Background
Vanderhoef was born in Perham, Minnesota to Wilmar James Vanderhoef and Ida Lucille Wothe.
Vanderhoef was born in Perham, Minnesota to Wilmar James Vanderhoef and Ida Lucille Wothe.
He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Surgery in biology from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and a Doctor of Philosophy in plant biochemistry from Purdue University.
He was the 5th chancellor of University of California, Davis. Vanderhoef"s research interests include the general area of plant growth and development, and in the evolution of the land-grant universities. He has taught classes at levels from freshman to advanced graduate study.
Vanderhoef was named by the Regents of the University of California the fifth chancellor of University of California Davis in 1994.
He has served on various national commissions addressing graduate and international education, the role of a modern land-grant university, and accrediting issues. On June 2, 2008 Vanderhoef announced his intention to resign as chancellor on 30 June 2009 ending his tenure of more than fifteen years.
In Summer 2009, former University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Provost Linda P.B. Katehi succeeded Vanderhoef as Chancellor of University of California Davis. Vanderhoef died on October 15, 2015 from complications due to a series of ischemic strokes, the first of which occurred in November 2012.