SHERMAN, TEXAS—Dr. Heath K. Rada, moderator of the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), will visit Austin College November 17 and 18 to take part in special activities at the College, hosted by the Religious Life Program and College chaplain John Williams, a Class of 1984 Austin College alumnus.
During the visit, Rada will meet with Austin College President Marjorie Hass, as well as Austin College alumni who completed the Young Adult Volunteer program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); meet with current students and alumni involved with the ACtivators, the College’s youth ministry outreach team, in celebration of its 20th year of service; and attend the dedication of a wall honoring Presbyterian pioneers Sallie Majors and Sara Bernice Moseley. Dr. Rada also will meet with additional students during his visit.
About Dr. Rada
Elected in June 2014 for a two year term as moderator, Rada is a native of Richmond Virginia. As an active church member, he served in numerous capacities on the local, presbytery and national levels of the Presbyterian Church. He retired from the position of CEO of the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross where he served as coordinator for the work of that organization in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He also held the positions of interim CEO of Red Cross Chapters in San Diego, Minneapolis- St. Paul, and Fort Worth. Prior to his work with the American Red Cross, Dr. Rada served as president of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) in Richmond.
Currently Rada serves on the boards of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Montreat Conference Center, and the Presbyterian Homes of North Carolina. He previously served on numerous community boards in North Carolina and Asheville, including the Richmond Rotary Club, Sheltering Arms Hospital, Mission Hospital Foundation, Collegiate School, Council for America’s First Freedom, and the National Conference for Christians and Jews (NCCJ), among others
A published author and noted speaker, Rada has been honored numerous times for contributions to his work and his community. He was North Carolina’s first Community Educator of the Year, the first recipient to receive an honorary Paul Harris Award from the Richmond Rotary Club, and the recipient of the Margaret Bowen Award in Christian Education. He also was named one of Richmond’s Humanitarians of the Year by the NCCJ.
Rada is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and North Carolina State University. He also studied at St. Andrews University and Harvard University. Last year, he was awarded honorary doctoral degrees from St. Andrews University in North Carolina and Davis and Elkins College in West Virginia.
The moderator and his wife, Peggy, live in Montreat, North Carolina.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.