August 9, 2022
Dr. Steven Rader has been appointed the Founding Director of the C.H. Lute School of Business at Shawnee State University, Provost Sunil Ahuja announced. Dr. Rader accepted the appointment after an extensive national search to lead the newly established and recently named school. He is working on the school’s accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IABCE) of which the school is now a candidate.
The C.H. Lute School of Business offers bachelor and associate degrees in six disciplines including Accounting, Business Management, Healthcare Management, Information Systems, Marketing, and Sport Management. Initial steps and preparation for a forthcoming master’s degree in Business Administration are also under way. The school’s enrollment represents more than 10% of SSU’s student population and the school is working on faculty expansion to meet high demand for classes and programs.
Dr. Rader fills the directorship following more than a year as the Interim Chair, first of the Department of Business Administration and now the C.H. Lute School after its naming in Feb. 2022. He also served in the chair position of the department several years ago. He brings more than 25 years of experience and service at SSU, where he has been actively involved in curriculum development, having added a degree program in Exercise Science, several minors, and six new courses.
Dr. Rader’s university service includes membership and chair positions of numerous university-wide committees and the University Faculty Senate. He was president of the Shawnee Education Association for two years, and also served as the department chair for the Rehabilitation and Sport Professions. He developed advisory boards for the Sports Management and Exercise Science programs, as well as Shawnee SportsNet, the broadcast arm of SSU Athletics, which provides experience for current SSU students.
Also active in the Portsmouth community, Dr. Rader served on the board of the former Portsmouth chapter of the American Red Cross for nine years, including five years as the board chair. He is a member and past president of the Portsmouth Rotary Club.
A graduate of Ohio University with a degree in Athletic Administration, Dr. Rader also holds a master’s degree in Sports Administration and Facility Management and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the institution. Prior to his position at West Virginia State University, Dr. Rader held positions at Ohio University and the United States Naval Academy. He is married to Dr. Rhoni Maxwell-Rader, a professor of Psychology at SSU.
To learn more about the C.H. Lute School of Business at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/business.