Alexander Grushow; a “father-figure” instructor

By Zyheim Bell

Having served as a Rider faculty member for 29 years, Alexander Grushow brings an“extensive” leadership background into his new role as the associate dean of the School of Science, Technology and Mathematics, according to the Arts and Sciences in Action newsletter.

Though the position is new to Grushow, the requirements are not. Before being named dean he served as the earth and chemical science department chair since 2004. Grushow said his title required him to fill both the role of “teacher and manager,” and now within the dean position, he has solely taken on the manager aspects.

As the associate dean, Grushow oversees mathematics, earth and chemical science, exercise  science and nursing, along with a number of other degree programs. “When students within those programs have difficulties or issues like registering for class or there’s a conflict in a class. … That’s my job to try and make sure all that works,” Grushow said. 

However, stepping into the role of associate dean was not originally in Grushow’s plans for the 2025-2026 school year. Initially he intended to step down from his place as department chair and return to being a regular faculty member. While his plans took a turn, Grushow said he will continue to teach classes initially planned for the fall semester.

“I’m still teaching some classes this semester. That’s still kind of nice because really, that’s why I came here,” Grushow said, “I like to work with students.”

Grushow finds joy working with students and watching them grow during their time at Rider. He said watching students as young as 17 enter Rider knowing they love science but not be able to identify their next decision, mixed with him and his colleagues helping students shape their future choices, is what he “came to Rider for.” 

Grushow’s favorite moments when teaching is when students come to what he calls the “aha” moment — the realization that “they are capable of completing hard things.”

“And when they get the ‘aha, this makes some sense’ … This is great, to be able to watch a student sort of figure that out on their own … to realize ‘I can do this difficult stuff,” Grushow said.

To Grushow having those “aha” moments is not just for students. Over the years he has learned from his students just as much as they learned from him. Grunshow’s students have brought him new insight that at times have influenced the way that he teaches.

“I’m always learning stuff even with a class that I’ve been teaching for the last 25 years,” Grushow said, “My first couple of years teaching I was probably learning more than my students were.”

The model of learning from others and through teaching is something that Grushow in turn applies to his classroom, where he has students working in teams “to figure things out.” 

“A lot of students come to college thinking that science is everything that’s in those textbooks … ‘all I need to do is memorize’ … but that’s just the vocabulary. That’s not the actual understanding of how things work,” Grushow said.

Collaboration is fundamental to Grushow and how he teaches his class; to him science is not done in a “vacuum” devoid of group discussion, explaining why he typically has students working together in teams with small levels of interjection from Grushow.

Senior chemistry major Karla Romero-Coria describes Grushow as a “fatherly figure.”

“He is a perfect instructor …  he makes time for his students and makes sure that they’re able to get the content,” said Romero-Coria.

Grushow hopes to bring that same level of care for the students into his work as the associate dean, being there to help students with the “roadblocks” and other issues that come along with being a student through a managerial aspect.

“I still get to help students,” Grushow said. “Helping the student who has some real difficulties with registration or academic standing — those students can still be successful.”

Having been “around for a while,” Grushow hopes the experience gives him the ability to direct students to other offices and departments when a situation arises. 

He said, “The goal is to be the person who can help students navigate whatever. Sometimes it is beyond my purview to help the student and then you got to figure out what other offices on campus can.”