Dr. Hagen is the Executive Director for Central Nine Career Center. He is a graduate of Ball State University and Purdue University, having completed his Ph.D. in Educational Administration and School Superintendent license through Purdue University. Dr. Hagen taught Industrial and Career/Technical classes for sixteen years in the Monticello, Indiana area. He has been the chief administrator for Career & Technical Education in Kokomo, Logansport, and Central Nine, since leaving the classroom in 1995.
Dr. Hagen has led initiatives to build two new facilities and remodel a third, provide first-class technologies, and reform CTE curriculum in each of his communities to include strong academic and skill development. While in Logansport, his career center was recognized as a state and national model school by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction and by the International Center for Educational Leadership. His work @ Central Nine is helping to ensure this school offers world-class opportunities to students. He believes that the staff and communities associated with Central Nine are the finest in the world.
Dr. Hagen was named the Indiana Vocational Director of the Year in 2002. He has been a presenter at state and national conferences, including the National Model Schools Conference, the Indiana High School Summit, Indiana Student Achievement Institute, National Career Academies Conference, National Association of Career and Technical Education Institute Conference and the Indiana Principal’s Leadership Association Conference. His recent work is on the effects of CTE on student engagement, achievement and transition for college and career readiness.
Dr. Hagen has facilitated workshops and professional development seminars across the state regarding school reinvention initiatives and strategies. He has hosted the President of Purdue University as well as educational leadership teams from Japan and Afghanistan.
Dr. Hagen introduced the first pre-engineering program in the state and served on the state steering committee for this initiative. He currently serves on the steering committee for the Conexus consortium in central Indiana with an emphasis to address the looming shortage of qualified individuals in Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics careers.
Dr. Hagen grew up in Shelby County, graduated from Morristown High School and served in the U.S. Army.
Dr. Hagen has been the recipient of a Lilly Creativity Fellowship and enjoys good food, great literature, wooden boats and great conversations. He is married with three adult children and a Golden Retriever named Scholar Leigh.