Chris Rader
Secondary Education, History
Chris Rader is a graduate from SVSU. Chris obtained a bachelor’s degree in History Secondary Education. Chris is currently working on his Masters Degree in Education in Student Affairs and College Administration.
“For me, my degree was a stepping stone. I have taken my training in the K-12 education system, and am currently translating it towards my goal to become a college administrator. My understanding of the K-12 system, particularly high school, has been vital in my successes in graduate school. My goals include working as a Student Affairs practitioner and working my way up the collegiate ladder. Maybe I’ll even come back to SVSU as the President of the University someday! I’ll have my SVSU education to thank for getting me started.”
SVSU called to Chris from the beginning. “I chose SVSU because it was relatively close to home and the small class sizes appealed to me and my own learning style. I also wanted to play college hockey and SVSU had a hockey team.”
Chris speaks highly of the College of Education and has nothing but great things to say. “I really feel that the College of Education truly prepared me to be able to pursue my goals by ensuring that I would be an effective educator who was compassionate to both the student and the subject matter.”
Many believe, and Chris would agree, that a unique aspect of the university is that the faculty care so much about not only the subject matter, but also the students. Their willingness to go above and beyond to make sure a student understands is beyond compare.
“Civil War and Reconstruction with Professor Paul Teed was a great experience for me. He loved his students and subject matter and he showed it everyday. Also, Jim Royle, Associate Professor in the College of Education, had a great impact on me. Jim has served, and continues to serve even after graduation, as a mentor and friend as I progress through my own professional development.
The College of Education requires each student to participate in student teaching. Chris taught at Freeland High School. “Student teaching was an enlightening and growing experience in which I was able to actively use the knowledge I had gained from my work at SVSU.”
Not only was Chris a busy student, he also participated in numerous extra-curricular activities that helped shape the person he is today. He was a tour guide in the Admissions office for a year. “I love SVSU and being a tour guide allowed me the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for our campus with new visitors and potential students.”
Chris was also a member of the SVSU Cardinal Hockey team for three seasons. He worked his way up to being the leading scorer and assistant captain by his third season. “Being a part of the hockey team allowed me to compete against other schools while supporting and strengthening my love and pride for SVSU.”
Chris also became a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and was an undergraduate member for 5 ˝ years. During his active time in the fraternity, Chris was numerous committee chairs as well as Chapter Educator and Chapter President. “This organization allowed me to gain experience and develop my own leadership, teamwork, management, communication, and educational skills. My experience with TKE taught me what it was to be a leader and to have true school spirit. I was able to work with the student body, faculty, and campus administration to accomplish goals and to better myself and my fraternity. Without my TKE experience, I would not have been as successful during my college career and beyond graduation as I have been.”
Amongst these many activities, Chris also had the great opportunity to participate in the study abroad program. He went to John Cabot University in Rome, Italy for a summer semester. “During the seven weeks that I lived in Italy, I experienced diversity and cultural differences that broadened my own educational experience, which gave me a stronger appreciation for the differences that exist between people. As a history major, it was enthralling to be studying in one of the oldest and most revered cities on earth. As an education major, I was able to translate that experience into practical knowledge for my future students to help them understand the experience instead of just reading about it in a book.”
“SVSU has a challenging and respected education program and I am proud to be an alumnus.”