The Ultimate Fighter

By Katelyn Martin  - March 2007

11th Grade Biography Writing Project

     A brushy little head peeked up from the seat, the glossy eyes of the small boy gazed out the window.  The sun was hours from rising, but Troy could see the glowing beam in his young son’s eyes. Five-year-old Trey was too excited to sleep; anticipated thoughts of Mickey Mouse and Tinkerbelle overflowed from his visions. During this minute in their drive toward sunny Orlando, Florida, Troy saw beyond the moment. “If you’re like me and a father and that’s how you want to define yourself, that’s not too bad; you find that you’re basically living for your kids”.

      Looking at the previous five years before their Florida adventure, Troy looks at himself and reflects on his personality: “[I] would’ve been more patient [and] tried to enjoy some things in life a little more”.  After sometimes finding it hard to enjoy the moment in front of him, Troy has grown as a father, husband and leader.  He understands the importance of having fun with what’s happening now and that patience truly is a virtue.

    Growing up in the seventies and eighties was sometimes difficult for Troy.  His father Royal was in the agriculture business and that was often a struggle for their family, especially during the mid-eighties. Things weren’t always bad though. “I had a real happy childhood, an extremely good family”. Both Troy and his two sisters, Dawn and Kim, were adopted, and their parents, Royal and Bonnie VanAken, were good role models for their children. “They rarely argued in front of us…and I think they tried to give us opportunities they didn’t have so they could make our lives better”. Royal and Bonnie were also very dedicated to their church. Troy remembers fondly days when he could recite most of the book of Matthew.

     Troy believes the struggles he faced as a child made him stronger. His parents were often concerned about the less unfortunate neighbor children, and they left Troy feeling as if they were more interested in other kids than they were in him. He thought himself selfish for feeling this way, though, and learned to take care of himself and deal with his own problems. The circumstances he faced as a child have also helped to shape him into the kind of father he wants to be. Troy wants to be the number one supporter for his children and have the financial abilities to provide them with whatever they need, emotionally as well as physically.

     Hillsdale College was Troy’s selection for his undergraduate studies. During his time at Hillsdale, Troy met his wife, Annette Rivera. After graduating from Hillsdale, Troy went on to receive his Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University and after graduating, moved to Evansville, Indiana with Annette. There, Troy was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and the Assistant Vice President for Instructional Technology. In 1999, Troy took Annette and his two children, Trey and Gabriella, back close to home when he received the job as the Vice President for Information Technology at Albion College.

     On August 7, 1997, Troy’s first child, Trey DeWayne, was born. As Trey has grown and developed a great interest in sports, dirt bikes and other heavy machinery, Troy has been right there alongside him. No matter how busy he may be at work, he always reserves time for coaching t-ball, football, basketball and soccer, whether he’s with the team on the bench or in the stands.

      Gabriella Marie was born on December 23, 1998. Troy couldn’t be more proud of her accomplishments academically as well as in pageants and athletic events. He admires her strong personality and how she doesn’t let anyone manipulate her.  Troy agrees that every child, no matter how close their DNA, are completely unique and individual people. From the day Gabriella and Trey were each born, Troy could see their distinct personality differences, and he acknowledges that those certain characteristics attained during infancy are still present in his children every day. There is one thing that Troy tells people when asked about his children and his thoughts on being a dad. “I always thought that I would be a good father…but I couldn’t have imagined the joy and special feeling that my children bring, and how much satisfaction I get out of trying to provide them opportunities, see them grow, and accomplish things.”

     At a relatively young age, Troy tragically lost his mother to cancer. It was a hard time in his life, and a situation he hopes his children will not have to face until they are much older. “I wouldn’t want them to go through that. I want them to have a full life with [us]”. Royal remarried after Bonnie’s death, and although the union may have helped Troy’s father to cope and move on, it was not an easy time for Troy himself.

     When faced with adversity, however, Troy will never back down. He pushes through the situation and decides what his options really are. “Sometimes you don’t overcome adversity, you try to take the least painful way out”. Troy considers his best qualities to be persistence, intellect and inner-strength; key qualities necessary to get through tough situations.

     As a college student, Troy had some kind of idea what his future career would be like. He feels as though he’s achieved the goals he set for himself in high school and college, but he continuously adds to his list of things he wants to accomplish. Today, Troy is the Executive Vice President of Albion College. He oversees and plans the college budget, is responsible for internal and external entrepreneurial activities, business and accounting offices, endowment oversight, dining and hospitality, information technology, facilities operations, the equestrian center and conference services. Because of his many responsibilities at Albion College, most of his day consists of attending meetings, responding to emails, making financial decisions, approving plans, projects or proposals, hearing complaints and “playing judge”. His job keeps him more than busy, and often forces him to confine himself overnight in his office in order to get everything done.

     Even though he has a very well-paying job that gives him decent benefits, Troy is unhappy with the amount of time he is required to spend at work. In the next ten years, he thinks he may try to be a college president. Troy takes time aside from his work at Albion College to visit colleges and universities across the country, attending conferences that he hopes will advance his career.

     Understanding who Troy really is can’t be considered an easy task. He’s a much different person at work than he is at home, and although he sometimes has trouble leaving “work-Troy” at work, he’s grown as a father and husband; knowing when to be a dad and when to be an executive vice president is getting easier for him. Most of Troy’s coworkers don’t know about his passion for heavy machinery and the backhoes, excavators and tractors he has at home, waiting to be played with when he gets there.

      The extent of Troy’s humor is beyond Troy’s professional associates. There can’t be a label put on Troy; he’s not just sarcastic, witty or goofy. Troy doesn’t just tease or tickle, joke or provoke. He’s got a whole package of humor, all the qualities blended into one that make him a fun person to be around and an easy person to get along with and love. A seemingly normal conversation with Troy can have a person of any kind reeling with laughter in an instant.

     Daily, Troy strives to achieve the high goals he sets for himself. Troy has accomplished so much in life already. He has two great kids; a beautiful, intelligent wife; a Ph.D.; a great job and all the components and potential to attain an even better one. He has learned from his experiences, mistakes and successes, and become wise in doing so.  He’s a hard worker, full of intelligence, life, love and strength. It takes a true champion to conquer the feats Troy has overtaken, but that’s why he’s the ultimate fighter.