Aces of Trades: 'I’m exactly where I am supposed to be'
NEW CONCORD – It took some time, but now he thinks he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.
“I loved sports and wanted to be a sports journalist or sports broadcaster,” recalled Shawn Starcher. “I worked in the industry for several years, but it’s not really all that practical when trying to provide for a family and raise a daughter.
“I worked at Stark State College as a test proctor and really enjoyed working with students,” he added. “It’s so rewarding to see students have that ‘aha moment’ when they finally understand something they haven't quite been able to grasp. I love playing a small role in that process.”
Today, Starcher is an assistant professor of communication in the department of communication, media, and theatre at Muskingum University.
“I teach communication-based courses,” he explained, “such as interpersonal communication, organizational communication, and health communication, as well as courses in sports communication such as the art of sports broadcasting and communication, sports, and America. Lastly, I'm also an adviser for three student-led organizations and several students.”
Starcher, 47, grew up in Akron, graduated from Akron East High School in 1994, earned his undergrad degree and master’s from The University of Akron in 2003 and 2014, then a PhD from Kent State University in 2019.
“I worked as a sports broadcaster for WKNR in Cleveland,” he said, “working as a producer and occasional host. I also worked in the insurance industry and the IT field before heading back to graduate school.”
“I studied communication for each of my degrees,” he added. “My dissertation focused on how parents share their struggles of depression with children and how they manage that private information together.”
Starcher started at Muskingum in the fall of 2019.
“I was fresh out of graduate school and looking for a place to make a difference,” he said. “I wasn’t sure this would be my final job, but I’ve really fallen in love with the school and the students.”
Michael Davis is a student from Wellington, Florida.
“Professor Starcher is hands down the greatest instructor I’ve had in my time of schooling,” assessed Davis. “He finds ways to make the content he’s teaching relevant to every student. He keeps us all engaged and encourages us to have fun while we learn. I have never had a teacher who helps me in and out of the classroom like he does.”
“I love working with the students at Muskingum,” Starcher responded. “They’re so friendly and eager to learn. That mentality doesn’t exist at every academic institution.
“It may not be the path I would have chosen,” he summed, “but I’m exactly where I am supposed to be. Being a college professor is who I am. I just wish I had found my place sooner, but I guess I wouldn’t be who I am without that journey.”
For more information about Muskingum University, log on www.muskingum.edu.
Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at trnews@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com.
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: 'I’m exactly where I am supposed to be'
