An administrator from a Michigan university will take over as Ball State University's vice president for University Advancement this week.
Ben Hancock, formerly vice president for institutional development at Albion College, officially began his position Saturday.
"I've heard exciting things about Ball State, and the position looked exciting," Hancock said.
As Ball State's vice president for University Advancement, Hancock will be in charge of fundraising and alumni relations. He will supervise the administrative areas of University Development, Advancement Services, Alumni Programs and International Advancement.
"I'm looking forward to getting acquainted with what role I can have to further the goals of the university," Hancock said. "I'm really looking forward to joining the Ball State family."
During his 17 years at Albion, Hancock was the leader of three major fundraising campaigns that raised more than $250 million dollars.
Hancock will replace Don Park, who lead University Advancement for 14 years.
"I think he'll be excellent," Park said. "He brings a great deal of experience. He's a great addition to the university's staff."
Park helped lead multiple fundraising campaigns for the university since he took the position in 1992.
Park said he will still be involved in generating scholarship money for freshmen, as well as working with Ball State's greek system and its strategic plan.
"I'm going to take some time off for a few weeks, but the president has asked me to help her," he said. "There are projects we were in the middle of."
Park said he is familiar with many of the alumni and other people University Advancement works with. Because of this, Park will still work as a liaison between them and the university.
"It'll probably be a part time thing," he said. "I'll do whatever I can to help."
He and his wife have no plans for leaving Muncie, Park said.
"We've lived next to the campus for 50 years," he said. "To live somewhere else would seem rather foreign."
Though he'll no longer officially work for the university, Park said he would still be active in the Ball State community.
"Myself, my wife and my family are big supporters of the university, and we'll still be out supporting at everything we can," he said.
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