Hiram alumnus, Darren Reed ’92, who received his bachelor’s from Hiram College in elementary education, recently received six prestigious Stevie Awards for excellence in the 22nd annual American Business Awards with his company, Stride, Inc. Stride, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading tech-based education companies. Stride’s mission is to help learners of all ages reach their full potential through inspired teaching and personalized learning. Stride, Inc. was also recognized with an EdTech Breakthrough Award for Remote Solutions Provider of the Year.
Reed serves as Senior Vice President of Stride Professional Development, which received a Gold Stevie Award. Reed founded Stride Professional Development in 2022 and has fastidiously elevated the e-commerce platform as a leading provider of educator professional development, serving over 25,000 educators nationwide.
In his efforts to provide professional development for educators, Reed has worked closely with Hiram’s own Roxanne Sorrick, Ed.D., professor of education, to co-present at several national conferences.
During his time on the Hill, Reed learned many lessons that helped shape the path he took towards the career success he finds today.
“Like many young college students, I had a general sense of what career path I wanted to pursue, but I wasn’t certain. Hiram’s liberal arts experience allowed me time to explore a range of interests and develop a well-rounded set of skills in various disciplines,” Reed said. “With insights and guidance from my advisors and career counselors, I took a leap into Hiram’s renowned education program and flourished. Among the many benefits of Hiram’s teacher prep program was the extensive and varied field experience opportunities that placed us in diverse schools and classrooms, learning alongside seasoned educators and working directly with students. This preparation led to a seamless transition into the classroom and ultimately led to Teacher of the Year honors just 5 years into my career as a teacher in Newport News, Virginia.”
After spending time in the classroom and in school leadership positions, Reed made the transition into public and private sector education technology organizations where he has been able to make a larger impact in the field of education.
Together with his now wife, Courtney Hill ’92, Reed co-founded Hiram’s African American Students United which aimed to continue the long legacy of African American student activism, leadership, and impact on Hiram’s campus. The organization won multiple awards for programming and contributions to student life during its existence.
With his long career in the education sector and recent success with Stride, Inc., Reed shares career advice for students and recent graduates. “The world and workforce are so different than when I graduated over 30 years ago, but one thing remains true that I would share with graduating seniors and young alumni, align your career path and choices with your personal passions and talents,” Reed said. “Entering the workforce or starting your own business can bring a lot of uncertainty and challenges and I’ve found that what keeps you going is being connected to work that you love and/or work that has an impact that means a lot to you.”
By Taylor Cook
