At the beginning of each semester, Alan Zombeck asks his students to dress up as “science nerds.”
His Best-Dressed Nerd Contest has become a tradition and his students really get into it. He realizes chemistry can be a stressful course for many students, and has found the contest as a way to introduce some fun and levity into the course.
“I tell them to put on a bowtie and suspenders, and join the fun,” said Zomback, assistant professor of chemistry for Delta College. “It’s been a fun way to kick off each semester.”
Zombeck truly enjoys teaching – it can be seen and felt when he talks about it.
“I’ve always had a desire to teach,” he said. “It stems from my undergrad experience. I was really struggling during my first semester and one of my chemistry professors took the time to get to know me and he encouraged me to do better.”
That made a lasting impact on him, so much so, he realized he wanted to help students in a similar way.
“That’s been my driver all of these years,” he said.
Zomback went on to successfully finish his bachelor’s degree and then earned a doctorate at the University of Illinois, where he taught several classes as a graduate student. And he loved it.
He hasn’t always been an instructor, though.
Zomback enjoyed a 33-year career at Dow Corning that included a variety of job and international experiences. Besides living in Brussels for five years and visiting other European countries, he also traveled to Australia, Brazil, Japan, China, South Korea, Thailand and Mexico. He held multiple roles in research and development, human resources and patent law before retiring in 2014.
While working for Dow Corning, Zomback returned to the classroom. He began teaching evening classes at Delta in 2000 as an adjunct instructor and then became a full-time professor in 2015 following his retirement.
At the beginning of each semester, he shares important advice with his students.
“I tell them that I got my Ph.D. because I worked hard. I tell them that it’s not about being smarter, it’s about the willingness to put in the time to study and having a strong work ethic.
I tell them that if I can do it, they can too,” he said.
The Alan & Carol Zombeck Scholarship Endowment
Helping young people succeed is what led Alan and his wife, Carol Zombeck, to establish
a scholarship endowment for Delta students.
The Zombecks are both first-generation college students who met as freshmen at Edinboro University in the mid-seventies. Alan earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and Carol earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. They both earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois.
Carol, one of six children, spent her early childhood on her family’s dairy farm in Pennsylvania. She was an elementary school teacher and volunteer for many years.
“I knew at an early age that I wanted to help others,” Carol said. “I believe that if students get off on the right foot at an early age, they will have a solid foundation for the rest of their lives.”
The scholarship endowment will support students pursuing health- and science-related careers.
“We both know, first-hand, how lives can be impacted by encouragement,” Alan said. “Carol and I always had an interest in setting up a scholarship, so we decided to start one sooner rather than later so we can see people benefit from it now.”