Rate My Professor Kurt Meader

Dr. Kurt Meader is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Fairmont State University in the College of Education, Health and Human Performance. He joined the faculty in 2023 and serves as the Director of the Educational Leadership Program and Program Coordinator for both the Master of Education in Educational Leadership and the Superintendent Certificate Licensure Program. These graduate programs are designed to equip educators with the skills necessary for leadership positions, enabling them to obtain West Virginia certifications as PreK-12 Principals, Supervisors of Instruction, and Superintendents. From his office in the 315 Education Building, Dr. Meader advises students, facilitates program operations, and supports candidates seeking advancement in school and district administration. He also represents the Education department on faculty senate committees, contributing to institutional decision-making and policy development.

Dr. Meader holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Youngstown State University, where his dissertation, "A Shortage of Male Elementary School Teachers," employed Q-methodology to explore perceptions related to the underrepresentation of male teachers in elementary education. He earned an M.Ed. from Arizona State University and a B.S.Ed. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Prior to his academic appointment, Dr. Meader was a retired school principal with extensive experience in the Crawford Central School District in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He served as Principal of West End Elementary School and Second District Elementary School, managing daily operations, staff development, and student programs. During this time, he also worked as an Adjunct Professor. This practitioner background informs his teaching, emphasizing real-world applications in educational leadership. Dr. Meader's research has been published in peer-reviewed journals; notably, he co-authored "Exploring the Perceptions of Male Teachers About the Shortage of Male Elementary School Teachers: A Q-Methodology" with Karen H. Larwin in the Journal of Education (2021). Furthermore, he served on dissertation committees at Youngstown State University, gaining early experience in graduate mentorship.