He seemed to vanish after last
year, no more speeches, smiles or the famous “double thumbs
up.”
Many Appalachian State University students have wondered just where
former chancellor Francis T. Borkowski went after retiring this
past summer and what he is doing and about his health.
He said his health is “good, improving” and he has been
very busy practicing for “Appalachian Spring,” part of
the Thematic Series here at Appalachian State University.
The series opens tonight in Rosen Concert Hall at 8 p.m. Borkowski
will conduct the Aaron Copeland piece.
This is all according to the man himself, Dr. Borkowski, who said
he is excited about both his own future and that of the university’s.
Borkowski said he had originally planned to announce his retirement
at the beginning of this school year and retire following the end
of the school year. But, small health problems made him realize
that the “best course of action was to go ahead and leave.”
Borkowski is taking a sabbatical for a year and will then return
to Appalachian and teach in the Hayes School of Music.
Borkowski said although he will miss being chancellor, he knows
he made the right decision.
“Being chancellor has been great,” he said. “The
best thing about the job was the students here. They are not only
bright, but friendly.”
Borkowski said he enjoyed talking with the students the most, hearing
their thoughts and opinions.
Borkowski said he is now setting his eyes on future goals and hobbies.
One of these goals is to catch up on his reading. Books about the
cosmos and the universe intrigue him greatly as do the writings
of Trappist Monk and Thomas Merton, whom he said he enjoyed as an
undergrad and still enjoys reading to this day.
Right now, Borkowski is busy getting ready for his upcoming trip
to Washington to serve on the International Network on American
Council of Education board and to hopefully write a book on one
of his favorite German conductors, Hans Schwieger.
Borkowski said the thing he wants to do most, though, is spend more
time with his family in Louisiana and South Carolina, specifically
his grandkids.
He said that he would love to travel a little along the way, but
that his family is the most important thing in his life and he wants
to spend most of his time with them.
Retirement has also afforded Borkowski some more time for conducting
music. He said his love for playing and conducting music never left
him.
“I started taking lessons on the accordion when I was nine,
and that got me interested in music,” Borkowski said.
In high school he was elected student conductor and was able to
conduct a school musical. Borkowski said he realized that if he
wanted to stay with the school band, he would probably have to play
another instrument.
That’s when he started playing the clarinet. Borkowski worked
with college students for many years, and has worked and conducted
at other colleges.
He has conducted the Florida Orchestra, Ohio University Symphony,
and established the West Virginia University wind Ensemble.
Borkowski chose the chancellor position at Appalachian over offers
to conduct and teach at other universities.
“My fervent hope is that the university flourishes and continues
on the track that was set up long before me.
“[Appalachian] is the best comprehensive university in the
country, and a model learning environment,” Borkowski said.
“My hope is that we continue to strive towards that in all
facets of the university. I hope also that in that movement and
direction we never lose sight of the basis on which the university
was established, or the rich history and tradition of the campus,”
he said.
“ I think that it is very special and I believe the rich history
and tradition and the movement forward in terms of the international
area, the environment, technology, will continue.” |
