George Engdahl knew early on that he'd be a wheel in the vehicle of higher education. He just had no idea how big of a wheel.

While obtaining his undergraduate degree in history at California Lutheran University, Engdahl, who began as Metro State's interim vice president of institutional advancement on Sept. 1, had set his sights on becoming a professor. After completing his master's degree in European history at California State University - Northridge, he received an instructor appointment at his alma mater—Cal Lutheran.

"I was working on my Ph.D. at UCLA," says Engdahl, "teaching history and serving as the head freshman football coach for Cal Lutheran, when the university went through a major financial crisis."

That crisis led Engdahl to work in Cal Lutheran's development office. "I had no intention of staying in development," he says. "I wanted to help the college meet its financial needs." Bitten by the development bug however, he found his true passion. "I put my Ph.D. on hold and began making asks for a living."

Moving to Rock Island, Ill., Engdahl oversaw the capital campaign for Augustana College. The last stop on the campaign tour was in Colorado and he connected with administrators at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Recruited to lead UCHSC's development and university relations efforts, "my advancement career took off," he says.

A few years later, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra came calling and Engdahl left higher education for almost a decade, launching the symphony's first-ever endowment campaign. While in Chicago, he also led advancement efforts for Columbus Cabrini Medical Center and the Newberry Library. Returning to Cal Lutheran as the senior vice president of university advancement, he executed a successful $80 million comprehensive capital campaign

"I love campaigns," Engdahl says. His largest campaign gift brought in to date? $9 million. "While at Cal-Lutheran, we worked with a funder who donated $3 million each year, for three years," he explains.

Eight years later, Engdahl returned to Colorado to work with Chancellor Dan Ritchie at the University of Denver. During his time as vice chancellor for university advancement, DU raised $63.5 million, increased the donor count by 3,000 and initiated the planning of a $500 million campaign. This was all accomplished in a span of two years.

In addition to rebuilding the institutional advancement area at Metro State, Engdahl plans to initiate an integrated marketing campaign that will include elements of development, alumni relations, college communications and the foundation.

Engdahl is also going to work on engaging the alumni board and the foundation board more effectively with the college. "We plan to build and enhance our foundation board and utilize the alumni board as a marketing force of the college."

A self-proclaimed jock and arts lover, Engdahl firmly believes in positioning both the arts and athletics to enhance Metro State's already strong academic reputation. "Both of these areas reach and connect with people in a myriad of ways," he says.

Engdahl is married to Sarah Krause, who is a vice president at Northern Trust Bank. Between them they have four kids. "They're all college graduates and they're all living in their own homes," he says proudly.

Engdahl enjoys golfing and reading in his free time. Still a history buff, he reads biographies of historical figures, most recently "1776" by David McCullough. Another recent read, fittingly, is "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova.