FULL CIRCLE EDUCATION

Two Crandall alums returned to their alma mater to lend their expertise and experience to impact the lives of the next generation of students.

Frank (’90) and Gloria (Stairs) (’90, ’10, ’20) Trail met at Atlantic Baptist College in the late 80s, and in 1990 they got married and started their life together. Frank felt a calling to serve in full-time ministry stating, “several of the professors from Crandall were instrumental in fueling my passion for God and His Kingdom, helping me discover that God could actually somehow use me in a meaningful way to encourage others on their spiritual journey.” Upon graduating from ABC, Frank went on to get his MDiv from Acadia Divinity College and started pastoring on Grand Manan. In 1999 Frank accepted a call to Whitepine Baptist in Riverview where he has been pastoring for the last 24 years. During this time, Gloria was busy raising their three children, all of whom later attended Crandall University.

When their children got a bit older, Gloria began working as an Educational Assistant in the public school system. She worked in this role for six years until she decided to go back to Crandall to pursue an Education Degree. For Gloria, teaching is not just a career, it’s a calling: “As Christ followers, it is essential that we are involved in our community in some way. The way that God has called me to be involved is through teaching in public school. Over her teaching career, Gloria has served in several schools as an Educational Assistant, an elementary teacher and an Educational Support Teacher. It is a challenging but rewarding career. “I am reminded that I am God’s child, and I am called to be His presence, share his love, and shine His light with those around me. You can’t always express that vocally, but I try, with God’s help, to live His love in every situation.”

Later, Frank and Gloria would both return to Crandall in a teaching capacity. Having obtained her Master of Education (her third degree from Crandall) and having experience in the public school system, Gloria teaches Developmental Literacy to Crandall’s Bachelor of Education students: “I have always wanted to be able to teach at Crandall and am thrilled to be able to contribute to the Crandall community in a teaching capacity.”

Frank completed his Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation, focusing on the spiritual disciplines as well as the theology and spirituality of worship. He sees teaching at Crandall as an extension of his ministry in the community. “While I used some of what I learned in local church ministry, I was hoping to find a way to share and continue to explore these subjects with others,” expressed Frank. So, when Dale Stairs (’94), Director of the ClayStone Certificate, approached him about teaching a course on Spiritual Disciplines to Crandall’s ClayStone students, Frank jumped at the opportunity. Frank has also taught Theology of Worship and Contemporary Issues in Worship at Crandall and has occasionally brought the class to lead worship at Whitepine Baptist, where they have made a powerful impact on members of the congregation.

Frank (’90) and Gloria (Stairs) (’90, ’10, ’20) Trail

“In a way, going to Crandall is like going home and re-joining family,” shared Gloria, who has been a student at ABC, ABU, and Crandall. “There were many professors that had a profoundly positive impact on me. I feel so honoured to think that perhaps I can, in some little way, have that impact on someone else.“

Frank too had positive words to share about Crandall: “I remember the encouragement of some incredible professors and instructors when I was at ABC. If I can have just a small fraction of the positive influence on today’s students that I received, I will consider it more than worthwhile.”