2008 Woodie Awards
Lakeland names Dr. Timothy Fulop new vice president of academic affairs
Issue date: 4/3/03 Section: News
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 Dr. Timothy Fulop, Lakeland’s new VPAA |
Fulop is currently the dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs at King College in Bristol, Tenn. He is also an ordained Presbyterian minister.
Fulop will take the place of Jeff Elzinga, who has served as Lakeland's vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college on an interim basis for the past year. Elzinga will return to his role of professor of writing, a post he has held for 17 years.
Fulop, who will also serve Lakeland as an associate professor of religion, has a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Wheaton College, a master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a master's degree and doctorate in religion from Princeton University, where he concentrated in religions of the modern west. Lakeland is in the midst of several important changes in its academic program, including a switch from a 4-credit to 3-credit system beginning in the fall of 2004. The college's Majors & Minors Task Force is currently evaluating each of the college's academic offerings.
"I'm trying to strike a balance between coming in and learning and listening and having an agenda to improve the learning process," Fulop said. "I'll focus on both the larger picture of our philosophy on education and the specifics of how we assess learning and improve student learning outcomes."
Gould said Fulop's educational background and achievements make him a perfect fit for lakeland's academic community.
"Dr. Fulop's academic background will benefit Lakeland on so many levels," Gould said. "He will serve as a solid leader as we work to make our academic program stronger. Lakeland traces its 140-year history to the church, and Dr. Fulop's religious work both in the classroom and the church make him a natural fit."
Before coming to King College, Fulop was the assistant dean of faculty at Columbia Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian seminary in Georgia, and has held visiting teaching positions in religion at Harvard and Princeton University.
Fulop said he is impressed with Lakeland's unwavering commitment to its students.
"So many colleges are focused on the students they are enrolling," Fulop said. "But what do they actually do with those students? Lakeland is committed to providing a quality education for its students, not only for the traditional-aged students, but also through its adult programs.