Juniata College Names 12th President: James Troha
“Jennifer and I are appreciative and humbled to be asked to be part of the next evolution of Juniata and look forward to our arrival in Huntingdon.” —Jim Troha, Juniata’s incoming president
of that transition, he oversaw the integration of a new marketing program and branding effort. Troha began his administrative career at Heidelberg in 2002 as vice president for student affairs and dean of students, where he worked until he was named interim president in 2008. From 2003 to 2007, he also served as vice president for enrollment, where he helped increase enrollment by 19 percent in his first year and helped bring in the university’s three largest freshman classes in three decades. He also led efforts to redevelop Heidelberg’s website and implemented the university’s first Leadership Academy. Troha earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1991 and went on to earn a master’s degree in counseling in 1993, both from Edinboro University, in Edinboro, Pa. In 2005, he earned a doctorate in educational policy and leadership from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan. 9
2013 Fall-Winter
James Troha, vice president for institutional advancement and university relations at Heidelberg University since 2009, has been named the 12th president of Juniata by the Juniata Board of Trustees. Troha will begin his official duties in June. “Jim Troha has a strong record of proven leadership in numerous aspects of running a college, including student affairs, enrollment, and fundraising,” says Robert McDowell ’67, chair of the board. “He is also very community-focused in his personal and professional life, and we expect that focus will benefit Juniata, Huntingdon and the global community, which is so much a focus of our students’ educational experience. The board is very pleased to have concluded our search and to have been successful in recruiting our first choice as our new chief executive.” Troha comes to Juniata after a successful executive career at Heidelberg, in Tiffin, Ohio. “Juniata has great momentum, and I am enthusiastically looking forward to working with the board, faculty, students, staff and the larger Juniata and Huntingdon community to foster the College’s continued success,” says Troha, who currently lives in Tiffin with his wife, Jennifer, and their three children. “Jennifer and I are appreciative and humbled to be asked to be part of the next evolution of Juniata and look forward to our arrival in Huntingdon.” In just over two years, Troha has helped raise more than $38 million toward a $50 million campaign goal for Heidelberg and helped secure several multimillion dollar cash gifts, the largest in university history. He also was responsible for overseeing record fundraising years for the university’s unrestricted Heidelberg Fund. “I think Jim Troha will be an excellent leader at Juniata because of the experience he will bring to areas where we have great opportunities,” says Tom Kepple, president of the College. “Jim has experience in international education, from both sides of the relationship, which increasingly is something that sets Juniata apart from our competitors. Jim also brings great experience in fundraising and enrollment, two key areas where Juniata is poised for greater things.” In addition, Troha has significant executive experience, serving as Heidelberg’s interim president for a year, from July 2008 to June 2009. In that time, he oversaw several critical projects during challenging economic times, including refinancing the university’s $17 million in state-issued bonds and leading Heidelberg’s transition from college to university. As part