Professor Tom Derzypolski

Teacher of the Year
1999-2000 and 2000-2001

This is what happened to me from early adolescence until now: I survived Polish Catholic school, wanted to become a priest until I met Lynda at Leon High School; became a radio announcer when I was 14, barely passed high school, flunked out of several junior colleges trying to beat the draft, married Lynda, was a rock n' roll DJ and was drafted.

I had a passion for flying helicopters, went to Vietnam, and was shot down from a guard tower on the South China Sea on Christmas Eve, 1969. My wife was pregnant when I left. While in Vietnam I became a father and made it home without ever doing drugs. Lynda had our first child alone. April was nine months old when I saw her for the first time in Hawaii on R&R.

After a tour with the US Army and completing Tallahassee Junior College (now Tallahassee Community College) I was accepted into FSU, completed my graduate degree, wanted to teach and was hired at Florida A&M University. I will always be grateful for the excellent instructors and experience while attending Tallahassee Junior College. It was there that I discovered what I wanted to do with my life.

I designed and launched three non-commercial radio stations including the first campus radio station for Florida A&M University, (WAMF-FM, now WANM-FM) and the largest FM in the U.S. for the Roman Catholic Church (SPIRIT-FM). I have held corporate management broadcast positions, and was a director of communications for the Catholic Church in Wheeling West Virginia.

Since I stopped using Aqua Velva no more babies have come into our life.  I taught at Florida A&M, Marshall, USF and wound up twenty-five years later back in junior college as an instructor.

I've made and spent too much money. 

Two of my four children, Tommy and Dorothy are FSU graduates; April is an advertising account executive in Jacksonville and Jamie is "Jamie - The Way Home" (3:00 PM-7:00 PM 90.5 SPIRIT FM Tampa).

I am still married to Lynda after 42 years and she was the first girl I ever kissed.

I have four grandchildren and bought my first sailboat before I turned 50. I survived a heart attack, and am regularly seen for an Agent Orange condition related to Vietnam.

I faced death at a water park as a result of pushing my half-century body beyond reasonable limits on the typhoon lagoon. I recovered from a serious head injury and have not liked country music since.

Favorite movie -"It's a Wonderful Life"
Favorite entertainer - Jimmy Buffett
Favorite US President - Richard M. Nixon
Favorite college professor - John Plott (Tallahassee Community College)
Favorite car - 1967 gold GTO with a black vinyl top. (Lynda and my wedding gift to each other.)

In my spare time – I work with my wife Lynda and help Trinity Cafe feed homeless and hungry people in Tampa.

The last thing Lynda says to me every night: "Will you please be quiet and go to sleep!"

A few years ago, my son, who was then "James Dean" on Tampa Bay's "Star 95" gave me a birthday gift of the new Jimmy Buffet book and like the author: "I woke up one morning and I was looking at fifty, trying to figure out what comes next!"

Tom Derzypolski
Associate Professor
Applied Ethics Institute
St. Petersburg College

"If we didn't laugh, we'd all go insane!"
(Jimmy Buffett)

"Watch your thoughts for they become words.!
Choose your words for they become actions.
Understand your actions for they become habits.
Study your habits for they will become your character.
Develop your character for it becomes your destiny."  Author unknown