New faculty spotlight!

Dr. Mark Holowchak is new to the College this semester as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy. He is currently teaching two sections of Individuals and Society and a section of Political Philosophy. Next semester, he will offer Individuals and Society again in addition to Environmental Philosophy, Critical Thinking, and Business Ethics.Dr. Holowchak was an undergraduate at Wayne State University. He went on to receive his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was a part of the University's joint program of Philosophy, History and Philosophy of Science, and Classics. His focus was in ancient philosophy and science. His studies offered him a range of knowledge as they included numerous philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato as well as examinations of skepticism, ancient medicine, and meta-physics. In addition, he studied the Greek and Latin languages.

Prior to attaining his teaching position here at the College, Dr. Holowchak taught at numerous other colleges and universities, including the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Kutztown University, and Ohio University.

One of Dr. Holowchak's favorite things about the College is the intimacy of the teaching environment. He enjoys the size of his three small classes, each of which were capped with a student limit, and believes it helps to promote a close-knit setting and more class interaction. In discussing what he likes about the College, Dr. Holowchak also acknowledged his appreciation for the overall brightness of his students.

He currently lives in Alburtis, a PA town about eleven miles west of Allentown, in what he describes as "a cozy Victorian-era home with about an acre of land and a creek in the yard." He lives with his wife Angela, her sister, Maria, and seven "impossible" cats.

In his spare time, Dr. Holowchak enjoys a range of activities, including biking, gardening, and strength training. He is proud of his title as former Michigan power-lifting champion. He also enjoys polite conversation and great movies and books, but above all he has a passion for writing.

This becomes highly apparent in viewing his career accomplishments. Dr. Holowchak has published ten books since 2001 in addition to nearly forty peer-reviewed articles. The College has acknowledges many of these accomplishments, including the publication of one of his most recent books, entitled "The Stoics: A Guide for the Perplexed" which was released this year.

The College also extended its congratulations to Dr. Holowchak on his presentation of a paper entitled "Equipping Oneself for the Whole of Life: Stoic Sagacity as Peak Performance," which he read at the Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy and the Society for the Study of Islamic Philosophy and Science conference at New York's Fordham University.

After his many accomplishments and publications, Dr. Holowchak looks forward to taking a bit of a break in the upcoming academic year. He said smilingly that he plans to "write and read less and watch more SpongeBob."

The College extends a warm welcome to Dr. Holowchak and wishes him continued success during his time as a part of the College community.