Michael Kalinski, associate professor in the School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport, spoke yesterday about his experiences in India. Kalinski traveled to the country last semester on the Fullbright Lecturing Grant. STEPHANIE DEVER | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: DKS Editors

Michael Kalinski, associate professor in the School of Exercise, Leisure and Sport, returned to Kent State to present the experiences and contributions he made in India last semester on a Fulbright Lecturing Grant.

Twenty-five faculty, staff and foreign exchange students gathered around the lectern yesterday to listen to Kalinski’s presentation on “Incredible India.”

Kalinski said it took three consecutive years of applying to get the grant.

“I feel it was worth dreaming to get and I would do it again,” he said. “The program is special because it places impetus on teaching, research and international development to promote mutual understanding between people of the U.S. and other countries.”

Kalinski said his project statement emphasized lecturing, publishing a book and building a collaborative team for developing a textbook.

“All of my objectives were achieved,” he said. “I published the book Ergogenic Aids and a U.S.-India textbook project was developed and a team of writing is underway.”

Kalinski taught a Physiology of Exercise and Sport class and a Biochemistry of Exercise and Sport class at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala, Punjab.

“The students are very interested in the subjects, and after the lecture they would invite me for tea,” he said. “The students are very friendly.”

Kalinski said he delivered many research presentations, but the most important one was at the 19th annual conference of the Physiological Society of India. Five hundred delegates from India and international participants from twelve other countries attended the presentation. The vice president of India, the governor and chief administrator were also there.

In addition to Kalinski’s presentations, he said he attended a national workshop in Amritsar, Punjab, to lecture on steroid research in sports superpowers and went to Karnataka to lecture on cretin supplements.

Kalinski was awarded with trophies and official letters thanking him for his presentations.

“What I would like to emphasize and acknowledge is the hospitality of the people,” he said. “Thank you very much, my dear India.”

Ghizlane Razak, a member of the International Leadership in Education program, said what she learned from his project is when there is a will, there is a way.

“What makes you a leader isn’t having objectives, but by finding ways to meet the objectives,” Razak said. “You may fail at the beginning, but you have the choice to surrender and you have the choice to find alternatives to reach your objectives.

“He inspires me a lot and it was very useful to listen to him talking and reporting his own experiences in India.”

Contact Education, Health and Human Services reporter Alyssa Conner at [email protected].