From serving with the Marines right out of high school to becoming a nurse, and traveling the world along the way, Dr. Joseph Cimakasky now finds himself teaching philosophy at Cabrini University. He describes himself as a man who goes wherever life takes him and he has been following his own path his whole life.
Cimakasky has a passion for teaching. As the first person in his family to go through college, he took his education very seriously. In college he took multiple classes hoping to find a great interest in a subject. It took some time but he eventually found philosophy to be his life’s interest and from there he found a way to share it with Cabrini’s students and faculty.
Each one of Cimakasky’s students contacted have only sung his praises as a professor. Cimakasky has built himself a reputation on campus among the students that sets him apart from the average professor. Senior student and communications major, Chris Giacobbe, called Cimakasky “a really cool guy” and “a great teacher.” His choice style of teaching is based upon interaction, meaning that his class benefits from being in person. Friendship, happiness, self knowledge and ethics are all key components of Cimakasky’s class. He has stated that his countless life experiences from traveling and work influence his teachings on philosophy.
The worldwide health crisis has not changed his preferred method of teaching. He still holds every one of his classes “live and in person only.” Cimakasky went on to say, “in person classes are superior” and that a course like philosophy depends on socialization and conversation, two things not as easily achieved through online learning. “There’s something in the air other than COVID, there’s an excitement,” he adds, when describing how his perspective of campus has adjusted since last semester. He sees the positives of the situation, noting that the students he is teaching want to be in the classrooms and are eager to learn like they have been for years. Cimakasky says that campus is alive, and though COVID is serious, people should be fine learning while in person if they follow the rules and regulations that have been made clear.
Cimakasky studied at University of Scranton where he developed an interest in philosophy, he then continued and subsequently completed his education. At Duquesne he had realized his love for philosophy and teaching, he has since earned his credentials to combine his passions. Ongoing, Cimakasky has written and published two books of his own, both of which can be bought online. His most recent piece is a book on a Greek word that signifies important events in the Bible. Cimakasky joked that the book is “currently ranked number six million on Amazon” and “averaging about one reader per year.” Recently he has been working on his third book on Plato’s Symposium and erotic love, “which is sure to be a best seller.”
Professor Cimakasky is currently working towards getting tenure after having been teaching at Cabrini University for six years at this point. He is well known on campus for his engaging, thought provoking and interactive courses. Cimakasky is looking to take his class to the next level by incorporating the academic freedom that comes with having tenure. This means he will be able to share more controversial ideas without risk of jeopardizing the job he loves, being a philosopher professor.
