill standards board.