GREENVILLE, Pa.—Thiel College announces that Greg Q. Butcher, Ph.D. has been named Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College today.
“Dr. Butcher has expressed his commitment to build on the College’s strengths to innovate, collaborate with faculty and staff to advance academic excellence, partner with community organizations and support all students as they grow and learn at Thiel,” Thiel College President Susan Traverso, Ph.D. said. “I have all confidence that Dr. Butcher will fulfil these commitments and that the College will be stronger because of his leadership. His vision for academic innovation will fuel the College’s continued growth, and his connections with this region extend Thiel’s reach and impact.”
Butcher began at Thiel in 2014 as an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and chair of the Department of Neuroscience. He became Associate Academic Dean for Student Success in 2018. In that role, Butcher was central to the goals of the College’s Thiel 2021 strategic plan. He launched and supported initiatives to strengthen student engagement, and he was integral to the development of Thiel’s new graduate programs. Under his leadership, the Langenheim Memorial Library, the Learning Commons, and Career Development Center initiated programs to support students and strengthen collaboration with academic departments, alumni, and parents. The Tomcat Way, the College’s new framework for student development, grew out of Butcher’s leadership of Thiel’s involvement with the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education, providing funding from the Lilly Foundation. Now gaining national attention, the Tomcat Way is a distinctive feature of Thiel’s mission to prepare students for careers and lives of meaning and purpose. As Thiel’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and as a member of the President’s Cabinet, Butcher’s responsibilities will extend to strategic leadership for all aspects of the academic program, faculty recruitment and development, and financial and facilities planning. His leadership will further the College’s plans for the Daniel and Dorothy Spence Academic Center, the hub of Thiel’s academic programs.
“I look forward to continuing my service to the Thiel College and Greenville communities. The coming years will be pivotal for both and I’m excited at the opportunity to further our partnership,” Butcher said.
Butcher earned Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology and zoology from the University of Wyoming, and his doctorate in neuroscience from The Ohio State University. His graduate training focused on molecular neurobiology, and his research into biological rhythms employed both molecular and behaviors techniques.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.