Alumni Spotlight
PJ
DiBiasi '64
Major: History
Occupation: semi-retired
PJ DiBiasi graduated from Evangel in 1964 with a major in history and a minor in English. Beginning in the fall of 1965 and for the next fifteen years, he taught history and English on the junior high level in various school districts in Missouri. It was also during this time that he continued his educational preparation by completing fifteen hours of graduated studies in history as well as requirements for a Missouri teaching certificate in mathematics.
After teaching for a period of time, he decided to leave the profession and accepted a position in the pharmacy department of Boone Hospital Center, Columbia, Missouri, where he remained until he retired from full-time status to part-time status.
During PJ’s teaching experience at Dixon, he had the opportunity to be a member and officer of two of Dixon’s civic organizations, the Lions and the Jaycees. He held the offices of secretary-treasurer for three years and third vice president for one year in the Lions, and he was treasurer for one year in the Jaycees. While teaching in Columbia, he held for one year the office of treasurer for the local classroom teacher association (MNEA).
In 1994, after an absence of a quarter of a century, PJ returned to Evangel for Homecoming. “I had no idea what to expect or if anyone would remember me,” he said. “It was a pleasant surprise to have various individuals who were with me in the early ’60s come up and ask where I had been. I realized how much they cared about me and were willing to share their love toward me. I have not missed a Homecoming since.”
Presently, PJ serves as the first and only president of the Mid-Missouri Chapter of the Evangel University Alumni Association, which was organized in 1997. He is also an appointed member of the Alumni Board of Directors.
PJ has been an active member of his local church. For the past four years, he has served on its Board of Christian Education. In this capacity, he suggested – and the members of the board agreed – to honor all those who have a teaching ministry within the church by having a teacher’s appreciation dinner at the end of the school year in May. It was so well-received that they decided to make this an annual event.
PJ concludes, “My goal as a senior citizen is to return to my avocation – teaching in a Christian school and sharing my Christian education and faith in Christ to those who I teach in the classroom.”