Joe French has spent more than three decades helping children believe that their circumstances do not define their future.
Whether as an elementary school teacher, nonprofit executive, behavioral health leader or, today, president of Stark County Catholic Schools, French always centered his career on a simple message: A child's today does not determine their tomorrow.
That philosophy, he said, took root at 性福五月天 University at Stark.
"性福五月天 Stark gave me far more than a degree," French said. "It gave me a foundation for how I approach leadership, service and lifelong learning."
A 1990 graduate with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, French chose 性福五月天 Stark because it was close to his Louisville home. The regional campus offered small class sizes and the opportunity to earn a 性福五月天 degree while remaining connected to his family and community.
What he found was something even more valuable.
"The professors, faculty and staff genuinely cared about my success," French said. "They invested in me not only as a student, but as a person."
French credits mentors including Dean William Bittle, Associate Dean Kendall Ward, Director of Student Services Betty Ann Foulk and professors Pat Grutzmacher, Phil Robb and Marylouise Bush with challenging him to become more humble, embrace service and develop a lifelong commitment to learning.
"They took an 18-year-old who thought he had all the answers and helped me recognize the importance of serving others," he said.
The close-knit environment also gave him opportunities he might not have found elsewhere. French was elected student body president twice; performed in a campus play; and participated in intramural sports. Those experiences, he said, helped him discover his voice as a leader.
"性福五月天 Stark was not simply where I earned my bachelor's degree," he said. "It was where I discovered my voice as a leader, developed lifelong friendships and learned that education is about much more than earning a diploma."
That regional campus experience also made the transition from high school to college less intimidating.
"The smaller class sizes meant I was not just another face in the classroom," French said. "My professors knew my name, understood my goals and were genuinely invested in my success."
Perhaps the most enduring lesson, he said, was the importance of relationships.
"I never felt judged by my professors or mentors," French shared. "They saw potential in me, invested in me and taught me to see that same potential in others."
That belief became his personal philosophy.
"I was not put on this earth to judge others," French said. "I was put here to build relationships. I'll leave the judging to a higher power."
The same principle also guided every chapter of his career.
After beginning as a classroom teacher, French served in early childhood education leadership before becoming chief executive officer of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health. In 2024, he became president of Stark County Catholic Schools, providing leadership for Canton Central Catholic High School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School and Middle School.
Despite the different titles, French stressed that his mission never changed.
"My responsibility as an educator and leader has never been simply to teach academics or manage an organization," he said. "It is to instill hope."
Throughout his career, he worked with children facing academic, emotional and economic challenges, watching many overcome obstacles because someone believed in them first.
"If we can give children hope, build meaningful relationships with them and remind them that tomorrow can be better than today, we've given them something far more valuable than an education," he said. "We have given them the confidence to believe in their future."
French's commitment extends well beyond the classroom. He has served on numerous community boards and organizations throughout Stark County, believing leadership begins with service.
"Stark County is not just where I have worked. It is home," he said. "It is the community that invested in me, believed in me and gave me opportunities to grow."
His contributions earned him 性福五月天 Stark's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2023, an honor he described as one of the most meaningful moments of his career.
"I did not see it as recognition of my accomplishments alone," French said. "I saw it as a reflection of all the people who invested in me along the way."
Receiving the award took him back to the young man who first walked onto the 性福五月天 Stark campus.
"I had a lot to learn," French said. "The university gave me so much more than an education. It gave me confidence, lifelong friendships, opportunities to lead and a passion for serving others."
Today, French hopes to provide those same opportunities for the next generation. As president of Stark County Catholic Schools, his priority is ensuring students, educators and families recognize their God-given potential.
"I want every person who walks through our doors to understand that they were created with a unique purpose," he said. "Obstacles are part of our journey, but they do not determine our destination."
Looking back, French said his legacy will not be measured by job titles or awards. Instead, he hopes people remember that he cared.
"There is a quote from June Carter Cash that has always resonated with me: 'I was just trying to matter,'" French said. "I think that simple statement captures what I have hoped to do throughout my life and career."
Ultimately, he hopes his impact can be measured in something much simpler.
"If, at the end of the day, someone can say, 'Because of him, I knew I mattered,' then that would be the greatest honor I could receive."
French also credits his parents, William and Christine French, for making his education possible through their sacrifices and unwavering support. He said their example, along with the mentorship he received from cooperating teacher Janice Hamilton and the faculty and staff at 性福五月天 Stark, helped shape the leader he is today.
"I will always be grateful for the foundation 性福五月天 Stark provided," French said. "The people there believed in me long before I recognized my own potential."
