For his work in education, writing and the community, Dr. Thomas Serwatka has been the recipient of multiple awards.
JACKSONVILLE, FL, November 04, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Thomas Serwatka, PhD, has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
After earning a Bachelor of Arts in speech from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, in 1969, Dr. Serwatka began his career in teaching. Now a professor emeritus, he also received a Master of Education in the education of deaf students in 1973 and achieved a Doctor of Philosophy in special education in 1976, both from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Dr. Serwatka's education set him up for a lifelong career as an educator and university administrator, and as a social justice activist.
Dr. Serwatka's first job was an associate speech therapist at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center at Fairview Hospital, outside of Cleveland. He then became a middle school teacher for deaf students. Dr. Serwatka went back to Kent State University, where he held positions as a research assistant, teaching fellow and a visiting instructor. He moved on to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, where he reached the rank of full professor. Dr. Serwatka also served in several administrative positions including the founding dean of the University of North Florida Graduate School, associate vice president of Academic Affairs and vice president and chief of staff for the University of North Florida.
Alongside his career, Dr. Serwatka feels strongly about upholding civic duties. He has been an officer and board member of multiple organizations, including the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network (JASMYN), OneJax, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, and the Northeast Florida AIDS Network. He has also been a part of the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality, the First Coast Community AIDS Coalition and the Cathedral Arts Project.
Writing and presenting has been an important part of Dr. Serwatka's career. Dr. Serwatka is the author of "Queer Questions, Clear Answers: The Contemporary Debates on Sexual Orientation" and "Nemo's Family Tree: Queer America." He has written numerous research articles such as "Sexual Orientation and Gender-identity Laws that Support and/or Limit International Development," "Protections for the LGBT Residents and City Economies," "No Safe Places," "Out of the School Closet: The Invisible Minority," "Student Perceptions and Instructional Effectiveness of Deaf and Hearing Teachers," and "Correlates of the overrepresentation of African-American students in classes for the emotionally disturbed" He has also presented internationally and domestically on topics relating to the LGBT identity and the education of students who are deaf.
For his work in education, writing and the community, Dr. Serwatka has been the recipient of multiple awards. Most recently in 2018, he was named a Person of Influence by the Jacksonville LGBT Fund. In 2010, he won the Choice Award and an Outstanding Academic Publication award from the American Library Association for his book "Queer Questions." He also won the Voice for Equality Award from Equality Florida. The University of North Florida LGBT Resource Center gave Dr. Serwatka the Legends Award in 2011. In 1980, the Florida Board of Regents named him the faculty member contributing the most to the education of disabled students in the state university system.
Dr. Serwatka attributes his success to the people he is surrounded by, as he believes no one is self-made, and that he has been given resources and opportunities that allowed him to achieve his successes. In five years' time, he sees himself writing two more books and conducting more research studies. He looks forward to spending his retirement with his husband, Michael.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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