BY: BRUNO GRUBESIC
Staff Writer
As STLCC’s Director of Trustees Craig Larson ran unopposed in his reelection on April 5, it’s important for the community to know the man and his job.
Larson has been working with the STLCC Board of Trustees since his retirement from K-12 education in 2010. He was born and raised in Kansas City, holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in teaching from University of Kansas and has had experience in teaching and education. He made the big move to St. Louis after landing a job in the Parkway School District from an interview on his university’s campus.
Larson has held several different positions in education, including teaching in both middle and high school, being a high school principal, assistant superintendent of some schools, and the superintendent of the Rockwood School District for seven years before journeying over to STLCC.
In his time outside of STLCC, he’s found hobbies in golfing and gardening with his wife when the weather is nice out. “I’m a lifelong learner,” he said. He’s taken time to learn golfing, and said, “I’ve enjoyed taking lessons and trying to […] play well enough to not totally disappoint myself.”
In his time working as an administrator in public school districts, he hasn’t had much time to himself, but lately he’s been able to explore some hobbies. He also manages a rose garden with his wife, which they started around the time he retired from teaching in public K-12 school districts.
“It’s not something you have to work constantly at, but you do have to be methodical about it,” he says. Larson and his wife also love to travel and are heading to Romania this May.
While Larson is hesitant to say “stressful” is the right term for his job, he says there are times when it does apply. Trying to manage the college requires making big decisions in some scenarios.
“The real stress is when you have to make tough decisions […] the community college unfortunately has lost a lot of enrollment.”
Larson also is a supporter of the dual enrolment process in the college, where high school students can take classes at the college to get credits out of the way before they even graduate, which he describes as a “life changer” and a great way for the college to achieve its goals.
He describes STLCC’s market as the “nontraditional student,” such as students continuing education after dropping out of college, or older students who never went and want to try now.
“The role of the board is to help secure leadership that takes the college in the right direction going forward and support that leadership, hold that leadership accountable, but also try to help the college be successful in its mission of changing lives,” said Larson.
