PERSONAL  BACKGROUND  OF  DR.  JOHN  KOWALCZYK

Born and raised in West Long Branch, New Jersey on the north Jersey shore.  Oldest of four sons in the family.  Maternal parent/grandparents of Italian descent.  Paternal side of my family is Polish.

Active in Boy Scouts, having attained the highest rank of Eagle Scout with Bronze and Gold palms.

Served as an altar server at family parish for 10 years.

Enjoyed bicyling and swimming.  While in high school worked at Sandy Hook State Park (now National seashore) as a park ranger and later as a groundskeeper at Twin Lights, the only twin lighthouses in the world in Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

After high school graduation, attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.  Started out in Pharmacy program, and later switched to Environmental Health.  Activities included working in the dorm as a switchboard operator, foodservice, President of Newman Student Federation, and Environmental Health Association.

Upon graduation, worked in my career in the Detroit, MI metropolitan area doing health department work.  Spent leisure time with downhill skiing during the winter months and camping in summers.  Eventually took employment with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where I spent the next 20 years living, marrying, and raising a family of three children.  Enjoyed homeownership, remodelling, building, and landscaping/flower gardening.

Past 10 years were spent in northern Michigan in Big Rapids, MI living, going to PhD school and building a cottage on family property we owned near Gaylord, MI.  After PhD school, took up a new hobby- that of scuba diving in the Carribean where I have gone on 10 trips in the past four years. My goal is to visit and scuba dive as many of the Carribean islands and other parts of the world that I am able to !

My oldest son graduated in 2003 with a degree in televison/video production from Ferris State University (MI).  My daughter graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota majoring in deaf education in May 2006.  My youngest son is a college sophomore at Eastern Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in Athletic Sports Medicine and Occuaptional Therapy.

              (L to R:  Tim (17), Kyle (23), Annmarie (20), family dog Molly, 2003)                                    (Walden University PhD graduation, July 2002)

updated January 2007

Back to John Kowalczyk's Homepage