Troy DeWayne VanAken, Ph.D.
40 Eagle Street, Greenville, Pennsylvania, 16125
troy@vanaken.net, W 724.589.2100, H 724.373.8201, C 724.456.9268
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics, 1994; Master of Arts in Mathematics, 1991
Specializations: Combinatorics and Coding Theory; Cognate: Probability and Statistics
Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan
Bachelor of Science, 1989
Major: Mathematics; Minors: Computer Science and Physical Education
Completed Secondary Education Teaching requirements
FELLOWSHIPS AND INSTITUTES
Collegiate Management Institute, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 2006
American Council on Education, Washington D.C., ACE Fellow, 2002-2003
Project Kaleidoscope, Washington D.C., Faculty for 21st Century Fellowship, 1996
Project NExT, Washington D.C., Project NExT Fellow, Mathematical Association of America and Exxon Educational Foundation sponsored program for new faculty, 1995
Thiel College, Greenville, Pennsylvania, 2009 - present
President and Professor of Mathematics
Executive head of the College, serving as the official link between the College community and the Board of Trustees and charged with general oversight and direction of the instruction, discipline, co-curricular interests and management of the institution. Preside at all public exercises of the College and at meetings of the faculty and administration. Key institutional successes have included increasing full time enrollment from 942 to 1050, increasing first to second year retention 11 percentage points, growing endowment funds from $21 to over $63 million, leading the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategic plan, increased annual support while securing the three largest gifts in the College’s history ($25 million, $5 million, and $3.7 million), and moving annual operating budgets from an initial deficit of $800,000 to four consecutive years of surpluses each greater than $600,000.
Albion College, Albion, Michigan, 1999 - 2009
Executive Vice President, 2006 - 2009
Responsibilities include college budget planning and oversight, facilities planning, internal and external entrepreneurial initiatives, endowment and investment oversight, business and accounting offices, information technology, sustainability initiatives, dining and hospitality, facilities operations, conference services, real estate activities, risk management, and the equestrian center. Significant areas of involvement include trustee relations, community/economic projects, assisting with fundraising and grant initiatives, and other special assignments as requested by the president. Serve as staff liaison to the audit, finance and business affairs, building and grounds, and investment committees of the Board of Trustees. Managed and served on the board of directors for Colchester Properties and Briton Acres; both wholly owned subsidiary corporations of Albion College.
Acting Head of Institutional Advancement, 2007
Oversaw fundraising and advancement operations, including staff of twenty-four, major gift cultivation, stewardship, annual fundraising, campaign guidelines, communications and marketing, and alumni and parent relations. Was assigned several major gift prospects at various stages in the donor pipeline.
Vice President for Finance and Management, 2005 - 2006
Served as the Chief Financial Officer during development of a new financial model. Accountable for budget planning, endowment and investment oversight, and leadership of finance functions as well as operations of human resources, business office, facilities operations, dining and hospitality services, and the equestrian center.
Athletic Director/Executive Assistant to the President, 2003 - 2006
Supervised athletic staff and coaches for 18 NCAA Division III teams, a new IHSA equestrian team and facility, the campus recreation and fitness center, intramurals, facilities planning, and media relations. Assisted with fundraising activities, alumni events, science faculty development, and other special assignments as requested.
Vice President for Information Technology, 1999 - 2006
Provided oversight and
strategic planning for technology initiatives, systems and facilities.
Areas of responsibility included managing a college/community technology grant,
campus technology purchases, implementing technology systems, networks, web
sites, network file servers, public labs, media services, software licensing,
and distance learning facilities.
American Council on Education Fellow, 2002 - 2003
Placement at San Jose State University, San Jose, California. In addition to a yearlong curriculum, I shadowed the President and senior administrators. Areas of focus included: fiscal stability while undergoing a comprehensive quality enhancement initiative, continuous quality improvement, budget and technology planning, and California State system activities. Time was also spent in athletics working on Division I status and budgets. Maintained permanent employment with Albion College throughout fellowship.
Assistant Vice President for Instructional Technology, 1996 - 1999
Provided oversight and planning for instructional technology systems and facilities, including Harlaxton College, the British Campus in Grantham, England. Areas of responsibility include implementing technology systems, campus technology purchases, Y2K initiatives, local area network, Internet and intranet web sites, network file servers, public computer labs, media services, software licensing agreements, and distance learning facilities. Additional responsibilities included membership on the President’s Cabinet and Academic Affairs Council, facilities planning, grant writing, and leading science and mathematics faculty on interdisciplinary initiatives.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics, 1994 - 1999
Taught Database Systems, Probability, Statistics, Calculus I-III, Workshop Science and Mathematics, Mathematical Ideas, Survey of Calculus, Math for Elementary Teachers. Departmental duties included chairing the Assessment Committee, advising, supervising the network and department computers, and managing departmental web sites. Constructed the first University of Evansville comprehensive website.
