Student Spotlight: Troy Vlahos CPS ‘26 Embraces a Life of Learning

The path for Troy Vlahos to his bachelor’s degree was like many of his non-traditional student peers. He entered the workforce at a young age and built a successful career. Unlike many later-in-life learners, however, Troy returned to school not for a job title or salary bump, but to become a better person, teammate and leader. 

“I saw the evolution of technology and the introduction of more generations coming into the workforce,” Troy said. “And I thought, how do I stay current? What more can I learn, certainly about different aspects of business but ultimately becoming more of a whole person. It was important that I could be better at communicating, working alongside and understanding new generations coming into the workforce. 

“I asked, ‘How can I be better?’ not only for myself, but for my colleagues,” he said.

This self-reflection came midway through a successful career. Troy built his career working with innovative and globally recognized brands, including representing 3M through an exclusive distribution partner and later working with LuxWall, a climate technology company backed by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, before realizing he wanted to continue his education.

“I’ve always tried to apply an entrepreneurial mindset throughout my career,” Troy said. “Working with 3M products through an exclusive distribution partner allowed me to work alongside one of the most technologically advanced companies in the world, which really encouraged innovation and problem-solving.”

His entrepreneurial spirit and drive to be innovative led him to Villanova and the College of Professional Studies (CPS).

“I wanted a learning environment that would allow me to apply both my entrepreneurial spirit and my work experience in real time,” he explained. “Sitting side by side with different generations in the environment that every CPS professor cultivates allowed me to listen and empathize with others.”

As a professional with decades of experience in the business world, Troy was able to locate the messaging and the lessons that best applied to his work and his life. 

“Sometimes you forget the soft parts of business and you're so driven by the financial goals, especially if you're in a public company and you're responsible for quarterly performance, that sometimes the soft areas of your work can be diminished or even forgotten,” he said. “The idea that I could develop, not only professionally, but personally in becoming a whole person: that was what motivated me to go back and earn my degree. That was the real light bulb that went off here."

Critically, in this moment in Troy’s career, he also underwent massive changes in his personal life, getting married and welcoming three step-children into his family. 

“Through my CPS journey, developing the whole person, it's allowed me to balance – to be good at work, to be good at home, to be good outside of home with friends and other family members,” he added.

He credits much of that balance to the advising and support staff at Villanova and within CPS, including his academic advisor, Robyn Dooley. 

“The number one thing I would say is that the CPS team is empathetic. They understand your journey. They made it easy to acclimate to the program,” Troy explained. “Robyn helped in a kind, empathetic, supportive way that I felt I was going through this process as much for myself as for her.” 

Troy Vlahos will take what he’s learned at CPS and put those lessons to good use, in his current role as Strategic Sales Director for Gradient, a start-up firm specializing in sustainable HVAC solutions, but also build upon those lessons as a lifelong learner.

“Now having a renewed understanding and applying it in the current world, I think has given me the confidence to say I'm ready for today's business environment, which is now adding AI into the mix, robotics, sustainability – these are all challenges that we're managing through right now,” he said. “This has stimulated a hunger for more learning.”

After graduation, Troy will consider one of Villanova’s many professional education opportunities, largely for more chances to connect with Villanovans and the CPS community. 

“Ultimately, it's about the people that you were working with alongside and learning from. They made it easy and they made it fun. They made it exciting to go to class each week. I'll be sad that I won't be able to go back to those classes that I took and work alongside the people again.”