Sheridan Lardner

Visit Sheridan Lardner’s Website: A blog that investigates martial techniques, the real scoop on Chicago crime, and what it means to be a modern warrior.

Chicago Warrior: A blog about Chicago, crime, and warriors

Sheridan G. Lardner (UChicago, A.B. History with Honors ’11) is currently a student of the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, class of 2013. He is pursuing his Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Social Administration. At the school, he was also one of the students accepted to the Beatrice Cummings Mayer Violence Prevention Program, where he focuses on youth, gun, and gang violence in Chicago.

While not in classes, Mr. Lardner is a program evaluator and data analyst for Alternatives, Inc., a North Side Chicago social service agency. He has been a member of the Alternatives team for 2 years now, and has conducted therapy and counseling with clients from the juvenile justice system, taught young women self-defense skills, engaged in strategic planning with the Board of Directors, and helped implement program evaluations for the agency.

A graduate of The College at the University of Chicago, Mr. Lardner majored in History. His thesis paper on the martial art and wrestling styles of medieval European knights earned honors from the Department of History. While on campus, Mr. Lardner founded the UChicago Gaming Guild (a club for students with an interest in tabletop, card, computer, and roleplaying games), as well as the UChicago Self-Defense Club (an organization for students to learn the Israeli martial arts of Haganah and Krav Maga). He has also contributed to the Maroon student newspaper, both as a sports columnist and with published letters.

Mr. Lardner has practiced martial arts since January 2007. He engaged in Tae Kwon Do for 2 years before switching to Haganah for the remaining 4 years. Currently a student of Prentiss Rhodes, a West Side Chicago gym owner (Rhodes Fusion Fitness) and martial artist, Mr. Lardner has taken his self-defense knowledge with him to UChicago, where he is the head instructor of the UChicago Self-Defense Club. Mr. Lardner has also taught classes at Rhodes Fusion Fitness while Mr. Rhodes was out of town, as well as teaching Chicago high school youth through programs at the University.

In addition to Sheridan’s educational and professional accomplishments, he also enjoys several hobbies in his free time. Some of his favorite things to do are writing horror stories, building his Lego city, and reading. A few of his favorite authors are James Stuart Mill, John Locke, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Thomas Carlyle, Robert Sampson, and Rory Miller.