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1990 - 1994
Research Fellow, 1993 - 1994
Research area: communication theory using algebra and combinatorics. Focus was on error correcting codes, coding theory, and affine difference sets.
Course Coordinator, 1991 - 1993
Supervised operation of Intermediate Algebra course, hired/oversaw 4 instructors and 10 tutors that served 200 students per semester, administered budgets, scheduled sections, counseled students, and formulated curriculum guidelines.
Teaching Assistant, 1990 - 1991
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I & II, and Intermediate Algebra
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Entrepreneurship/Economic/Community Development
Started three profitable technology related companies that employed 25 individuals. Participated in local and regional economic development initiatives.
Consulting
Technology, financial, and strategic planning; instructional technology; e-commerce, and web/database integration; facilities design; expert witness in federal software case.
Athletic
Coaching
High school football, junior high track, youth baseball, and youth football.
PUBLICATIONS
T. VanAken, “A crisis in higher education.” Pittsburgh Quarterly. Web. Fall 2012. http://pittsburghquarterly.com/index.php/Education
T. VanAken, “A Search for Affine Difference Sets of Even Order”, Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, 1996, volume 62, pp. 125-133.
S. Broad and T. VanAken, “Cyclic Affine Difference Sets of Order 8 Modulo 16”, Congressus Numerantium, 1996, volume 122, pp. 203-206.
J. Hayden and T. VanAken, “Character Theory and Idempotents in Affine Difference Sets”, Congressus Numerantium, 1995, volume 112, pp. 185-190.
T. VanAken, “Jobs in Academia”, Concerns of Young Mathematicians, 1995, volume 3, issue 33.
T. VanAken, “Problem 490 Conic Covers”, The Pentagon, 1995, Fall, pp. 35.
T. VanAken, Affine Difference Sets, Dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 1994.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Conferences/lectures/meetings attended
The Science and Art of you Successful Campaign, Gonser Gerber, Chicago, July 2014
Council of Independent Colleges President's Meeting, 2010-2014
Lutheran Education Conference of North America President's Meeting, 2010 and 2013
NCAA Annual Convention, January 2004-2006, 2010-2014
Institute for Charitable Giving: Designing a Successful Capital Campaign, Chicago, 2011
Association of Governing Boards Annual Meeting, San Diego, 2009
National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention, Chicago, 2008
NACUBO Annual Meeting, Chicago, 2006 and 2008
National Information Technology in Liberal Education Summit, San Francisco, 2008
Commonfund Endowment Investment Forum, Orlando, Florida, 2007 and 2008
Advancing to the Presidency, American Council on Education, Washington D.C., 2007
Considering the Presidency, Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin, 2006
Building a Better Board of Trustees with Dick Chait, Gambier, Ohio, 2006
Integrating Library and Computing Services, Gambier, Ohio, 2006
American Council on Education Annual Meeting, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006
American Council on Education Fellows Weekend, Washington D.C., 2003
California State University: Advocacy Team Development Conference, Sacramento; Board of Trustees Meeting, Fullerton, California; Business Officer Conference, San Bernardino, California, all in the spring of 2003
American Council on Education: Fellows Mid-year Seminar, San Diego, 2003; Opening Seminar, Snowmass, Colorado; Fellows Weekend, Washington D.C., 2002
Rethinking Teaching and Learning Spaces for Liberal Arts Colleges, Atlanta, 2002
COMDEX, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1998, 2000, and 2001
ASP/XML Connections, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2001
Special Interest Group of University Computer Services, St. Louis, Missouri, 2001
Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges Conference, Crawfordsville, Indiana, 2000
AIIM 2000, New York, New York, 2000
EDUCOM, 1997 and 1998
Project Kaleidoscope National Assembly, 1996 and 1997
Special Interest Group of University Computer Services, St. Louis, Missouri, 1997
Mathematical Association of America Indiana Section Meeting, Indianapolis, 1996
Southwest Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, Evansville, 1996
Southeastern International Conference on Combinatorics, Baton Rouge, 1996
Joint AMS and MAA Mathematical Meetings, Orlando, Florida, 1996
Lectures/papers/workshops presented
Panel discussion, 2014 NCAA Division III Faculty Athletic Representative Fellows Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana 2014.
"Understanding & Communicating the D-III Model", Invited Address, President's Athletic Conference Symposium, Cranberry, Pennsylvania, 2014.
