Tell me about yourself. What is your educational background and where have you worked previously?
I was born and grew up in Hungary and got all my education in my home country. I have two undergraduate degrees, one in physical education and one in coaching, and a masters in physical education. All from the Hungarian University of Physical education, the country’s premier institution in the field of health, physical education, and other related fields. My Ph.D. is in biomechanics from Eötvös Lóránd University of Budapest.
I started teaching as a high school physical educator in
Budapest before accepting a teaching job
at my alma mater, the Hungarian University of Physical Education. I worked at
the Track and Field Department there for 11 years. My work experience includes
coaching in track and field, swimming, and
strength and conditioning for
various pro and semi-pro sports clubs.
What attracted you to Slippery Rock
University, and in particular, the education department?
SRU’s physical
education program has been one of the leading programs of our country for a long time. I was proud to join the department and continue
my work in teacher education. My former job in
Hungary was very similar to what I do here at SRU, so the transition was easy. I am happy to teach a variety of courses that I
have passion toward. In general, Slippery Rock students are curious, eager to
learn, and that creates a fantastic workplace for us, professors. Slippery Rock area is also a great place to live. It has a beautiful campus, and we have four great seasons for all sorts of outdoor
physical activities that I thoroughly
enjoy.
What research projects are you
currently working on?
I am currently part
of a department research group looking at physical activity participation
patterns and fitness levels of college students, as well as intensity levels provided by different physical activity designs for educational, sports, and
recreational purposes. We have presented our findings at SHAPE America national
conventions, which is the forum for health and physical education teachers and
at the ACSM national conference, which is the biggest exercise science
conference in the world.
What has been your most rewarding
experience as a teacher/professor? If you cannot narrow it to one, describe one
rewarding experience.
The most rewarding part
of this profession is when I see students
eager to learn day after day. It sounds simple, but in practice you do not
always see that. How to generate or sustain students’ intrinsic motivation
toward any particular subject area is the key. I was fortunate to be able to do
that in many cases. Just one or two examples: when I was about to leave my high
school position for college teaching, a student visited me in my office. He was
really said because even though he did not excel in PE, he thoroughly enjoyed
learning new motor skills in class. When the non-athletic kids like him say
that, that can be the most rewarding experience. Similarly, when I heard from
one of my SRU students that the Wellness through Movement class that she took
with me was life-changing, I was very glad.
What were you like as a college
student?
In college I considered myself a hard working individual,
and that has not changed since. In college I had specific goals and strong
motivation toward both academic excellence and success in sports. After the
morning classes I attended varsity practices of the track & field team. In
that sense my life was similar to our varsity athletes here at SRU. On the
other hand, as a young man in a big city, I enjoyed socializing with friends
and occasionally going to parties too. Interestingly, I started learning English
as a second language relatively late in life, as a junior college student. I
still remember the struggles through the first few English classes vividly. I
always encourage our students to study a foreign language and see the world.
What do you know now that you wish you would have known as a college student?
I do not have any regrets. Obviously, I did some things that seem stupid looking back, but I did not get in any major trouble and finished my studies well. As a college student I apparently knew much less about life than I know now, but that is how it was just fine. My motto is that the past is the past; just look forward and imagine what great things are ahead of you.
What advice would you give to
students who are entering or are currently in the teacher preparation program?
Volunteer. Seek for volunteer
opportunities in classes, on campus, and outside campus in the community. Focus
on your studies of course, but add volunteer service which gives you much more
in rewards for your social, emotional, and spiritual wellness. In addition, be
physically active. Find a physical activity that you love not necessarily for
the health benefits, but because of the enjoyment of the activity. That will
keep you in for a life.
What is one way that Slippery Rock
University has positively influenced your life and/or professional career?
Having my studies completed in a
foreign country I had a different view on education. After starting my tenure
at SRU and learning about the educational climate in our country, my view on
education changed dramatically. I now have a great understanding on what our
society needs to live a healthier and more active lifestyle.
In addition, I am happily serving
our community. Four years ago I reestablished the Slippery Rock Table Tennis
Club which is open to student, faculty, staff members, administrator, and community
members alike. We have players between ages 12 and 70 or so, and some of them
even commute 50 minutes to get to practices. This volunteer service has changed
my life tremendously, and I am glad to provide our 25-30 members with the
opportunity to actively seek physical, social, and emotional health and
wellness. Without the support of the PHE Department and SRU Athletics, this
could not have happened.
