ALUMNI NEWS

FSU Legacy Families: 

Frostburg the Right Fit for Snyder Family

BY TY DEMARTINO '90

Kathy Barger Snyder ’75/M’85 has always been a “big believer in education.”

“It’s the only thing you can have in life that no one can take away from you,” she said.

Kathy and her husband, David L. Snyder ’75, both graduated from Frostburg State and started a Frostburg legacy that has extended to their three daughters, a son-in-law and now a granddaughter.

Kathy, who worked for 19 years as FSU’s director and later vice president for Human Resources, started her education journey at University of Maryland College Park. After only a few days on that campus, she quickly returned home to Allegany County, and eventually enrolled at Frostburg State. For Kathy, the “culture” of Frostburg was the right fit.

“I felt we got a quality education by people who truly cared,” she said.

Kathy and Dave have three daughters – Carrie (Snyder) Jaso ’01, Katherine “Kate" (Snyder) Loughrie ’03/M’04 and Jillian (Snyder) Fradiska ’05/M’07. When it was time for the young women to go to college, Carrie followed in her mother’s footsteps and gave College Park a try. After a stint in the honors program there, Carrie realized UMCP was “too big.” She then followed in her mother’s footsteps right back to Western Maryland, enrolled at FSU and received her actuarial science degree. She now resides in Richmond, Va., and works as a vice president and actuary for life projections at Genworth Financial.

According to Kathy, Carrie was happy with her decision to leave UMCP and head to Frostburg. “She got a better education at FSU than what she was getting at College Park,” Kathy said. “The other two [daughters] never even thought of any other place [than FSU].”

Daughter Kate received her bachelor and master’s degrees in education from FSU and, after eleven years in the classroom and five years as an assistant principal, is now supervisor of professional learning, secondary social studies and new teachers for the Allegany County Board of Education. 

Jill earned a combined five-year degree in accounting and an MBA from FSU. She is now a deputy controller for Federal Prison Industries (UNICORP). Jill married FSU grad Sean D. Fradiska ’96 who is the chief financial officer for The Belt Companies in Cumberland. The couple created the Children’s Adaptive Sports League (CASL), an organization that provides adaptive and socialization programs for children with disabilities. 

Jill and Sean’s daughter, Emily F. Fradiska ’22, received her elementary education degree at Frostburg and is currently a third grade teacher at South Penn Elementary School in Cumberland. 

“So we’re on to a third generation,” Kathy proudly noted. 

When given the opportunity to return to FSU in 1999 as an employee and head up the Human Resources office, Kathy jumped at the chance. “I was fortunate to go back and work there and provide that feeling that I experienced as a student,” she said. “It’s a very special place.”

Kathy knows the importance of having an institution like Frostburg in Western Maryland and the opportunities it afforded to her family and others in the area.

“I think of all of the people who wouldn’t have the opportunity to get a college education if Frostburg wasn’t here.”

Kathy retired from FSU in 2018 and used that opportunity to ask her friends and colleagues to give to FSU’s Human Resources and Employee Development Fund. Over $5,000 was pledged to the fund that supports professional development programs for FSU faculty and staff.

In their free time, Kathy and Dave, who retired as a general manager for Economy Wholesale Company, now enjoy traveling, binging British mysteries and spending time with their grandchildren. In addition to Emily, they have seven other grandchildren, rounding out to four boys and four girls. Will they all be Bobcats, too, one day?

“I’d say they’re heading that way,” the hopeful Grandma added.