photo by Ryan Chybinski
Over the summer the Cabrini communication department said goodbye to one of its most senior members. Dr. Jerry Zurek stepped away from teaching full-time at the end of the 2021 school year ending a 50-year teaching career at the university. More than 120 of his former students, colleagues and friends attended his farewell picnic to talk about their experiences in his various classes and to reconnect with people they have not seen since their graduation. Zurek has served as the head for both the English and communication department at Cabrini along with growing the school’s newspaper, the Loquitur, from a simple idea to an award-winning paper.
The highlight of the picnic was when members of the communication department staff and a few former students were asked to share a few words about their experiences and how Zurek has changed their lives. Cathy Yungmann, emerita and communication professor at Cabrini, said in her speech “Considering the long view, one of Jerry’s most amazing instincts is to work hard to make all of us better people. Most of our department faculty members came to Cabrini from the corporate world where women often didn’t get support and encouragement for success. But as a colleague, Jerry never had that bias.”
Usame Tunagur, former communication department professor, said, “He was the person who first hired me when I came to Cabrini, second he’s been my mentor, supervisor slash colleague and I’ve had three enjoyable and fun years, to the point, that coming to Cabrini didn’t feel like work it was just fun.”
This sentiment seemed to be shared by all of the staff members who spoke at the picnic all of them sharing tales about how Zurek pushed them to be the best they could be while at the same time giving them the respect not always found in the professional world. Along with the speeches, there were several displays set up inside to showcase the wonderful work that Zurek had his hands in over his 50-year career.
On display were previous editions of The Loquitur, pictures from the radio station, a special video documentary made showcasing Zurek’s life playing in the communication wing and a spot in the TV studio where guests could sit down, share some of their
thoughts and experiences with Zurek and wish him well in his retirement.
Despite this being a retirement party, Zurek will remain at Cabrini teaching just in a much smaller role than he has in the past. Zurek will relinquish his title as faculty advisor to the Loquitur newspaper turning it over to new hire Marion Callahan. Zurek will continue to teach his engagement for the common good, ECG 300, as that class calls for social justice and climate reform have been as big of a part of his life as journalism.
Along with the rousing send-off, the communication department unveiled renders of planned modernizations coming to the communication wing in Cabrini’s Founders’ Hall. These renovations hope to keep Cabrini’s communication department at the forefront of the industry in the hopes of attracting more students and growing the program’s reach in the industry. Finally, a scholarship was set up in Zurek’s honor to celebrate his commitment and love for advancing the common good not only at Cabrini but around the world through his 50 years of teaching.
