Meet the Educator: Jared Sturm
For much of his life, Jared Sturm has followed a simple principle: do work that matters—and, if possible, enjoy it along the way. Today, as a Prevention Specialist Educator for the Fathers & Families Coalition of Utah, he brings that same energy, curiosity, and purpose into every class he teaches.
Jared leads programs like Jobs Work (JWP) and Building Uplifting Relationships (BUR), occasionally facilitating Pathways to Manhood (PTM). He’s been with the Coalition for just over a year and a half, but his path to this work has been anything but typical. Early on, he took on hands-on jobs in construction—building homes and digging ditches—before spending time in finance. For several years, he chased seasonal opportunities that combined adventure with income: plumbing in Alaska, guiding jeep tours, leading white water rafting trips, working for the post office, and later running hiking, ziplining, and nature tours in Hawaii.
“I like jobs where I get to have fun and get paid for it,” he says.
Eventually, that search for meaningful work led him to education. After earning his degree, Jared taught high school English for five years, drawn to the subject because of its focus on critical thinking. While he valued his time in public education, he found himself wanting to step away from the administrative side of the system. After a season as a stay-at-home dad, he found his way to FFCU—where he could continue teaching in a more direct, personal way.
Teaching, for Jared, has always been more than a job—it’s something he’s been drawn to since he was young. From teaching in church settings to serving as a missionary, he consistently found himself in roles where he could help others learn and grow. One moment in particular stood out: during a large conference, his mission president pointed him out as someone others could learn from when it came to teaching.
“That made me think, maybe this is something I want to do,” he recalls.
That sense of purpose shows up clearly in how Jared approaches his classes today. He focuses on big-picture thinking—helping students develop critical thinking skills that extend far beyond a single lesson. For him, it’s not just about delivering information; it’s about helping people examine their assumptions, challenge biases, and make more intentional choices. This includes encouraging conversations around masculinity, respect, and relationships, with an emphasis on building healthier perspectives and behaviors.
Just as important is how he connects with his students.
“They’re humans, and I treat them with the same kind of respect I expect them to treat me with,” Jared says.
He’s found that this approach—combined with honesty and a willingness to admit when he doesn’t have all the answers—helps build trust, especially with teenagers and young adults who don’t always feel heard.
“The biggest part of connecting with students is caring about them.”
As a father of two daughters, Jared’s work is also deeply personal. Becoming a parent shifted his perspective in a meaningful way, reinforcing his desire to help create a world where young people—especially young women—feel safe and respected. He often brings lessons from the classroom into his own home.
“My fathering and being a parent and spouse has been positively impacted by what I teach,” he says. “It motivates me to do better.”
In the classroom, those values translate into powerful moments. Jared recalls times when students felt comfortable enough to open up about difficult experiences, including situations that helped them recognize when something wasn’t right. In one instance, a young student shared an experience at work that, through discussion, she came to understand was inappropriate. Being able to provide clarity and connect students with resources is something Jared doesn’t take lightly.
Another experience that has stayed with him comes from teaching Pathways to Manhood, where students are asked to reflect on “the man I want to be.” For many, it’s a chance to process difficult past experiences and make conscious decisions about the kind of person they want to become.
“It can be sad,” Jared says, “but it’s also really powerful—watching them decide they’re going to do things differently.”
For Jared, those moments are what make the work worth it.
“It affects change, and I can actually see that change happening,” he says. At the core of it all is his belief in the power of critical thinking—not just as an academic skill, but as a life skill that shapes how people see the world and their place in it.
To anyone considering one of FFCU’s programs, Jared offers a perspective rooted in personal experience: “Make the choice yourself, instead of having someone else make you do it. It’s one of the most important aspects of becoming your own human.”
He adds that once people take ownership of that decision, everything shifts. “The second you make the decision, you take control of what you want to learn, your future—and you actually start to enjoy it.”