"Student Engagement", Plenary Session, Lutheran Education Conference of North America President's Meeting, San Diego, California, 2010.
“2% Solution Follow Up”, panel discussion with state, county, and city representatives on localized environmental initiatives, Albion, Michigan, 2008.
"Athletics and the Liberal Arts Education - Past, Present and Future", panel discussion, Albion, Michigan 2004.
“Information Technology in the Service of the Liberal Arts”, GLCA Information Technology Summit, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, 2001.
“Information Technology in the Liberal Arts College”, NASCUMC Annual President’s Conference, Hilton Head, South Carolina, 2000.
“Technology in Education”, Southwest Indiana PC Users Group, Evansville, Indiana, 1998.
“Facilities for the Future: Accommodating Technologies”, PKAL Facilities Roundtable, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1998.
“Technology: Strategic and Financial Planning”, Independent Colleges of Indiana's Retention and Persistence Workshop, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1998.
“Project NExT in Indiana”, MAA Indiana Section Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1996.
“Appropriate Role of Technology in Mathematics Education”, (with panel discussion) Southwest Indiana Council of Teachers of Mathematics Mini Conference, Harrison High School, Evansville, Indiana, 1996.
“Cyclic Affine Difference Sets of Order 8 Modulo 16”, Southeastern International Conference on Combinatorics, Graph Theory and Computing, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1996.
“A Mathematical Journey Back To The Future”, Kappa Mu Epsilon Banquet, University of Evansville, 1995.
“Character Theory and Idempotents in Affine Difference Sets”, Southeastern International Conference on Combinatorics, Graph Theory and Computing, Boca Raton, Florida, 1995.
“Math Using Technology”, Midwestern Mania, University of Evansville, 1994.
“Introduction to Error-Correcting Codes”, University of Evansville Math Club, 1994.
“On Affine Difference Sets”, University of Evansville, 1994.
ACTIVITIES
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Horizon, Board of Directors, 2009 - present
NCAA Division III Management Council, 2013 - present
Community Connections, Founding Board Member, 2013 - present
Presidents’ Athletic Conference, Chair of Presidents’ Council, 2013 - 2014
NCAA Division III Chancellor/Presidents Advisory Group, 2011 - present
Penn-Northwest Economic Development Corporation, Board of Directors, 2009 - 2014
Educational & Institutional Insurance Administrators Advisory Council, 2008 - 2009
Albion College Sustainability Council, Founder and Leadership Team, 2007 - 2009
Project Kaleidoscope Leadership Initiative Liaison, Albion College, 2006 - 2009
National Association of Division III Athletic Directors, 2003 - 2006
NCAA Division III Focus Group, MIAA Athletic Director Representative, 2005
Southwest Indiana Technology Center, Technology Consultant, 2003 - 2007
MIAA Men’s Tennis Coordinator, 2003 - 2006
Albion College Campaign Leadership Committee, 2001 - 2006
Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, Building Technology Consultant, 2001 - 2006
Hillsdale Youth Football Coach, 2004
Albion College Equestrian Implementation Committee, 2003 - 2004
Albion City Cable Television Committee, 2000 - 2002
Calhoun County High Speed Telecommunications, Sub-committee Chair, 2000 - 2002
Access Evansville, Board of Directors, 1997 - 1999
Evansville Signature School, science/mathematics committee, 1996 - 1997
Interdisciplinary Science Committee, co-authored successful NSF grant, 1994 - 1997
World Wide Web Committee, chairman, University of Evansville, 1995 - 1996
Co-founder of committee to develop a Multimedia Major, University of Evansville, 1995
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2013 Hillsdale College Alumni Achievement Award
2006 Collegiate Management Institute Scholarship, CACUBO
2003 American Council on Education Fellow, 2002 - 2003 Fellows Class
2000 Ameritech, $10,000 for Internet enhanced mathematics instruction
1998 Lilly Endowment, Inc, $200,000 for Center for Teaching Excellence
1998 Ameritech, $10,000 for audio video on demand via campus LAN
1997 University of Evansville, $7,500 Innovative Grant for new course media
1996 Project Kaleidoscope Faculty for 21st Century Fellowship
1996 National Science Foundation, $53,326 for Interdisciplinary Math/Science Course
1995 Project NExT Fellowship (Exxon Foundation program for math faculty)
1995 University of Evansville ADVANTAGE Grant (undergraduate research)
1993 Bowling Green State University Research Fellowship
1992 Finalist for Bowling Green State University Graduate Student Teaching Award
1990 Hillsdale College Computer Science Award
1989 Hillsdale College Mathematics Awards