Jeff Ankrom of the Economics Department will be leaving Wittenberg after over three decades.
“Been a great 32 years,” Ankrom said, with regard to his upcoming departure to his alma mater, Otterbein University, this December.
Ankrom started at Wittenberg in 1982. Currently an economics professor, Ankrom has been published in the “The Eastern Economic Journal,” “Litigation Economics Review” and “Scandinavian Journal of Economics,” among others. Over the years, he has moved from Carnegie in the 1980s, to Synod in the 1990s, and finally landed an office in Recitation Hall and a classroom Hollenbeck.
“Rough to leave after 30 years, him [Ankrom] leaving will have a great impact on not only his the [econ dept], but also on the students,” said freshmen Ashley McCray, a business major.
Ankrom’s history with Wittenberg has been a diverse one. From holding the position of former chair of the Economics department, doing research on Nordic economies while living in Sweden, acting as the men’s faculty representative to the North Coast Athletic Conference, to being on a softball team starting in the 1980s.
Ralph Lenz of the Geography department, with who Ankrom was on the team, said, “He’s a good friend and a great athlete.”
“He [Ankrom] has the right way of helping and is easily available,” said senior Alexey Topolyanski, a financial econ major.
“He might be tired of the infighting with the administration, such as with the Provost leaving on the first day of the [academic] year,” senior Tim Hughes said of Ankrom.
While Ankrom’s departure is a loss for Wittenberg, he is excited about the move to Otterbein. Ankrom met his future wife at his alma mater. To add to that, his freshman adviser ultimately ended up as his father-in law.
“He will be missed — [a] valuable colleague, [and] great person; his position will be hard to replace,” said Mary Jo Zembar, Interim Provost.
Ankrom’s last class at Wittenberg is being taught now, “The Economics of Sports.” Ankrom said this will be a “good one to end on.”
