Your Learning Experience

With a background in broadcasting I use media related illustrations in my lectures that make active learning more strategic than memorized learning.  Expect to see video clips, commercials, and developing technology as you study ethical issues.  

You will have access to your grades, all course content, and a host of communication tools through the supplemental use of  ANGEL.

Students can reach me via email, phone, or text messaging.

As your journey begins expect to make some interesting discoveries about yourself, your generation and what was going on in the world the day you arrived. 

Plan to use your textbook, and complete chapter assessments through the use of chapter review questions, online quizzes and abstracts.  You will also have access to chapter video lectures and the dynamics of group discussions and problem solving as your journey takes you through the historical development of ethical thinking.  You will discover a variety of ethical approaches and the multicultural aspects of ethics. You will also examine a variety of personal, social, and professional ethical issues and problems and learn methods of resolving them through the use of critical thinking skills, sound ethical reasoning and legal and professional codes.

In short, your journey through Studies in Applied Ethics will equip you with a new set of tools that will serve you long after the class is over.  

Your final grade will be based on a percentage of two major assignments that include a critical thinking application and a code of ethics project.  The critical thinking application is a "take home, open book midterm." that represents 25% of your final grade.  50% of your final grade is determined by your active class participation. The remaining 25% of your grade is all about you.  The code of ethics project will take you into the future as you explore career plans and an analysis of ethical dilemmas in your field.  

I hope to see you in class and will be available to help you every step of the journey.  

Your learning experience is the centerpiece at St. Petersburg College.  

Welcome aboard!!

Professor Tom Derzypolski
Summer 2013
St. Petersburg College

Professor Thomas W. Derzypolski

Teacher of the Year 1999-2000 and 2000-2001

Applied Ethics
St. Petersburg College
1991-Present

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 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 University, the University of South Florida 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 account executive with AT&T 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 46 years and she was the first girl I ever kissed.

I have 9 grandchildren!

I 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 a fellow Vietnam Veteran now deceased.  (Tallahassee Community College)
Most admired colleague Professor Keith Goree (1959-2009) SPC, Applied Ethics Institute
Favorite car - 1967 gold GTO with a black vinyl top. (Our wedding gift to each other in 1967!)
My teaching philosophy is based on encouragement, flexibility, and determination.

In my spare time I play with my grandchildren and would like to have all of them live next door! But since that is not reasonable, Lynda and I moved next door to two of them recently and and plan to maintain our Tampa home and our Clearwater "grandchildren home."  I am certified in infant CPR and can't think of anything I would rather do than to spend time with them!  Our newest grandson arrived in Tallahassee in September, 2013 and and another granddaughter is on the way next door in December!

I serve on various college committees; most recelty served as a ethics investigator for the Florida Bar and I am the faculty advisor for the Clearwater Campus Ethics Club.  

My teaching career will officially end in 2015 when I retire. Between then and now I will enjoy every single day as Professor Derzypolski.  

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!"

Enjoy the journey!

Thomas W. Derzypolski
Associate Professor
Applied Ethics Institute
St. Petersburg College

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

"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard,
or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life,
wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America',
for an amount of 'up to and including their life.'(Author unknown)

"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)