When Gail Grabowsky walks into a classroom at Chaminade University, she brings a contagious love for the natural world, one that started long before she ever became a professor with infectious energy.
Grabowsky, 62, from Southern California is the passionate, energy-filled, cat-loving Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics who is certainly unlike any other professor at Chaminade. Ask her one question, and her answer will meander into 10 different topics making sure you learn something new. It’s clear that this love of nature is deeply ingrained in her soul.
“So I, like many people, I grew up in a nature-loving family,” Grabowsky said. “We backpacked, we went to the beach all the time instead of doing things inside. My mother had a rule when we were little, no more than five days a week at the beach, and I think we always broke it.”
Those early experiences planted the seed for what would become a lifelong calling. The simple moments she spent outdoors with her family became the roots of a deep devotion to the environment, one that has carried her through decades of teaching, research, and even her own battles for health.
In August 2011, Grabowsky began undergoing chemotherapy and radiation to fight her stage three colon cancer. The treatment took a toll on her, draining her once contagious energy and positive spirit that she brought everywhere she goes.
When diagnosed, Grabowsky thought in a scientific way, her mind jumping to the life expectancy bell curve. Diagnosed at age 47, she worried about being on the side of the curve that trickles down.
“In a way, it made me sad, but it also made me sit back and think, what would I change in my life?” Grabowsky said.
The diagnosis forced her to take a step back from teaching and reflect deeply on what truly made her happy, realizing during the process and when she was cured, that joy, purpose, and the things she loved could be just as powerful as medicine. Now, nearly 15 years later, she openly talks about her cancer in class.
“It’s affected the way I treat my students and my colleagues as well,” Grabowsky said. “If my students are sick, your health is number one, so make sure you’re paying attention to that. I think that’s one of the reasons why I’m probably harder on you guys about social media.”
Going through these hardships gave Grabowsky a new respect for health and a deeper understanding of resilience and how precious life truly is. That experience, she said, also ties into how important it is to believe in what you believe and not get clouded by misinformation spread through social media and the press.
“Talking about evidence today, there’s so much fake everything,” Grabowsky said. “It’s really hard for you guys. So know your values and how you form a belief about whatever it is that you care about. It’s tricky now.”
Lizette Nolasco, GEMM Program Coordinator and administrative assistant to the Dean and Special Projects, said she was drawn in by Grabowsky’s energy and her drive to improve the environment. Nolasco now coordinates special projects with CIFAL Honolulu and works closely with Grabowsky, gaining mentorship from one of the university’s environmental greats.
“I look up to her strength. She is so enthusiastic and so kind, even despite all of the hardships that she has gone through,” Nolasco said. “She’s very resilient and always sees the good in people. She’s passionate about her work, which is so encouraging. It shows that even when you go through hardships, you can still come out on top with a good mindset and a strong work ethic.”
Grabowsky never fails to take on new projects and achieve greatness both in and out of the classroom.
On Oct. 18, she was inducted into the Hawai‘i Swimming Hall of Fame, an honor that highlights her lifelong dedication to discipline, health, and her connection to the environment.
She continues to work on multiple initiatives that combine her passions for conservation and education. She collaborates with Dr. Dave Augury, a well-known conservation biologist and founder of WISE (World Institute for Society and the Environment), and she leads both the Campus Cat Colony Project and the City Mill Colony Project, where she actively traps and neuters cats to help the community.
These projects reflect Grabowsky’s ongoing dedication to environmental conservation and animal welfare. By integrating her projects into her classroom experience, through community partnerships and student involvement, she connects her students to real-world service and strives to make a lasting impact on their time at Chaminade.
“Just grab your life while you can, because it is a precious thing,” Grabowsky said.