William Kushner
ravel is an important part of Dr. William Kushner’s life. In fact, he covers over 100 miles yearly without leaving campus—in the pool, that is. An accomplished swimmer, each day he works toward his 100-mile goal, recording his progress on the Wet Wilbur Club bulletin board at Rowan’s Student Recreation Center. “I’m in the pool every day, year-round,” says Kushner, “it’s fantastic exercise.”

While Kushner likes to test his physical limits, he also spends lots of time in the stands watching Profs challenge their own. “I’m an avid sports fan. I go to all the football, baseball and basketball games.” That’s no surprise, since he sported a Profs jersey himself in 1950, making him one of Rowan’s oldest football alumni. Kushner also serves on the Board of Trustees for Rowan’s Brown & Gold Gridiron Club.

As former chair of the department of speech, theater and dance (1978-1984), Kushner is no stranger to the stage. In October 2005, he brought his talents to the Eastern Center for Performing Arts in Voorhees. He appeared with John Shaw ’72 and Patty Shaw ’77 in Philip Travaline’s musical narrative production, “Coming to America.” Flanked by the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey, Kushner contributed to the patriotic compilation’s featured piece, “Ellis Island” composed by Grammy nominee Peter Boyer. He narrated the voice of a 12-year-old immigrant boy from Russia beginning a new life in early 20th century America.

“It was a beautiful piece,” says Kushner, “I was very impressed with it, and I enjoyed performing again after being away for so long.” With two immigrant parents, Kushner understands the linguistic challenges of adapting to a new society. He recalls his mother’s flawless English pronunciation and grammar, despite never having received a formal education in the United States. Fascinated by speech and dialects, Kushner can effortlessly slip into a Scottish accent and adopt a Kansas twang seconds later.

Beginning his career at Glassboro State College in 1970, Kushner brought his passions to multiple departments. After heading the department of speech, theater and dance, Kushner began teaching in the College of Communication in 1984, specializing in public speaking and interpersonal communication. Since his 1999 retirement, Kushner continues to lend his expertise to the College of Business, teaching a three-session module on how to give effective PowerPoint presentations.

Kushner and his wife Helen have made sure to explore the world outside the University, visiting Australia, New Zealand, the Fiji Islands, Spain, Portugal, England, Costa Rica and Israel. Their son, Barak, recently accepted a position teaching modern Japanese history at England’s Cambridge University. Barak has undoubtedly inherited his father’s love of language and taken it a step further—he’s fluent in Japanese, Chinese and French. The proud parents anticipate plenty of return trips to England. For Kushner, who’s logged hundreds of miles in the pool, it’s merely an ocean away.

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Alumni can honor retired faculty by donating to a scholarship fund and other investment. Call Anne Hagan at 856-256-5402 or visit the Rowan University Foundation.