Ryan Theule, vice president of the College of the Canyons Canyon Country campus announced Tuesday, Aug. 27 that he leaving his position as head of the COC Canyon Country campus to take a position with his church.

The public information office of COC released the following statement from Theule who has worked at COC for 17 years.

“I am excited about this personal opportunity for me and my family and I wish my COC colleagues all the best. It has been a privilege to spend 17 years at College of the Canyons, and I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with so many talented and dedicated colleagues. I am grateful for the impact our teams have had on shaping many collegewide projects and priorities over the years, including the development of COC’s Canyon Country Campus into a full-service location focused on student support and success. I was recently approached with a compelling opportunity to work with my church, and this is a wonderful fit for my faith and my ongoing commitment to serving others. My COC colleagues have been tremendously kind and supportive of my decision, and I will remember with fondness the friendships, student outcomes, and many satisfactions of participating in this uniquely American innovation in higher education. I look forward to continuing to cheer on the work of the College and plan to stay connected in many ways both now and ongoing during this exciting transition for my family.”

Paul Wickline, associate vice president of instruction, will be taking over the Canyon Country Campus following Theule’s departure, said a spokesperson for COC.