The man, the myth, the mini golfer: The Leader’s day with President Troy VanAken

President Troy VanAken obliterated The Leader editors at mini golf on the Leader’s annual “day with the president” on Aug. 18. The group reflected on the past year over lunch at Pazzi di Pizza. 

VanAken opened up to the Leader, revealing details about his surprising music selection and family ties to the music industry. 

VanAken said he is a Spotify user — sorry Apple Music fans — and has a plethora of playlists filled with Latin artists, noting some of his favorite musicians at the moment are Maluma and Nicky Jam.

Subsequently, he revealed one of his family members is a music producer and has worked with big name artists like Kygo in the past, but VanAken says he is not a big Kygo fan. 

In addition to his surprising music taste, VanAken is also a shockingly good mini golfer. Each editor turned on their best poker face when setting foot on the course, determined to win the nine-hole artistic mini golf course made by nine different groups of artists, designers, and architects.

VanAken won with a score of 18, beating copy editor Olivia Janicke, who came in second place by nine points.

During lunch, VanAken was greeted by the waiters, many of whom are Elmhurst University alumni. VanAken interacted without forgetting the faces, names, and majors of the staff who once walked the campus as students. 

Over a mista salad, VanAken spoke about EU as it moves into the 150 year since its founding, revealing that on Dec. 6, during the anniversary week, there will be a reenactment of the first 14 men who stepped off the train and founded the institution. 

In his sixth year as president, VanAken explains that each student at EU has their own story and DNA, and that no student is the same. “Elmhurst has a unique DNA. I don’t plan on leaving, but the next president needs to take just a little bit of time and not assume that [every student is the same]. I’ve been really appreciative in the five years [I’ve been here].” 

VanAken also reflected on the financial growth the institution has amassed in the past six years.

The day wrapped up with a discussion about where EU has been, and where it will be going in the next few years.

“Elmhurst was in a tough spot financially a few years ago,” VanAken explained. “Higher education is a tricky business because it is a business and a lot of our revenue comes from students.” 

As lunch progressed, travel anecdotes of traveling to Cuba and Colombia were exchanged between VanAken and editors. 

But in true presidential fashion, VanAken had to leave lunch early to attend a standing meeting with a department head. 

Vanessa Sevilla contributed to reporting on this story