Read Interview

Terry Maksymowych, PhD

Science Faculty, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur

Villanova, Pennsylvania

Describe your career as a librarian and where you work.

This question made me smile, since I am not a librarian. Libraries have been my favorite places on earth since I was small, but it was not my career choice. I have been a science and ethics teacher for thirty-five years at a small Catholic prep school for girls on the Philadelphia Main Line. I teach juniors and seniors STEM ethics, anatomy & physiology with biomedical engineering applications, advanced placement biology, and honors biology. I also have taught as an adjunct at nearby Villanova University since 1982 in the biology, theology, philosophy, and nursing departments. I currently teach a healthcare ethics course on campus and online.

Share something about yourself not related to librarianship.

I am an avid reader and am never without a book or e-reader. I like nearly every genre, but I’m particularly fond of mystery fiction. I generally read several books at a time and I can keep them straight in my mind as long as they are very different from each other. My greatest frustration as a reader is that there are so many books to read and not enough time to read them all. There are favorites that I would love to return to, but the to-be-read list just keeps getting longer. It is a good problem to have, really.

How does your faith inspire or fit in with your work?

Because I teach at Catholic schools, I am free to include discussions of faith in my science and ethics classes. This helps students to realize that faith and science aren’t mutually exclusive. This is a common misconception and my students are delighted that they don’t have to choose between them.

How has being involved with the CLA been important to your professional development?

I’ve been a reviewer for CLA for more than a decade, after seeing a request for reviewers online. I could read more books and help out the CLA at the same time — a win-win situation! Since then, I was invited to be on the editorial committee for the journal and that has been a terrific experience.

What has been your most rewarding experience with the CLA?

Working with Sigrid Kelsey and the editorial team has been immensely satisfying to me. They are a wonderful group of people who give their time and expertise to making the journal a great publication.

What do you hope for the future of the CLA?

I believe that the CLA will continue to serve its members and I hope that we can find more ways to increase membership and participation. It is a wonderful organization with much to offer and I am an example of how it’s not only for librarians.