Saturday, Jul 17, 2021
Michael Curran retired this year after 30 as a professor at Rider
by Keith Fernbach
Not everyone has the opportunity to make a living doing something they love. Michael Curran has been doubly fortunate, as he’s been able to turn his twin passions for teaching and business into a rewarding career as a professor of business education at Rider University.
Curran, who retired this spring after 30 years as an instructor at his alma mater, knew from an early age that his future would be spent at the front of the classroom. “My dad had an insurance agency in Levittown,” he recalls, “and his expectation was always that I would take it over. But it just never appealed to me. I loved business and I loved speaking and working with people, so I created my own path. I said, ‘Dad, thanks for the offer, but I need to teach.’”
Curran attended Rider as both an undergraduate and graduate, earning his Bachelor of Science in Business Education in 1971, and adding a Master of Arts in Business Education three years later. He began teaching at Rider in 1991, and over the next three decades he became one of the school’s most popular professors. In 2008 he was named the recipient of the Rider University Award for Distinguished Teaching, and is also a past president of the National Business Education Association.
One of Curran’s hallmarks throughout his tenure at Rider has been his willingness to embrace new technologies and find ways to incorporate them into his teaching. For example, he was an early adopter of Twitter, which he first took note of when he saw Members of Congress live tweeting Barack Obama’s address to the joint session of Congress in 2009.
“I realized what kind of impact Twitter could have on education in general and business education in particular,” he says. “So immediately I opened an account and started building my own professional network.”
This led to an idea for a course called “Social Media in Education,” which is now one of the most in-demand classes offered at Rider.
He also spearheaded the implementation of the Google Educator Level One Certification course in 2019. At the time, Rider was among the first universities in the nation to offer this class.
As important as technology was to Curran, it was the personal relationships with his students that he valued above all else. “Dr. Curran taught us that it's people first, then pedagogy second,” says Brad Currie ’01, ’07, the director of planning, research, and evaluation at the Chester School District. “He always treats others with respect and provides all of his students with an opportunity to shine.”
Alex Lamon ’14, a business education teacher at Livingston High School, recalls that Curran used to greet every student at the door to begin each class. “He did it for us as a professor, and I still do it in my classroom.”
The bonds he formed with his students extended well past their time at Rider. Glenn Robbins ‘02, the Superintendent of Schools for the Brigantine Board of Education, recalls being named the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Digital Principal of the Year in 2016. “I received the award in the middle of the school year down in Florida, and he flew down to see me receive that award,” he says. “I can’t even put into words what that meant to me. I’ll never forget that.”
Says Nicole Halpin ’11, the supervisor of 21st Century Skills for Edison Township Public Schools, “Dr. Curran was my advisor for the four years I was a student at Rider, but I feel like he becomes your advisor for life.”
As he heads into retirement, Curran is excited about having the opportunity to see more of the world. “My wife and I intend to travel to places we had to postpone due to the pandemic,” he says. “We are hoping to explore a good bit of Route 66, and also do a southern tour down the Appalachians, then through Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas, and back through the middle portion of the United States. Next year we’re scheduled to cruise the Mediterranean.”
When asked his favorite memory of his time at Rider, he’s hesitant to pick just one. “The memories merge into the joy of working with dedicated professionals and pre-service teachers who have already made huge impacts in the field. I am very fortunate to have worked with them.”
He adds, “I will miss friends and colleagues from across campus with whom I have worked in various capacities. I will especially miss my fellow department members who dedicate their professional lives to our students. My colleagues in the College of Education and Human Services are the best in the business. Truly, there is nothing I won’t miss.”