Pictured Above: Schrader speaks to attendees of a Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce event.
Courtesy of Sean Schrader
By Trevor Martindale
Junior business administration major Sean Schrader’s passion for community involvement makes him an outlier among his contemporaries.
From his time at the Clearwater Neighborhoods Coalition (CNC), to serving as a member of the Clearwater Charter Review Committee, Schrader understands the uniqueness of his priorities at his age.
Courtesy of Sean Schrader
“Out of all of these experiences, I have never really run into any youth,” Schrader said. “I think that could be from some people thinking they just can’t do (it) or that (it’s) not appropriate. I think it’s always important to take opportunities to get involved.”
Schrader’s passion for local community involvement began in high school. Schrader’s father was a member of the CNC, so he opted to attend the meetings with him.
The CNC is “a civic advocacy group for neighborhoods throughout the city of Clearwater to help give neighborhoods a greater voice in issues that are important to them,” according to Schrader.
These issues ranged from policing in neighborhoods to requests for the city to allocate funds for neighborhood projects.
As a high school junior, Schrader became the secretary of the CNC. For Schrader, this role was invaluable, as it provided him with a foundational understanding of neighborhood-city relations.
From his senior year in high school, to his freshman year at USF St. Petersburg, Schrader served as a member of the Clearwater Charter Review Committee.
The committee convenes to review the Clearwater City Charter and make suggestions for alterations.
On the committee, Schrader brought a “youth perspective to the table.”
Throughout his time in college, Schrader has also worked as a caseworker at Rep. Charlie Crist’s district office.
Schrader’s most rewarding work was helping those who had trouble receiving their COVID-19 stimulus checks. Some people hadn’t received their checks due to filing errors with the IRS, or because they recently moved.
“It was really a valuable experience because for these individuals who needed their checks – it wasn’t something where they were going to use the money to buy concert tickets or a new computer,” Schrader said. “It was money that was going to be used to help ensure that they can pay their rent and get their family food. Just to know that I was able to play a small role in helping make these peoples’ situations just a little better was really a great feeling – it was really rewarding.”
Today, Schrader continues his passion for community involvement as a member of the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Noise Abatement Task Force.
“In my capacity on the board I analyze flight reports from airlines that fly into the airport to make sure they are following the guidelines and not really being disruptive to the neighboring cities,” Schrader said.
Much of Schrader’s educational journey and career path has been dictated by his involvement in the community.
“Both my degree (and campus) choice are largely responsible for what I’ve done in the community,” Schrader said. “I would like to go into business – I have worked with a few organizations like the Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce. I think a degree in business administration really (is) multifaceted. I could pursue a lot of options. I would like to see a path where government and business can meet.”
Schrader is involved in the USF community through Bulls for Brighter Futures, a mentorship program for foster students. He has also filed to run for the USF Student Government Senate.
Although Schrader understands the fruitfulness of university involvement, he believes students should look beyond the bounds of their campus.
“If you get involved, not only on campus, but in the local community, it will allow you to make a lot of connections which can be helpful once you leave college,” Schrader said. “It can give you an understanding of the city and government and things like that – which are very helpful.”
He noted that community involvement is not only for those interested in government and business – but for people of all backgrounds and interests.
“I think volunteerism is very important – and you can volunteer in a lot of different ways,” Schrader said. “I’ve met people that are involved (in the community) that are nurses, that have worked in the environment field… they wanted to just give back to their community.”
