One day after Hastings College marked the 130th anniversary of its founding, the College officially inaugurated its 15th President, Dennis Trotter.
“I am humbled and honored to accept the stewardship of this noble institution which has meant so much to the lives of Nebraskans,” said Trotter, who has been in the position for one year. “Our challenge as I accept this mantle of leadership is to ensure that we continue not only to provide quality educational opportunities for the community but also that we live and instill within each other the values which have always been an integral component of Hastings College’s heritage.”
During the inauguration ceremony, Tom Osborne, a 1959 alumnus who currently serves as Athletic Director at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, spoke about his family’s 110 year relationship with Hastings College, the current state of higher education and the impact of a Hastings College education in his own life.
“My Hastings College education prepared me for whatever life as thrown at me,” said the legendary football coach who currently serves as Athletic Director at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Bio of Dennis Trotter
As an undergraduate at Whitworth College (WA), Dennis Trotter found himself immersed in a nurturing community similar to Hastings College. His coaches, advisors and professors at the liberal arts institution opened to him a world of rigorous intellectual pursuit. Since completing his undergraduate degree, Dennis has spent his career in higher education, helping others discover their potential through education.
Prior to his appointment as Hastings College’s 15th President, Dennis earned positions of increasing responsibility at colleges such as Franklin and Marshall College (PA), Coe College (IA), St. Martin’s College (WA), and Sheldon Jackson College (AK), where he focused on enrollment management and marketing. Immediately before joining the HC community, he served as the Vice President for College Advancement at Pitzer College (CA).
In addition to completing his undergraduate degree at Whitworth College, Dennis earned an M.B.A. from the University of Iowa and is currently working toward the completion of his Ph.D. at the Claremont Graduate University’s School of Educational Studies with an emphasis in Higher Education Leadership. Trotter is married to Trina Johnsten, a Montana native who is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
