Commentaries: 162 Essays on WYSU (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781976046179)

Tom Shipka was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1943, one of four children of Al and Anne Shipka. His father, a steel worker after high school, became a prominent labor leader. His mother was a housewife. After his K-12 education in Youngstown, Tom took a Bachelor of Arts degree from John Carroll University University in 1966 and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston College in 1969. His doctoral dissertation, "Social Conflict and Reconstruction," drawing on the writings of John Dewey and Jean-Paul Sartre, focused on the indispensable role of the creative and risk-taking individual in social and political change. After joining the faculty at YSU in 1969, he spearheaded the unionization of the faculty and served as its principal leader until 1986 when he was appointed Chair of the YSU Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. During his long YSU career he served as member and Chair of the Academic Senate, a member of the fund-raising committees for both academic and athletic divisions, a member of the board of the sports booster organization called The Penguin Club, and master of ceremonies for a variety of campus events. He received the Watson Award for outstanding administrative service and the Distinguished Professor Award for his accomplishments in teaching and scholarship. He was inducted into the YSU Heritage Society and the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame as a contributor. A speakers series at the university is named in honor of him and his deceased father. Off campus Tom served on many boards, including the Western Reserve Transit Authority, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, and the Mill Creek MetroParks. He also served as member and chair of the Ohio Faculty Council and the higher education councils of the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association. His previous publication include two books - "Philosophy: Paradox and Discovery," with Arthur J. Minton, Fifth Edition, 2004, and "Beliefs and Practices: Taking a Fresh Look," 2016 - and dozens of articles in social and political thought, critical thinking, and higher education labor relations. He and his spouse, Katherine Kane Shipka, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2017.