Acton Institute Logo

Author

Alex Chediak

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Alex Chediak earned a B.S. Degree at Alfred University in Ceramic Engineering (1996) and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Material Science & Engineering from U.C. Berkeley (2001, 2004). He worked as an engineer for IBM for three years (1996-1999).

From 2005-2007 he was an apprentice at The Bethlehem Institute (now Bethlehem College and Seminary), a masters-level theological training program overseen by Pastors John Piper and Tom Steller. During those years, Alex got his start in Christian higher education at Northwestern College. As of 2007, he’s been a professor of engineering and physics at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA.

He has enjoyed writing to young adult audiences (mid-teens through twenties) since 2005, having written many articles for Boundless (Focus on the Family) and later for Trak (God’s World News). As a professor, his mission is to help young adults develop their God-given potential. That passion gave rise to his books Beating the College Debt Trap (Zondervan, 2016), Preparing Your Teens for College (Tyndale House, 2014), and Thriving at College (Tyndale House, 2011). His latest book is Beating the College Debt Trap.

Alex has written for Fox News.com, news/cultural analysis aggregators Townhall and Stream, Christian College Guide (Christianity Today), Tabletalk (Ligonier Ministries), and Modern Reformation. He’s been featured on Christian radio programs such as Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, and Moody Radio’s Midday Connection (samples here). He speaks at conferences, schools, and churches about issues that impact young adults as they grow up, leave the home, and take on the mantle of adulthood.

Alex and his wife Marni have three children: Karis, Jonathan, and Abigail. In his spare time he enjoys reading, tennis, swimming, and spending time with his family.

You can learn more about him at www.alexchediak.com or follow him on Twitter (@chediak).

Recent Articles by Alex Chediak

  • Apprenticeships: When good ideas cross the Atlantic

    President Trump made news in March when, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he announced that he would work to expand apprenticeships in the United States, as part of the two leaders’ central emphasis on “training our workforce for the twenty-first century.” Three months later during Workforce Development Week, Trump toured the Waukesha County Technical College in Wisconsin; discussed apprenticeships with local business owners, teachers and apprentices; and signed an executive order expanding apprenticeships in America. 

    An emphasis on apprenticeships is a good idea that has crossed the Atlantic. It’s something people of faith should champion because apprenticeships train young people in the skills needed to fill high-paying jobs, not just in manufacturing and construction, but also “white collar” fields like finance, retail, and insurance. Apprentices earn while they learn, meaning they experience the dignity of work and a paycheck from day one.  The Wall Street Journal reported that, according to the Labor Department, nine out of 10 Americans who complete apprentice training land a job with an average starting salary of $60,000 – higher than the $50,000 that college graduates will make in 2017.

    Apprenticeships have a long history of success in Germany. By age 20, about 60...