Mark Volk
Mark Volk is the Executive Vice President at Lackawanna College, having joined the administration in July, 2004. In that position he oversees the daily operations of the College and represents the President in his absence.
Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in Field Artillery after graduating from the University of Scranton, Scranton PA, in 1977, his first assignment was with the 2nd Battalion 75th Field Artillery in Hanau, Germany, from 1978 to 1981, where he served as the Battalion Reconnaissance and Survey Officer, Battalion S2, and Bravo Battery Executive Officer. Returning to the United States in 1981, he served as an instructor in the Field Artillery School, Fort Sill OK, teaching military history and leadership. COL (Ret.) Volk later commanded Charlie Battery, 6th Battalion 33rd FA (LANCE) at Fort Sill. After serving as an ROTC Instructor at Lafayette College, Easton PA, he trained as a Middle East/North Africa Foreign Area Officer (FAO) studying Arabic and graduating with honors from the Defense Language Institute, Monterey CA. He then attended FAO In-Country Training in Tunisia where he completed advanced Arabic language training at the Department of State Foreign Service Institute-Tunis and traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
COL (Ret.) Volk returned to the United States in 1990 and was assigned as the 9th Infantry Regiment Fire Support Officer with 2nd Battalion 8th Field Artillery, Fort Ord CA. In 1991 he transferred to the Military Intelligence Corps and served as the 7th Infantry Division (Light) G2 Plans Officer and Executive Officer, 107th Military Intelligence Battalion. During the Los Angeles riots in 1992, COL (Ret.) Volk was the Joint Task Force liaison officer to Central Bureau, LAPD.
Prior to being assigned to Germany in 1994, COL (Ret.) Volk was the Chief, DCSINT Initiatives Group, Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). In Germany, he served as the Senior Intelligence Officer (G2), 3rd Infantry Division, and then as Commander, 103rd/101st Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion. COL (Ret.) Volk deployed the 101st MI to Bosnia in September 1996 where it was the intelligence support force for Task Force Eagle in Multi-National District-North. In March of 1997, he returned to the United States and became the FAO Program Manager for the Middle East and Africa, FAO Proponent Division, Strategy Plans and Policy Directorate, HQDA. His last active assignment was as Chief, Strategic Leadership Division, Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, HQDA, from July 1999 until his retirement in December 2003.
His military schools include the Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Defense Language Institute and the Military Intelligence Officer Transition Course. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1990 and earned a Masters of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College in 1999. Additionally, he holds both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in History from the University of Scranton.
COL (Ret.) Volk’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal and the NATO Medal. COL (Ret.) Volk was also awarded the Army Soldier's Medal for heroism as a result of his actions during the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.
COL (Ret.) Volk and his wife, the former Lynn Favini of Scranton, reside in Dalton, PA. They have one son, Mark Jr., who is married and resides in Springfield VA and are the proud grandparents of his son, Alexander.