Professor Profile: Christopher Van Curan
April 7, 2015 By: Leanne DeMars
Could it be fate that relative of Salem witch Rebecca Norse, Christopher Van Curan, ended up teaching at Salem State Univeristy? After all, Van Curan’s birthday, July 19th, is the date of Rebecca Norse’s hanging. It could be a coincidence, but it could also be one of the unknown reasons why Van Curan was compelled to go back to work after retiring twice. Though he has nine grandchildren, one of which played for the Providence Bruins, and three great-grandchildren, Van Curan wanted to reach out to other young adults.
With 50+ years of business experience in education, manufacturing, banking, insurance, non-profits and consulting, Professor Van Curan felt like he needed to share his knowledge with future business professionals. “Age is a benefit,” Van Curan says. Students can learn a lot from someone who has several years of experience and a great understanding of the business world.
Founder of four companies, including B2B Mentor and Executive Service Corps, Van Curan wanted to try something new. In the summer of 2014, he sent out a various number of applications to colleges in the New England area. Leah Ritchie, chairperson of Salem State’s Bertolon School of Business, interviewed Van Curan and kept his resume on file. To his surprise, Van Curan was hired the Friday before the spring semester began to teach two courses: Business Policy and Small Business Management. He had less than a week to prepare and started off using a sample syllabus and lesson plan. Van Curan rose to the occasion and has since enjoyed teaching and working with young college students. He has described Salem State as a “vibrant community” and is very happy with his decision to come teach here.
Aside from teaching here at the university, some of Van Curan’s favorite past times include skiing and playing tennis. Not only that, but he also is still doing work for his consulting company, Executive Service Corps. He currently resides in Beverly, MA and plans to continue to be a part of the Salem State community after this semester.
Contributor’s Note: Leanne DeMars has learned a lot about the world of business from Van Curan’s Small Business Management course.