Dr. William Trollinger, a respected scholar and professor at the University of Dayton since 1996, has dedicated more than four decades to advancing the fields of history and religious studies. Known for his expertise in American fundamentalism and the intersection of faith and education, Dr. Trollinger served for 12 years as director of UD’s Core Integrated Studies Program, where he helped shape interdisciplinary learning for generations of students.

Dr. Trollinger earned his Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his B.A. from Bethel University in Minnesota. A prolific author and researcher, he has published extensively in academic journals and is the author of God’s Empire: William Bell Riley and the Making of American Fundamentalism, which is scheduled for a second edition release in 2027. He also co-authored Righting America at the Creation Museum (2016) with Susan Trollinger, a critical analysis of religious expression in American culture.

His accolades include the Catholic Press Award for Best Essay in a Scholarly Magazine (2014), the History of Education Society Book Award (1992), and Christianity Today’s Best in Theology Award (1989). Dr. Trollinger’s research has been supported by prestigious grants from the Lilly Endowment, the Louisville Institute, and the American Historical Association.

A speaker for the Ohio Humanities Council and past president of the Conference on Faith and History, he is also a member of the American Historical Association, the American Society of Church History, the Ohio Academy of History, and the Organization of American Historians.

With a legacy of academic excellence and cultural inquiry, Dr. Trollinger continues to contribute to scholarly and public understanding of religion, education, and American history.