Jennifer L. Troyer, PH.D.

When I was young, my Mom faced a lot of physical and mental health problems that put financial strain on the family budget. My Dad, who eventually became a database administrator and teacher at the local community college without earning a college degree, was incredibly hard working. Our family had a lot of love but not much money. My Dad, who was curious about how the world worked, and my Mom, who made countless trips with me to the local library, both fostered my love of learning. Despite my good performance in school and hard work, college would not have been possible without the generous scholarship funding that I received. I was also lucky that we had moved to a place with a great public university — University of Memphis — that to this day is invested in supporting first generation and low income students. My educational path eventually led me to a doctorate in economics, and a great job right out of school at UNC Charlotte, an institution with a strong commitment to both student success and research excellence. Today, I am proud to have an opportunity to support our students, faculty, and staff as they pursue their own success.