Alumni Highlights

March 2026 – Ryan Baxter

Ryan Baxter is the March Alumni Highlight! From clarinet performance major to Director of Academic Innovation & Pedagogy in Shenzhen, China, Ryan proves you never know where your Shepherd journey might lead.

When Ryan Baxter ’06 arrived at Shepherd University in 2000 as a music education major, he never imagined his path would lead him around the world. After discovering a passion for working with young children, he made the pivotal decision to switch to elementary education, an experience he credits with laying the foundation for his career. From teaching in Spanish and Chinese immersion programs to leading service-learning initiatives in New York City, Ryan steadily expanded his impact in education.

In 2019, he relocated to Shenzhen, China, to help open the first campus of Avenues: The World School there. Today, as Director of Academic Innovation & Pedagogy, he collaborates with educators to shape forward-thinking learning experiences while embracing a life enriched by travel, global community, and family.

His advice to current students:
“Take the chances you didn’t in high school. Step out of your comfort zone and learn a new skill. You truly never know where it might lead you 20 years from now.”

Watch the full interview video above.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

(KATIE)
Hi everybody. Katie Swayne, director of alumni affairs, here with another alumni highlight podcast. Joining me is the president of the alumni association, Randy Friend.

(RANDY)
Thank you, Katie. Welcome back, everyone. This is our second episode, and we hope you enjoyed last month’s conversation with two of our women’s basketball alums. Today, we’re excited to talk with one of my favorite people from my Shepherd days—Ryan Baxter. Ryan, please introduce yourself: your class year, major, and anything else you’d like to share.

(RYAN)
Hi everyone. I’m Ryan Baxter. I graduated in 2006. I began as a music major, then transitioned into elementary education, which is the degree I completed at Shepherd University.

(RANDY)
That’s great. So you started in music education but shifted to elementary education in 2004. What was your time at Shepherd like, and what led to that change?

(RYAN)
My high school band director, Shepherd alum Chris Gnagey (1992), suggested Shepherd because I wanted to leave Baltimore but not go too far. Music brought me joy, so that’s where I began. My experience at Shepherd feels like two chapters: the music years and the education years.

Music was demanding and kept me mostly inside the music building. I’m a people‑person, and I felt like I wasn’t seeing the rest of campus life. One summer, instead of returning home, I worked at a local daycare with three‑ and four‑year‑olds. I realized I loved working with children beyond music. With support from my mom and friends, I switched to elementary education in 2004. After graduating, I began teaching in Montgomery County, Maryland.

(RANDY)
I remember you were also involved in multicultural leadership and A‑Team. Was that during your music years or afterward?

(RYAN)
During music. A‑Team is still around, right?

(RANDY)
It is.

(RYAN)
That’s great to hear. A‑Team helped me connect with more of campus and gave me a broader view beyond the music program. I also worked with Gateway Academy, which supported students from small West Virginia communities. That experience also influenced my decision to move into education.

(RANDY)
After Shepherd, you headed to Montgomery County. Were you teaching general elementary education?

(RYAN)
Yes. I started in kindergarten, then moved to first grade. My principal noticed my leadership potential and encouraged me. I later taught fifth grade because I wanted to build experience across multiple grade levels—my goal was always to eventually become a principal.

(RANDY)
So you taught in Montgomery County for several years before making another transition. Can you walk us through that?

(RYAN)
Sure. Even before graduating, I participated in Shepherd’s DC student‑teaching program. We spent half the semester in Washington, DC—at a Spanish immersion school—and half in West Virginia. We’d wake up around 4 a.m., take the MARC train from Duffields, and metro into DC. It was exhausting but an incredible experience and made a lasting impression on me.

That early exposure to urban education eventually led me to move to New York City after my years in Montgomery County.

(RANDY)
So that’s how New York came into the picture. How did you find your first job there, and what motivated that big move?

(RYAN)
I wanted a change before locking myself permanently into the DC area. My roommate also felt ready for something new. We were young teachers, not making much money, and we loved visiting New York on weekends. I searched the IB (International Baccalaureate) website—my Montgomery County school was IB—and found a British private school. I interviewed, got the job, and took the leap. My roommate followed later.

My first class had six students—very different from the 30–35 I had in public school. I taught fifth grade, then middle‑school math, and became the math coordinator. Since I still wanted to be a principal, I took every opportunity to expand my skill set.

(RANDY)
How long were you there before your next step?

(RYAN)
From 2010 to 2016. After 10 years in IB schools, I wanted to see something new. Avenues: The World School in New York was expanding, and although I didn’t get the job on my first try, I applied again and was hired in 2016. I’ve now been with Avenues for 10 years and have taught for 20.

(RANDY)
So how did China enter the story?

(RYAN)
Avenues is an immersion school with Spanish and Chinese tracks. I was placed on the Chinese track and co‑taught with a Chinese partner teacher. In 2017, I traveled to China for the first time to teach in a parent‑run summer program near Shanghai. The people and culture surprised me—in the best way—and that trip planted the seed.

Avenues has a global model, and in 2018 they contacted me about opening a new campus in Shenzhen. I had always wanted to live abroad. After talking with my mom, I accepted. In 2019, I moved to China—having never been to Shenzhen before.

(RANDY)
What was that transition like?

(RYAN)
Overwhelming but exciting. Shenzhen is incredibly modern—drones, emerging flying‑car taxis, advanced infrastructure. Avenues supported us well: housing in a hotel at first, orientation, team‑building, and preparation for opening a brand‑new school. I realized I love the startup energy.

(RANDY)
Then the pandemic hit. What was that like as a first‑year expat?

(RYAN)
Unforgettable. During Chinese New Year 2020, I traveled to Thailand, then to Bali as the situation escalated. Avenues warned us not to return yet. We eventually decided to go to New Zealand to wait things out. When borders began to close worldwide, I traveled to Hawaii to stay with my sister.

Avenues supported us fully—pay, housing, stability—while many schools in China laid off staff. During the day, I created a small “school” for my niece and nephews; at night, I taught my Shenzhen kindergarteners online. I returned to China in November 2020, navigating strict testing and lockdown measures. It was stressful, but I stayed while many expats left.

(RANDY)
What came next?

(RYAN)
As the school grew, so did I. In 2021 I became an associate division head—similar to an assistant principal. Last year, I became the Director of Academic Innovation and Pedagogy for Avenues Shenzhen. My work now focuses on curriculum and academic excellence for students ages 2 through 18, and on developing new ideas to keep Avenues at the forefront of education.

(RANDY)
Looking back, what advice would you give current Shepherd students?

(RYAN)
Say yes to opportunities outside your comfort zone. You never know where they’ll lead or who you’ll meet. College is the perfect time to explore.

(RANDY)
Thank you so much, Ryan. It’s been wonderful hearing your story. And thanks to all of you watching—if you know a Shepherd alum with a great story, let us know. Until next time!

(KATIE)
Thanks, everyone!

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