Mike Show Returns to CSU

Published April 10, 2019 in Alumni, News

Clarks Summit University is pleased to announce Mike Show (’92) has been named CSU’s recruitment and relations administrator, a role he will fill beginning this summer. “This is a very significant and strategic hire for CSU,” admits Frank Judson, executive director of student services.

In this role, Show will develop relationships with churches, schools, camps and organizations to connect with students who want to join CSU’s undergraduate residential community to become Christ-centered, career-ready graduates.

“Mike will help them think first about God, and then think about how to use the gifts and skills He has given them,” affirms Dr. Jim Lytle, CSU president. “Anybody can go to college to get a job, but Mike will help future students think about that as a stewardship from God.”

Coming Home to CSU

After Show earned his bachelor’s degree from CSU, he accepted a job in the school’s Admissions Department, where he worked for the next 10 years. In 2003, he became assistant athletic director and was soon promoted to athletic director, where he served until early 2015. He invested two decades impacting student-athletes as head coach of the men’s basketball program.

As he comes full circle into a role with CSU Admissions again, he says he’s excited about the opportunity to interact with students and present CSU as an option for their collegiate experience. “I love our school,” he simply states. “I love having the opportunity to influence young people for the Lord, to sit with them and direct them back to the Word of God and help them navigate tough issues they’re facing.”

Show showed this passion throughout his time at CSU as well as in his most recent position as director of student life at Mekeel Christian Academy in Scotia, New York.

“It’s hard to leave New York after building a home and relationships there,” he admits, “but we feel God is calling us back here—coming back to the school is coming back to a place where we grew. I love our school and our community; I’ve built a lot of relationships with the people here. I met my wife there; we had all our kids there, so we’re excited to come back home.”

“I think the place where you learn how to study the Bible is the place you’re most loyal to,” Show continues. “CSU is where I learned how to study my Bible; I learned all of my theology there. What I learned there is the foundation of my life. I’m very thankful. I still use what I learned in ‘principles of Bible study’ as I study God’s Word today.”

Defender Roots

An article by the Athletic Department on February 17, 2014, celebrated his 20-year coaching career. It sums up, “Show was named the head coach of the Defenders in 1994 and went 22-10 in his first season, taking over for legendary BBC head coach, Jim Huckaby. Immediately, Show’s impact was felt, as his team made a name for themselves with their hard-nosed defense, their attention to the little details of the game, and their grittiness.” In that first year, Show led his team to nationals for the National Christian College Athletic Association Division II, and his teams made year-end tournament appearances a regular feat.

As the school transitioned into NCAA Division III, Show’s Defenders won the North Eastern Athletic Conference championship in 2007–08. Soon the athletic department moved to the Colonial States Athletic Conference, and in that first year, his team pulled off a first-round upset in the conference playoffs. Show has been named Coach of the Year for the NEAC, NCCAA II East Region and national NCCAA II. He has coached nine NCCAA II All-Americans. He was inducted into the CSU Athletic Hall of Honor last year.

However, the same article states, “While his credentials are impressive, Show’s standard of success is not measured by the number of accolades he has received, but by the number of players that he has helped become true men of character.”

Lytle agrees, “Mike has guided dozens of basketball players to mature in Christ. He believed in his players because of his faith in God’s work.”

In fact, Defender basketball alumni still keep in regular contact with their coach. In recent interviews for Summit Magazine, Korey Collins (’06) stated, “He taught me the true meaning of applying the academic truths I received in class in a real-world setting.” Dr. Donald F. Davis, Jr. (’01) echoes, “I contribute my desire to coach and build into young people’s lives to my time at CSU and the relationship I had with Coach Mike Show…I would not be the man I am today if it were not for Coach Mike Show and my time at CSU.”

CSU’s athletic director Wes Uffelman played basketball under Coach Show from 2005–2009. He knows what kind of impact Show can have on students and prospective students—from firsthand experience. “Coach Show impacted a number of areas in my life and really helped me understand how similar athletics and a Christian’s walk with the Lord is,” Uffelman recalls. “To be a good athlete at the college level, it is important to be tough-minded, resilient and detail focused. Coach Show was able to show the necessity of these things in the life of a believer. He showed me that in order to be a growing Christian, loving husband and caring father, I needed to apply these same attributes to my life.”

Reaching the Next Defenders

Show says he’s looking forward to connecting with students who want to please God with their lives, saying:

“I want to be an encouragement and accountability for students and help them grow. And as they come to our school, I’ll get to put them in touch with people who will hold them accountable too. I want to help them understand that the people at our school care about them—and not just at enrollment, but we really care about their development and their relationship with God.”

“Mike is an incredibly passionate person,” says Judson. “His love for Jesus, his family and CSU is absolutely evident. Mike is also an incredibly diligent person; he is one of the hardest working and committed people I know. With his combination of passion and work ethic, we wholeheartedly believe that Mike will succeed in bringing that goal [an increased presence for CSU in the greater Northeast] to a reality.”

“I love the mission of our school,” states Show. “It’s still a place where the focus is using our gifts and abilities to honor our Lord in whatever vocation He’s calling us.”

-Erika A. Bruckner (’04)