Amanda Gradisek

Dr. Amanda Gradisek graduated from Admiral King High School in 1998. The daughter of Dr. Robert Gradisek and Diane Gradisek, Amanda joins her father in the Lorain Schools’ Alumni Hall of Fame, making Amanda and her father the first father daughter duo to be inducted. While attending Admiral King, Amanda was involved in many activities. She was a member of the marching, jazz, and concert bands. Multi-talented in music, Amanda played the trombone, bass trombone, piano, violin and flute. She served as an accompanist for vocals, plays, and various other performances. This National Honor Society student graduated number three in her class.

During her enrollment at Ohio State University, Amanda continued to be involved in many school activities. She spent the summer of 2000 at Bath Spa University of England. Amanda earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, with Honors and Distinction. She began graduate work at the University of Arizona, where she taught writing and literature. In 2005 Amanda completed her Master of Arts in English and moved directly to the Ph. D. program where she served as the Assistant Editor for the Arizona Quarterly.

Dr. Gradisek’s first tenure-track job was at the University of Wisconsin-Rock County. She left this position after four years to work at Walsh University. During her seven years on Walsh’s faculty, Amanda earned tenure and worked her way to full professor status, Amanda became Chair of the Division of Literature, Language, and Communications. Among her many student activities, Amanda was Faculty Advisor of the Gay-student Alliance, founder of the Women’s Empowerment Initiative, and an active participant in the Black Student Union.

In 2020, Dr Gradisek became the Chairperson of the English Department at Columbus State Community College. In this position she oversaw over 200 instructors in a department that had the largest dual credit program in Ohio, all while being involved in a myriad of other college-related activities.

Dr. Gradisek fondly remembers two special Lorain City School teachers. In many ways, Thomas Ilcisko was the spark for her love of thinking about literature and the world as a text with a critical eye. William Spruill was the teacher who taught her how to learn when it gets difficult: she will always remember him as a teacher who shaped many of her best high school memories.

Amanda and her husband, Greg Leehan and their twin boys, Finn and Alden, live in Dublin Ohio. Amanda is a breast cancer survivor. In the little spare time that she has, Amanda enjoys reading, planting, and biking.

Amanda Gradisek's Induction Speech