Student Spotlight: Adam Richardson ’27 Provides Inspiration to His Sons, Through Education, Determination, and Selflessness
Adam Richardson ’27 CPS made a promise to himself when he became a father. “I will never ask my kids to do something I haven’t done, or wouldn’t do,” he explained. “And that includes completing my college degree.” After dropping out of college three times in his late teens and early twenties, now, at age 35, Richardson is determined to earn his bachelor’s degree in Organizational Development & Management.
Growing up in Southern California, Richardson thrived in a structured setting. “In high school, I played sports and had great grades, but when I got to college, I got a taste of freedom,” said Richardson. “At the time, I was not mature enough. I made some poor decisions in my early twenties, and I wasn’t ready for the demands of college.”
Eventually, Richardson realized he needed a reset. A new environment, a new sense of purpose and something that would set him up for long-term success. “I had friends and family in the military, and they told me it was a great way to start a career and turn things around,” he said. In 2016, Richardson enlisted in the U.S. Army and spent the next five years working his way up to platoon sergeant. While based in Fort Bragg, NC, he met his wife, Kristin. They welcomed their first son, Jaxton, in 2020, and their second son, Maddox, in 2024.
At six months old, Jaxton was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome—a rare, lifelong, progressive, medication-resistant form of epilepsy that begins in infancy. Children with Dravet syndrome require constant care and have frequent and difficult-to-treat seizures. Dravet syndrome comorbidities include significant developmental delays, including a high prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, both of which Jaxton has.
“Jax’s diagnosis changed everything,” said Richardson. “He has seizures every single day,” said Richardson. “When we first got the diagnosis, we warned that he might never walk. Twenty-five percent of kids with Dravet don’t make it to the age of five. Jax turned five this year, and that alone feels like a miracle.”
With Jaxton’s complex medical needs, the Richardsons needed to relocate to live close to top pediatric neurological care. Kristin’s South Jersey roots and family support combined with the nearby world-class Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, made the Philadelphia area the perfect location for the young family.
After moving to Philadelphia, Richardson decided to leave the Army and through a military transition program, he was able to fine-tune his carpentry skills. “I went back to what I knew—construction,” he said. “My dad was a general contractor, so I grew up around tools. I started working as a carpenter and then moved into a construction project management role.”
In 2023, Richardson joined Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties as a project manager, where he was first exposed to nonprofit organizations. “Working with Habitat opened my eyes to the nonprofit world, and not just the construction side, but also the mission-driven, community-focused side that operates behind the scenes,” said Richardson. “It really grabbed my interest.”
It quickly became clear that advancing in the nonprofit sector would require a degree. Motivated by his wife and two sons, Richardson was determined to finish what he had started years ago and made the decision to return to school. “My friends and family all thought I was crazy to go back to school while working fulltime and raising two young boys, especially with Jax’s medical needs,” said Richardson. “But that motivated me even more.”
It soon became obvious that Villanova was the right school for Richardson to complete his bachelor’s degree. “Villanova is a national university,” said Richardson. “Even coming from the West Coast I knew Villanova and how great a school it is.” He was accepted and enrolled in CPS’ bachelor’s degree in organizational development and management. Many of his courses have been online synchronous classes, but he still feels a sense of connection to his classmates, and he has built rapport with his professors. Richardson plans to take in-person courses in the coming semesters, and he is growing comfortable in an academic world he once felt unprepared for. After he completes his bachelor’s degree, he plans to continue his education at Villanova in the Master of Public Administration program.
He now balances a full-time career with the demands of being a father and a full-time student, while his wife serves as Jaxton’s full-time home health aide. “My wife has dedicated her life to our children,” he said. “She manages Jax’s therapies—PT, OT, speech—and she also works with him a lot at home. She’s very consistent and disciplined. Because of her, he’s light years ahead of other kids his age who have the same diagnosis. Compared to what she does for our boys every day, spending a few hours each night doing coursework feels easy.”
Now, with momentum behind him and graduation in sight for spring 2027, Richardson sees the path ahead clearly: finish his bachelor’s degree, move into the Master’s of Public Administration program, and continue building a career in nonprofit and public administration. After years of stops and starts, he is finally finishing what he started and setting an example for his sons.