Rick Konrad, one of two RWC 2011 Distinguished Alumni, has done it all. He’s been a city manager, a park director, and a freelance disc jockey, just to name a few. And that’s putting it lightly. He’s won several awards, including the Reading Mayor’s Special Recognition. He was also acknowledged as a “Hometown Hero” by the Cincinnati Enquirer. But even with the well-padded resumé, Rick is a very down-to-earth guy who seems committed to making the world a better place. No matter what his lot in life is or his current occupation, he has always made sure to spend a significant amount of his time volunteering to help others. But you and Rick have something in common: you’ve both walked the halls of RWC. He graduated from UC with a bachelor of arts degree, with honors. He was even a part of Phi Theta Kappa and a writer for the RWC student newspaper in 1980, which in those days was known as The Catalyst.
And on Friday, April 29, he accepted the 2011 RWC Distinguished Alumni Award. I got a chance to talk with Rick and ask him a few questions.
Activist: What does winning this prestigious award mean to you?
Konrad: It is a tremendous honor to receive this award from RWC, especially since it is in recognition for my work as a volunteer in my community. I was also thankful that my parents were there to see it as they were instrumental in my educational and life successes.
Activist: How do you think RWC helped you get to where you are today?
Konrad: RWC provided me with a bridge to get back into the educational frame of mind. As I said in my acceptance speech,
“RWC was the perfect place for me to get back into the academic mode. Approximately the same size as my high school in Reading, I was able to avoid being overwhelmed-as I almost was three years later at the Main Campus when my first class in Zimmer Auditorium was with 200 other students and a teacher who said if you have any problems-don’t call me.”
I never heard that phrase from one of my RWC teachers.
Activist: When you were attending RWC, did you have a clear vision of where you wanted to be or did it take you by surprise?
Konrad: My original plan was to go to Law School but (luckily) that did not work out, and I worked in our family business for almost ten more years before realizing that public administration was what I wanted to do. After selling the business, I went into parks and recreation, and ten years later I went back and got my Master Degree in Public Administration so I could someday be a City Manager and a few years after that I realized my dream.
The one thing I did know was that getting my College Education had value and would open doors to better opportunities.and I was right. Ironically in the late 1990s I worked for a law firm for about eight months and that’s how I know I was lucky NOT to become a lawyer.
Activist: If you could see the world in ten years, what would you hope that it would look like? What changes do you hope would take place?
Konrad: I would like to see our country in better shape financially and able to pay our bills and to finally see our government learning from the past. Having lived through the Vietnam era, I see so many of the same mistakes being made today. It’s frustrating.
Activist: Do you have a favorite article that you wrote that you’re genuinely proud of?
Konrad: Not really. No one was threatening to give me a Pulitzer. Haha.
Activist: Did you have a column that you generally enjoyed reading?
Konrad: I always enjoyed reading about people. Features on teachers or students that tell you the kind of people you are sharing air with. I still am an avid reader of biographies and autobiographies.
Activist: Did you have a favorite teacher or a favorite class? Or both?
Konrad: I had several favorite teachers, but my two favorites were Dr. James Cebula, who taught history and provided me with the ability to see history from the bottom up instead of just from the top down. How people lived and worked was just as much a part of history as the “great” events.
Mike Roos was the other. I enjoyed his English class (as well as the student paper). Mike and I share a love of music (Later I was a wedding disc jockey from 1986-1999), and he always taught us that music was modern poetry.
One of the great things about Facebook has been reconnecting with people like Mike. His attendance at the ceremony meant a lot to me.
Activist: Do you have a favorite memory at RWC?
Konrad: Not really. It was all really enjoyable. I was working full time and going to school 12-15 hours per semester and hanging out with my friends when I had time. Going to McLeavy’s Pub [the former RWC Student Center, now the Flory Center] was always fun but getting my teeth cleaned by a student trainee was not always fun. I did learn how to play foosball at the Pub.
Activist: Word on the street is that, come 2012, Raymond Walters will change it’s name to UC- Blue Ash. What are your thoughts on this change? Do you like it? Dislike it? Are you neutral?
Konrad: I dislike it. If they change the name then the student simply becomes one of 40,000 other UC students, whereas if you remain RWC you share a special niche with a much smaller group and this helps to define you and makes you less “corporate.” In addition it will disenfranchise those of us who have already graduated. It may look better on a resume, but UC-Blue Ash sounds awfully George Orwell to me.
Activist: Lastly, if you could give RWC students any piece of advice, what would it be?
Konrad: I would say to them to follow your instincts in your career and your life. Don’t be afraid to take a step back and adjust your path. I have done that twice and it has worked out really well. Be proud of where you come from, and finally, never quit learning!