CSU Helps TEDx Speaker Richard Austin Put Purpose Into Practice

Dr. Richard Austin never saw education simply as earning a degree. It’s always been about discovering how knowledge can become a tool for serving others.

Austin, a native of Cleveland’s Bellaire-Puritas neighborhood, started Cleveland State University’s (CSU) Ph.D. in Urban Education program at the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education with a clear sense of purpose. He wanted to continue creating opportunities for young people, particularly students growing up in similar neighborhoods. Austin graduated with a better understanding of the systems affecting youths and the tools needed to improve those systems.

Austin, who now serves as director of Ignatian Community and Belonging at Saint Ignatius High School on Cleveland’s West Side, will be among the speakers at TEDx Cleveland State University on Friday, Oct. 23. The event runs from 3 to 8 p.m.

Choosing CSU was a natural decision for Austin. He wanted his doctoral education to remain connected to the city that shaped him and the people who had invested in him.

“I wanted my education to strengthen my service, not interrupt it,” Austin said.

That connection between classroom and community became one of the defining features of Austin’s doctoral experience. CSU’s emphasis on urban education, community engagement, and applied research allowed him to continue working with young people while developing the research and analytical skills to better understand the challenges they face.

“I became a better servant,” Austin said. “My calling has always been to serve the community that raised me. My doctoral experience at CSU reinforced that research shouldn’t remain confined to academic journals. It should inform decisions and, ultimately, improve people's lives.  That philosophy guides my work today.”

Several CSU faculty members helped shape Austin’s development as a scholar and practitioner, encouraging him to ask difficult questions, remain grounded in his purpose, and pursue research that serves communities rather than simply studying them.

“Dr. Brian Harper, my advisor, challenged me to think deeply about research and career aspirations while encouraging me to remain authentic to my voice,” Austin said. “Dr. Anne Galletta provided mentorship through an oral history research project and helped me develop ideas and pursue opportunities aligned with my goals. Dr. Katie Clonan-Roy brought energy and encouragement to the classroom while providing practical guidance throughout my doctoral journey.”

Austin's path to education, though, was not traditional.

After earning a bachelor's degree in Sports Management and Marketing from Gannon University in Erie, Pa., where he played collegiate basketball and won a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship, Austin earned a master's degree in Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship from Newcastle University in England while playing professional basketball for the Newcastle Knights.

Basketball taught Austin many of the lessons that would eventually become central to his work as an educator and leader, such as discipline, resilience, sacrifice, preparation, and teamwork.

Austin’s basketball career ultimately took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that ended his playing career.

“At first, it felt as though a door to my purpose had closed,” Austin said. “Instead, I came to see it as the opening of another. The discipline, perseverance, leadership, and faith developed through the game prepared me for a new calling in education.”

Austin brings those lessons to his alma mater, Saint Ignatius High School, where his work focuses on creating an environment where students feel seen, valued, and empowered, particularly students from underrepresented backgrounds. He oversees initiatives involving student engagement, leadership development, community partnerships, and the REACHing MAGIS program. Austin’s goal is to build systems that allow students to flourish.

Austin’s TEDx talk, “Oxygen Masks in Toxic Air,” will explore the limitations of “safe spaces.” Austin recognizes the important role safe spaces can play in helping marginalized students heal, build community, and develop confidence.

“My challenge to institutions is instead of simply creating places where people can temporarily breathe, they should address and transform the environments that made those spaces necessary in the first place,” Austin said.

Austin was selected to speak through a competitive application and interview process hosted by TEDx Cleveland State University. During the process, he shared the research behind his doctoral work along with his experiences growing up in Cleveland and his journey as a student, athlete, and educator.

“I pray that I steward the platform well and use it to serve others,” Austin said.  “I hope that young people from neighborhoods similar to Bellaire-Puritas recognize that their stories, resilience, and communities can uniquely prepare them to lead.”

Cleveland gave Austin his foundation. Athletics gave him discipline and a global perspective. CSU gave him research, theoretical frameworks, and analytical tools to turn his passion for service into evidence-based action.

Now, the TEDx stage gives him another opportunity to share what he has learned.

“Basketball gave me a platform, but education became my purpose,” Austin said. “The next chapter is about helping build a future in which more young people can see their own potential.  It’s about reminding them that where they come from does not limit where they can go.”