ULLIN, IL (WSIL) -- This edition of Unsung Hero gives us a sneak peek into the life of a Shawnee Community College instructor who has taught many the most important lesson is to serve.
Craig Bradley has been teaching Astronomy at the college for just over 29 years. He also teaches Computers. Friend Brenda Suits said Bradley goes beyond the classroom to help his students and others. Before the pandemic, Bradley joined a committee that wanted to help students in need. At the end of last Summer, a food pantry was created. He said one of his students had noted Shawnee was one of the few colleges in the area that did not have a pantry. It's now a service offered to students weekly. Bradley regularly picks up food to help keep it stocked. Suits said that's just one way Bradley gives of himself.
"There are lots of people that do it because it's the right thing to do at the time," said Suits. "His is from the moment he wakes up until the time he goes to sleep. It's, what can I do for you? How can I make your life better? How can I make this world a better place," she added.
Suits said Bradley is also the head coordinator for Phi Theta Kappa and always makes himself available to young adults, whether for guidance or a smile.
"I don't know what anybody needs, but I want to try and help and provide whatever. It's just like here. The people that come in here, {they} need something. Maybe they don't know what they need, but me and everybody else at the college, we want to try and provide that because that's what people need, so I'm just here to serve," said Bradley.
He recently decided to step back from DJ'ing after more than 35 years. He likes to spend a lot of his time as a Ham Radio operator. The pandemic has taken a lot away from people, and Suits said the world needs more people like Bradley.
"I just hope that through all of this, through the pandemic, that we come out of this better because we need it. "We need each other, and we need to rely on each other a lot more than we have in the past, and we need to be kind," added Bradley.
