Dr. Cheryl Schrader, incoming university president, is currently preparing for her transition to Wright State.
“I’ve been working closely with the Board of Trustees leadership and interim President McCray to learn as much as I can about the university,” Schrader said. “I’ve also been in contact with faculty, staff and student leaders to hear their perspectives about some of the current challenges facing Wright State, and how we can move forward together to make the university an even stronger and more relevant institution in the future. And I’ve been reading everything I can about the university and region.”
While optimistic about transitioning to the university, Schrader is aware of the growing distrust between the administration and the faculty, staff and students.
“This university has been through a lot, and I believe we have turned a corner. For leaders to be successful, they must gain the trust of their colleagues across an organization,” Schrader said. “I believe it’s important to hear the concerns, thoughts and vision of those who know this institution, and to learn from their wisdom and experiences.”
According to Schrader, it is important to hear from the different voices of the institution, and moving together as a unit to rebuild the support of the university.
Schrader’s time at Missouri S&T has provided the experiencing of establishing, “a strong, results-oriented strategic plan as the guiding document for future success. At Missouri S&T, our strategic plan has guided our decision making, and has helped us address difficult budget decisions in a more strategic way.”
This is the second time Schrader has served as the first female president of a university. Schrader was appointed as the first woman chancellor of Missouri S&T, which is now approaching its 150-year anniversary.
“With Wright State now in just its 50th year, I feel like Wright State is ahead of the game,” Schrader said. “I hope that in my new role at Wright State, I can serve as a role model and advocate for all students. When I was an undergraduate studying electrical engineering, there weren’t any female professors in my entire college, and it never occurred to me that I could become a professor – let alone a university president. I’m glad that times have changed, and I hope to continue to inspire students to pursue their dreams and to capture opportunity.”
According to Schrader, rebuilding the trust between the administration and faculty, staff and faculty is the biggest challenge she is facing, excluding the current financial crisis.
“That is a very important issue, and “job number one” in my opinion. So, listening to and learning from the campus community is the first task,” Schrader said. “It’s also important that all of us work together to develop a strategic plan that can set us on the right path toward a stronger and more sustainable future, one in which Wright State becomes known nationally for its excellence in education, research, scholarship and helps address the world’s great challenges.”
