A Decade of Distinction — Kenneth Vehrkens: Closely Woven into FDU's Fabric


	lumnus Kenneth Vehrkens, BA’69 (T), MAT’70 (T), MA’74 (T), has been an academic dean at Fairleigh Dickinson University for more than 30 years and currently heads the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies. The author of more than 60 research articles, Vehrkens is the educational consultant for the National Football League and developed a model degree-completion program for the New York Giants. In 1991, he received The PINNACLE, one of the highest awards given to University alumni. He also has been named Dean of the Year on three different occasions and is the recipient of the 2006 Elia G. Stratis CASTLE Award, the highest honor bestowed by FDU’s Alumni Association. In May 2007, Vehrkens received the Unsung Hero Award from Minority Athletes Networking (MAN) for his service to the community and as a member of MAN’s board of advisers. What drove you to serve FDU after earning your undergraduate degree here? I was very impressed with the excellence of the faculty and the quality of Fairleigh Dickinson’s programs. I knew I would enjoy working with such a caring and devoted community of professionals. I also hoped to make it possible for others to have the same educational opportunities that I had. Looking back now, I can easily say that it’s been everything I had hoped for from a personal and professional vantage point. You have a unique perspective as both a long-serving member of the FDU administration and a graduate. What are your thoughts about the changes you have seen at FDU in the last 10 years? FDU has always been known for having the agility and creativity to provide educational opportunities for many diverse constituencies. What President Adams has done is build on this tradition and take it a step further. Before others were talking about global education, he had the vision to connect our mission and our community with developments around the globe. Those connections will make a world of difference for our students. Why is global education important? The world is more interdependent than ever before. We can learn from each other in a global environment where boundaries are vanishing. What’s more important, we need to learn to work together with those from different cultures if we want to succeed in business and overcome society’s most significant challenges. What is most gratifying about your work? Being able to help students from all kinds of backgrounds and ages realize their educational goals. Fairleigh Dickinson has always been known for transforming the lives of our students. I get to see those transformations up close. What excites you most about the University’s future? It really comes down to the people. The people here — faculty, students and staff — are exceptional. They are committed to the institution, and they are committed to building a better future — for Fairleigh Dickinson and for all of society. President Adams has inspired the community and provided important direction for the future. And the University community has followed his lead and is poised to continue distinguishing our institution. I am very confident that Fairleigh Dickinson University will continue to be a leader in global education and will play an important role in the future of higher education in the nation and the world. top of page \| next … FDU Alumni Association

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