Richard Jasch

Richard Jasch is an online educational leadership and policy studies doctoral student from Chicago, IL

Hometown: Chicago, IL

High School: Schaumburg High School

Year: Expected graduation: 2026

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you pursuing that as a major, or have you taken another path?
Growing up, I never wanted to be anything, as sad as that may sound. I only wanted to survive the day. I grew up in a household of addicts, which greatly affected my ability to learn and have the capacity to "want" to be anything in life. Because of this, I failed almost every class beginning from third grade all the way up until 12th grade (I took summer school every year of high school and night school my senior year to be able to graduate). I graduated with a 1.54 GPA with a class rank of 588 out of 622. Since I had done so poorly in school and quite frankly life, I didn't feel I had many options past high school, so I made the tough decision to join the Marine Corps. Upon completion of active-duty service, I had a newfound confidence in myself and enrolled in community college at Harper Community College in Palatine. After two semesters there, I knew I could move on to a greater challenge and enrolled at NIU in the fall of 2017. Two years later in the fall of 2019, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with a focus on sport performance; the goal was to become a strength and conditioning coach at a university. Well, after figuring out the full job details and the crazy hours they work, I knew that wasn't for me, and I was back at square one, in my mind. I reenrolled back at NIU in the summer of 2020 and began a master’s degree in physical education and a K-12 teaching licensure program. I graduated in the fall of 2022 and obtained a full-time job as a middle school PE teacher in Denver, Colorado, which has led me to where I am now. The final step in my educational journey began in the fall of 2023, when I started a doctoral degree in educational leadership and policy studies, which I am currently in and have been greatly supported by both my peers and teachers. The path to education and becoming a teacher was never in the cards, and then all of a sudden it became all of my cards, and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunities that NIU has provided me over the last eight years and for the military, which has paid for every penny of this adventure.

What is your major (and/or minor) and why did you decide on this course of study?
Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies. I decided on this program for two reasons. The first was because after I graduated with my master’s, all I could think about was what it would be like to be called "doctor" and how close I was to that reality from where I started in life. The second was to further advance my career in the educational field to be able to move into higher positions, such as administration or a principal role.

Have you conducted an internship?
Yes

How did you get your internship, and where was it?
My internship was actually during undergrad in 2019 at Evolve Fitness in DeKalb. It’s a great local gym that supports its community members with good membership prices and an incredible staff.

How did your internship help prepare you for your career?
For the career I have now it didn't directly translate, but at the time it set me up to be able to personal train and conduct group/team workouts, which would allow me to walk into any gym and be successful.

What has been something you have found pleasantly surprising about your experience at NIU?
The support I’ve consistently gotten from my teachers has been second to none.

How have you connected with other students to study for classes, meet new people or form new friendships?
During undergraduate and graduate school, I was very keen on making sure I had a group of people to lean on. I would identify the people in the class who I could see truly cared about their education and would partner with them for assignments or projects, and that’s how it began. Having regular scheduled study times was critical. Group chats are also a must. They help more than you would think. It's okay to lean on people when you need help, and most times I found that all I had to do was ask the question to my group chat, and the answer would be returned. This saves time and frustration, in my opinion.

Are you involved in any student organizations, mentoring programs or extra-curricular activities? If so, which ones? How have they added to your experience as a Huskie?
Unfortunately, I was not involved in any extras because I felt I had the support I needed with my group of people, but I now wish I would have done more to complete my resume, such as conducting research in graduate school and getting my name on something published. Food for thought.

What NIU offices, departments or resources have helped you feel safe, supported and successful? And how?
I lived in Anderson Hall for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, which mainly supports KNPE degrees, and give my sincerest appreciation to all my teachers, but especially to Dr. Caughron for his endless support of my pursuits.

Who has been one of your favorite instructors/professors and why? What course did they teach?
Dr. Rodney Caughron, who taught LESM 438. Dr. Caughron has been there for me since day one. He saw something in me and built my confidence up so much, even when I didn't have it in myself. He wrote my letters of recommendation to get into both my master’s and doctoral programs. I could go on and on about what a wonderful person he is and how lucky I was and still am to have him guide me through certain life situations. The university should be thankful to have such a classy and caring person on their staff. Dr. James Ressler, KNPE program advisor and teacher of multiple classes. I loved his adventure education class. Gail Koehling, who taught multiple KNPE classes but specifically her outdoor education class. She truly gives her heart to all her students and her passion shows in her teaching.

How have you benefited by attending class regularly?
The simple fact is if you don’t attend classes regularly, you will miss content. How much content? That depends, but there is never going to be a world in which students can say they are better off not attending class versus attending. Teachers are also more willing to work with students on certain things and give a break (sometimes) to those students who show up to class. Showing up means you care, and if you show your teachers that you care, they will take care of you.

Where is your favorite spot on campus or in the community? Why are you drawn to it?
My favorite spot to be on campus was Founders Memorial Library. It's so cozy and big that I never felt crowded or confined to one space.

What advice would you give to a student who is researching colleges to apply to?
College is not cheap and can financially bury you if you are not purposeful with what you are trying to do. NIU is a great value for what you are getting in return. Make sure you fully research the program you want to be in and understand all the requirements; many people miss on this.

Why is a college education important to you?
It changed my life. It gave me freedom. It made me feel empowered for the first time in my life. I now have an incredible array of tools and resources I can draw from to use in just about any situation and be able to manage my own life. Help is good and needed in life, but being independent and able to fend for yourself is what adults need to be able to do. College gave me that.

What strategies do you use to manage your time between the responsibilities of school, work, friends and family?
Use a planner and stick to it. I would actually schedule days off where I would absolutely not look at anything school-related to give myself a break. I still do this, but when it’s time to work, it’s time to work. Be purposeful on your working days and relax on your non-working days. Schedule those non-working days!

How do you stay informed about events and services that are available on campus?
I currently do not stay in touch too much with them as I don’t live in DeKalb or Illinois anymore, but I certainly do get a lot of email from NIU letting me know what’s going on!

What do you do to relax or recharge?
Scheduling those rest days and going to the gym.

Please tell us about your job and hobbies.
I currently work in Evergreen, Colorado, at a small elementary school nested on a cliff in the mountains. I just accepted this position at the end of May and look forward to beginning it in just a short few weeks! My hobbies are going to the gym (believe me when I say this will help alleviate the stress that school/academics causes), paddle boarding and hiking, now that I live in Colorado!

What has your experience as an online student at NIU been like?
I've taken multiple online classes at NIU, and NIU does a great job supporting its students who take online courses. Since online learning can be tricky for some students, such as myself, professors have gone above and beyond to ensure they provide the necessary supplemental assistance. Whether extending office hours or saying, "If you need me, call, text or email," having that welcoming approach has done wonders for me and many other students in my cohort.

What advantages have you found in completing your courses entirely online?
The flexibility, of course! Not being tied down to attending a class in person allows me to continue with my day and accomplish more than I normally would. I commuted to NIU from Crystal Lake during my master's program, and on the days I had online classes, I would save about two hours of driving time, which is significant when you are trying to balance school and your personal/work life.

What is your number one tip for students thinking about online education?
Be invested. Just because it's online does not make it easier. Your teachers will do everything they can to support you, but at the end of the day, you need to be invested and use the time you save wisely!