Email: rgr64245@bethel.edu
Job Title
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Adjunct Faculty
Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership, Graduate School
Highlight
Ryan is originally from the state of Mississippi and received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mississippi State University. Following a season of mission work in northwest Montana, Ryan and his wife, Kristen moved to Texas and earned their Masters of Divinity degrees at Baylor University. After almost a decade of working as a university chaplain at Baylor, Ryan pursued further study in the field of Higher Education Administration, receiving his PhD in 2016 from Azusa Pacific University. Ryan has taught adjunctly in the Academy for Leader Development at Baylor, the EDD program at Abilene Christian University (ACU), and now in Educational Administration at Bethel. In addition to teaching adjunctly, Ryan leads the student life division at Abilene Christian. He lives with his wife and three boys in west Texas.
Started at Bethel
2024
Education
- Azusa Pacific University - PhD in Higher Education Administration, 2016
- Baylor University - Master of Divinity, 2004
- Mississippi State University - Bachelor of Business Administration, 1997
Biography
Ryan is originally from the state of Mississippi and received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mississippi State University. Following a season of mission work in northwest Montana, Ryan and his wife, Kristen moved to Texas and earned their Masters of Divinity degrees at Baylor University. After almost a decade of working as a university chaplain at Baylor, Ryan pursued further study in the field of Higher Education Administration, receiving his PhD in 2016 from Azusa Pacific University. Ryan has taught adjunctly in the Academy for Leader Development at Baylor, the EDD program at Abilene Christian University (ACU), and now in Educational Administration at Bethel. In addition to teaching adjunctly, Ryan leads the student life division at Abilene Christian. He lives with his wife and three boys in west Texas.
Courses Taught
- EDL 6306 Student Success in Higher Education - School of Education | Academy for Leader Development
- LDS 1301 Introduction to Leadership Development Theory (3-hour course)
- LDS 2301 Vocational Calling & Leadership (3-hour course)
- LDS 3306 Peer Leadership for the New Student Experience (3-hour course)
- CCS 1100 Community and Civic Engagement (3-hour course)
- U/BU1000 New Student Experience
- CORE 110 Cornerstone
- HIED 672 Leadership in Higher Education
- EDR 8300 The Research Process
- DIS 9901 Components of the Dissertation
- CMP 9601 Doctoral Comprehensive Assessment: Pre-Candidacy Prospectus
- DIS 9902 Dissertation Prospectus
- EDR 8300 The Research Process
- DIS 9901 Components of the Dissertation
- CMP 9601 Doctoral Comprehensive
Publications
- ACU Leads: A Leadership Skills Development Initiative. A publication of the Quality
Enhancement Plan committee. Abilene Christian University. March 2022.
- Patterson, M., Richardson, R., & Jackson, K. (2018). Using Network Analysis to Conduct a
Systemic Program Evaluation within a University. Journal of Student Affairs Research and
Practice.
- Global Baylor: A Plan to Foster Student Learning Through Deepened Global Engagement. A
publication of the Quality Enhancement Plan committee. Baylor University, 2018.
- The Wisdom of Mr. Owl: The Importance of Not Knowing. A blog for Convergence on Campus
Religious, Secular, & Spiritual Identities organization, 2018.
- Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education’s (CAS) Campus Religious,
Spiritual, and Secular Programs. A publication written as a member of the nationwide, eightmember
committee as a component of the national standards for higher education, 2016.
- Richardson, R.G. (2016). A Thriving Minority: Pathways to Thriving for Religious Minority
Students Attending Christian Institutions of Higher Education. PhD Dissertation, Azusa
Pacific University.
ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2017. 10602627.
- “Peace Amidst the Desolation: A Response to Joell Beagle.”
Truett Journal of Church and Mission, Fall 2009, Vol., 5, No. 1, pp. 24–26.
- “Finding Treasure in the Heart of Africa” Kenya Bound! The Center for Ethics at Baylor
University. 2006, pp. 53–58
Presentations
- Relationships and Resiliency in Student Advocacy: Centralizing Student Wellness in
the Institutional Context. A presentation given at the Student Affairs Administrators in
Higher Education (NASPA) conference. Boston, MA. April 2023.
- Producing Successful Students: Best Practices for Faculty. A presentation at the Thomas H.
Olbright Christian Scholar’s Conference. Lipscomb University. Nashville, TN. June 7, 2022.
- Best Practices in Student Success for Post-COVID Campus. A presentation to faculty at the
Adam’s Center for Teacher Education. Abilene, TX. March 12, 2022.
- Demographics & Graduation Rates: What We Know and What We Can Do. A presentation
to faculty at the Adam’s Center for Teacher Education. Abilene, TX. September 13, 2021.
- Pathways to Thriving for Underrepresented Students at Abilene Christian University. A
presentation to faculty at the Adam’s Center for Teacher Education. Abilene, TX. March 24,
2021
- Utilizing the Thriving Quotient as a Pedagogical Tool. A presentation to faculty at the
Adam’s Center for Teacher Education. Abilene, TX. November 12, 2020
- Pathways to Thriving for Students in the Religious Minority. A presentation at the Institute
for Advanced Torah Studies. Bar-Ilan University, Tel Aviv, Israel. February 8, 2018.
- Academic Secularism and the Religious University. A presentation at the International
Conference for Spiritual Leadership in Academia: Faith & Multiple Truths hosted by Bar-
Ilan University, Tel Aviv, Israel. February 4-8, 2018.
- Talking Equity to White Males at Predominantly White Institutions. A presentation with
colleague Ramona Curtis given at the 2018 Impact on Student Learning and Development
Conference. Houston, TX. June 29, 2018.
- Talking Equity to White Males at Predominantly White Institutions. A presentation with
colleague Ramona Curtis given at the 2018 American Association of Blacks in Higher
Education (AABHE). New Orleans, LA. March 26, 2018.
- A Thriving Minority: Pathways to Success for Religious Minority Students Attending Institutions
of Higher Education. A presentation given at the 2017 NASPA Religious, Secular, and Spiritual
Identities Convergence at the University of California – Los Angeles. May 22-24, 2017.
- Identifying Areas of Strength and Weakness in Campus Programming, Education, and
Training: A Network Analysis. A presentation given at the Student Affairs Administrators in
Higher Education (NASPA) conference. San Antonio, TX. March 13, 2017.
- Pathways to Success for Religious Minority Students Attending Colleges and Universities. An
academic paper presented at the 2016 Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture: Higher Learning.
Waco, Texas. October 24, 2016
- Thriving Sophomores: Creating Successful Second-Year Retreats. A presentation given at the
Thriving Conference 2013. Pasadena, CA. October 27, 2013.
- Curiosity: A Key to Fostering Student Leaders and New Perspectives. A presentation given at
the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) conference. Orlando, FL.
March 18, 2013.
- Discovering Meaning in the Second Year: A Curriculum for the Sophomore Student.
Curriculum developed and presented at the Baylor University Second Year Retreat 2013
sponsored by Formation and Baptist Student Ministries.
- Engaging the Wired Generation: Student Affairs and Technology. A presentation given at the
Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) conference. Phoenix, AZ.
March 11, 2012.
Professional Organizations, Committees, and Boards
NASPA (National Association of Student Affairs Professionals)
ASHE (Association for the Study of Higher Education)
Hobbies and Interests
Playing piano
Running
Research interests
Student Success in Higher Education Leadership and Organizational Change Thriving & the Thriving Quotient Social Minorities in Higher Education Philosophy and Ethics in Leadership Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion The Impact of Spirituality in Higher Education Technology as a Curricular Approach Community and Civic Engagement