VanAken becomes president of Thiel

STAFF REPORT

GREENVILLE, Pa. — Troy D. VanAken has been named the 19th president of Thiel College, succeeding Robert C. Olson, who is retiring after serving two years as president on an interim basis.

VanAken is executive vice president of Albion College in Albion, Mich., and will take office at Thiel in July. He was elected by the Thiel College Board of Trustees after a national search.

“I look forward to Dr. VanAken leading Thiel to a new era of excellence and strength. He comes to us with the energy, commitment and depth of experience that will ensure Thiel’s success,” said Roy Strausbaugh, trustees chairman.

As executive vice president at Albion, VanAken’s responsibilities include budget planning and oversight, facilities planning, internal and external entrepreneurial initiatives, information technology and numerous other areas.

He also is heavily involved in trustee relations, community projects, fundraising and other grant initiatives.

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to join the Thiel College community as president,” VanAken said. “During the campus interview, the interactions my wife and I had with trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the Lutheran church and Greenville communities were overwhelmingly positive. We left campus amazed by the commitment of current constituents and motivated by the future potential.”

VanAken has also served Albion as acting head of institutional advancement, vice president for finance and management, athletic director/executive assistant to the president and vice president for information technology.

In 2002, he was awarded an American Council on Education Fellowship and worked at San Jose State University before returning to Albion.

Before joining Albion, he served as assistant vice president for instructional technology and assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Evansville in Indiana and research fellow, course coordinator and teaching assistant at Bowling Green State University.

He has worked as a high school football and track coach and served on committees for both the NCAA and Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

He is active in economic and community development projects and has started three successful technology-related companies.

He holds doctoral and master’s degrees in mathematics from Bowling Green and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, with minors in computer science and physical education, from Hillsdale College in Michigan.

He and his wife, Annette, have two children, Trey and Gabriella.