Thiel College President Dr. Lance Masters announced today the appointment of Dr. Oscar T. Lenning as the director of the new Title III grant-funded Center for Learning and Advising.

“The Center for Learning and Advising director is an extremely important position to the growth and development of our students and our fine college,” said Masters. “We are very fortunate to have attracted Dr. Lenning, someone who has an extensive background with Title III projects, as well as passion for guiding students to success.”

Currently Lenning is the director of Lenning Consulting Services, and has led Title III projects at three institutions of higher education throughout his career, including Waldorf College, Roberts Wesleyan College, and Bacone College. 

In 1981 as academic vice president and dean at Roberts Wesleyan College, Lenning led the faculty in a Title III grant writing process which resulted in a $1.5 million grant.   Lenning led Waldorf College to receive a $600,000 Title III grant in 1988.  While serving as a visiting professor at Iowa State University in 1996, Lenning was approached by Bacone College to provide consultation on applying for a $1.8 million Title III grant.  After the grant was funded, Lenning was named Bacone College’s special assistant to the president/Title III coordinator.

From 2001 to 2005, Lenning served as director of assessment and program development at Bridgepoint Education in San Diego.

Lenning holds a Ph.D. in counseling psychology/college student personnel administration/higher education/statistics from the University of Iowa, as well as master’s and bachelor of science degrees. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Wartburg College and an associate’s degree from Waldorf College.

He has authored more than 130 professional publications and has served as a consulting editor and reviewer for higher education journals.  He is a member of the Ashford University Board of Trustees.

In September 2006 Thiel College was awarded a nearly $1.8 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant, designed to help colleges and universities by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions.

Using the grant resources, the college has developed a Center for Learning and Advising, for which Lenning will serve as director.

The Title III Strengthening Institutions Program is a competitive grant program established by Congress as part of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to strengthen colleges’ capacities to make substantial contributions to the higher education resources of the nation.

Thiel College, a liberal arts, sciences and professional studies college related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was founded in western Pennsylvania in 1866.