Alumni Executive Director Retires after 10 Years
MELBOURNE, FLA.—Ken Droscher, associate vice president for advancement and former executive director of the Florida Institute of Technology Alumni Association, is retiring July 12 after 10 years at the university.
“Ken can be rightfully proud of an astonishing number of accomplishments here. He has brought the Alumni Association a very long way since his arrival and will be sorely missed by faculty, staff and alumni,” said Ken Stackpoole, senior vice president for advancement.
Although Droscher is loathe to take credit and would as soon laud team members for any accomplishments, his achievements at the university are many.
He led creation and placement of the Panther mascot statue, commemorative historic marker and statue of Florida Tech founder Jerome Keuper on campus. He augmented the archives in Evans Library for Keuper memorabilia, co-established the all-university class ring, alma mater song and university flag, and managed efforts to restore the Chao Yu-Hsu clock in front of the Keuper Building and carillon bells in the Denius Student Center. He helped found the emeriti organization and directed dozens of audio and video interviews of university pioneers for university archives. In establishing a Florida Tech license plate, Droscher created a new source of scholarship funding. He also organized restoration of a Vanguard first stage rocket engine and a Link trainer, and collected museum-quality photos to help initiate an aerospace museum at Melbourne International Airport.
Droscher’s awards at the university include “Outstanding Contribution by a Staff Member to Campus Life,” three years in a row; 2010 Phi Kappa Phi initiate; Honorary Delta Delta Tau fraternity initiate and a 2009 Joan Bixby Award. This honor recognizes a Florida Tech staff or faculty member who enhances the climate for women’s participation and development on campus.
Upon the announcement of his retirement, the university community
e-mail forum responded. Among the messages: “Ken will be incredibly missed by so many. . . When I imagine Ken Droscher I see a huge heart with the world in the middle,” wrote Nikki Hoier, director of professional enrichment programs, Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI). “Ken Droscher embodies all that is good and right at Florida Tech,” wrote Kevin Graham, director of the Department of Security and Safety. “His enthusiasm is heartfelt and whatever your request Ken’s response is a positive ‘can do,’” wrote Cliff Bragdon, vice president, OSI.
Droscher and wife Mary will move to Tucson, Ariz., home of daughter Lisa and three grandchildren.
