John Kolena Memorial Fund

"I still don't know the answer to one of the questions he left hanging in his Special Relativity class and it looks like I'll be waiting a bit more to find out.”

Donovan Patterson ‘06

"So sorry about the passing of such a tremendous teacher and person. I learned to think completely differently because of Dr. Kolena; his classes at NCSSM even got me through college physics and calculus! I miss his gift of transmitting a concept so perfectly with real life examples, and his dry-as-a-bone wit. He always drilled down to what mattered, whether in class or in other aspects of our lives at school. Never a dull moment in his class, either; he was a real gift to his students. Wishing you a peaceful trip to the stars you loved, Dr. Kolena, with many thanks."

Prerana Patel, NCSSM’92

"For the past 25 years, I have thought of Dr Kolena every time I have leaned on a wall - now I will add his to the forces pushing back. He was the best kind of teacher - unforgettable."

Sarah Milsaps Towles ‘96

"I was so sorry to hear that John had passed. I loved his quirky sense of humor and the sarcasm that came with it! I remember him taking his students on those crazy rollercoaster rides! He was a valued colleague at NCSSM and he'll be in our hearts for a long long time."

Kathleen Benzaquin

“I still tell Dr. John Kolena stories to people to this day. His teaching style was unlike any other... very challenging but you couldn't just hide and be lectured."

"Ok class, today we're going to talk about why the sun is green. What? You didn't know the sun was green? Of course it is! What did you think it was, yellow? Because it looks yellow? So you've spent 16,17 years of your life walking around under this big bright thing in the sky and thought 'that thing looks yellow, so it must be. No further thought necessary...'? Did you parents not tell you the sun is green? Let's see, I can think of 3 reasons off the top of my head why the sun is green but looks yellow, what are they class?"

"He once excitedly drove me to the basement of a Duke University library to find an old journal with pulsar data just to complete one of his astrophysics assignments."

"I have a photo somewhere of our group that went to Disneyworld for the 'Amusement Park Physics Miniterm' riding the Tower of Terror. Everyone else in the photo is either screaming or having fun, his eyes are fixated on the hand-build accelerometer he brought on the ride."

"I still don't know the answer to one of the questions he left hanging in his Special Relativity class and it looks like I'll be waiting a bit more to find out.”

Donovan Patterson ‘06

"So sorry about the passing of such a tremendous teacher and person. I learned to think completely differently because of Dr. Kolena; his classes at NCSSM even got me through college physics and calculus! I miss his gift of transmitting a concept so perfectly with real life examples, and his dry-as-a-bone wit. He always drilled down to what mattered, whether in class or in other aspects of our lives at school. Never a dull moment in his class, either; he was a real gift to his students. Wishing you a peaceful trip to the stars you loved, Dr. Kolena, with many thanks."

Prerana Patel, NCSSM’92

"For the past 25 years, I have thought of Dr Kolena every time I have leaned on a wall - now I will add his to the forces pushing back. He was the best kind of teacher - unforgettable."

Sarah Milsaps Towles ‘96

"I was so sorry to hear that John had passed. I loved his quirky sense of humor and the sarcasm that came with it! I remember him taking his students on those crazy rollercoaster rides! He was a valued colleague at NCSSM and he'll be in our hearts for a long long time."

Kathleen Benzaquin

“I still tell Dr. John Kolena stories to people to this day. His teaching style was unlike any other... very challenging but you couldn't just hide and be lectured."

"Ok class, today we're going to talk about why the sun is green. What? You didn't know the sun was green? Of course it is! What did you think it was, yellow? Because it looks yellow? So you've spent 16,17 years of your life walking around under this big bright thing in the sky and thought 'that thing looks yellow, so it must be. No further thought necessary...'? Did you parents not tell you the sun is green? Let's see, I can think of 3 reasons off the top of my head why the sun is green but looks yellow, what are they class?"

"He once excitedly drove me to the basement of a Duke University library to find an old journal with pulsar data just to complete one of his astrophysics assignments."

"I have a photo somewhere of our group that went to Disneyworld for the 'Amusement Park Physics Miniterm' riding the Tower of Terror. Everyone else in the photo is either screaming or having fun, his eyes are fixated on the hand-build accelerometer he brought on the ride."

"I still don't know the answer to one of the questions he left hanging in his Special Relativity class and it looks like I'll be waiting a bit more to find out.”

Donovan Patterson ‘06

Support the John Kolena Endowed Faculty Chair