New Book Compiles Shipka’s WYSU Commentaries

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Between 2005 and 2015, Youngstown State University professor Tom Shipka appeared on WYSU scores of times, providing commentary on topics from Ted Williams to religion.

And now, a new book by the philosophy and religious studies professor, compiles more than 150 of his works. The book, “Commentaries: 162 Essays on WYSU,” is available on Amazon, with royalties supporting the radio station.

“I chose topics based on reading that I was doing at the time or issues which I believed deserved attention, especially the common failure of people to evaluate the popular beliefs and practices which they learned as they grew up,” he said in a release.

Among Shipka’s favorites in the book are “A Lesson from the YSU Strike,” “Are You a Critical Thinker?”, “Science and Intercessory Prayer – the STEP Study,” “Funny Moments,” “A Day With Ted Williams,” “Whatever Happened to Jefferson and Madison?”, “Is Socialism Coming?”, “Religion and the Founders,” and “Faith.”

A native of Youngstown, Shipka joined the faculty at YSU in 1969. He led the effort to unionize faculty and served as the union leader until 1986 when he was named chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

Outside the classroom, Shipka has received the Watson Award for outstanding administrative service and the Distinguished Professor Award. He has also been inducted in the YSU Heritage Society and the YSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Over the years, he served as a board member of Western Reserve Transit Authority, Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and Mill Creek MetroParks.

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