Associate dean Karlowitz hasn’t found a hobby he couldn’t master

Being a “Jack of all trades, master of none” is a figure of speech that many strive for. Many hobbies are learned, but mastering can be difficult. There is one who took this figure of speech like no other. He’s learned, mastered and achieved many trades.

Paul Karlowitz serves as the associate dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and is the Jack of many trades, who has mastered some.

“If you see something that interests you, why not learn about it?” Karlowitz said.

He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1992 after serving the country flying B-52 planes in Europe, saying he “had too much I wanted to do.”

And that he did. Since retiring from the Air Force, Karlowitz is in his third profession, helping steer students in the right direction.

Kay Fisher, administrative coordinator 2, said, “He’s very efficient about his job and is always helpful.”

Before entering education, Karlowitz worked as the executive director of airports in Maine and Missouri. He said he enjoyed it, but wanted to do some other things.

Fisher said, “He’s always going to give his best.”

He returned to Monroe to be closer to his mother in 1998. He attended college here and grew up in Shreveport, so it was a familiar place.

Karlowitz found his way into the ULM aviation program where he served as the director. Eight years later, he continues to add to his arsenal of hobbies.

Aside from flying planes, Karlowitz’s interests range from guitar making and cutting and faceting gemstones, to owning a printing press and woodcarving.

He said, “If anybody can do it, I’m going to try and do it. I’m not afraid of failure or if anybody laughs at me for trying. I don’t care; it doesn’t matter.”

Karlowitz said he got into car restoration, but said, “it got old after a while.”

He said he saw someone cut and facet gemstones. Then he tried.

Karlowitz said he remembers saying “if he can do it, I can do it.”

“I don’t put limits on myself, because if so you will never do anything,” he said.

Karlowitz learned to make wine and guitars. He has made about 300 bottles of wine (they aren’t for sale because it’s illegal.) He said he gives them to friends to try different flavors. He said making wine is just “a fun thing to do.”

Karlowitz has made about 40 guitars. He said he isn’t great at it, but said Richard Hood, “made a couple of them sound amazing.”

In Karlowitz’s lifetime he’s encountered some close calls with death. His most vivid is of one night flying in the B-52 with five other crew members. Two of the plane’s engines blazed into fire, and they could not land. Karlowitz said they flew in a circle for about four hours until the fuel was burned out and the plane was light enough to land.

He said, “It was a real strange night. We were just circling, burning about 60,000 pounds an hour of wasted fuel. We were lucky.”

Karlowitz rescues Great Danes too. He said he had up to 15, but now he is down to seven.

He said taking care of these dogs can get expensive, up to about $2,000 a year for each one.

Saving Great Danes isn’t the only expensive hobby Karlowitz has. Wood carving is also expensive.

He said, “It’s a wonderful hobby, but it’s becoming a little more in demand than I wanted.”

Karlowitz admits his interests didn’t come easy and aren’t always easy to maintain because of money invested.

He said, “With many hobbies, you have to be able to front some money.”

The one interest Karlowitz said he is confident he has mastered is flying.

He said, “I’ll put myself up against anybody. I was good.”

Kristin Morris, who serves as the coordinator of advising for the College of Arts & Sciences, said there is always respect for those who served the country. She said Karlowitz’s “laid-back attitude” makes him easy to work with.

Karlowitz doesn’t run from the idea of getting another career or learning a new hobby.

He said, “The day I don’t wake up eager to go to work, something is wrong. I love what I do. Anytime you find that you don’t, it is time to move on.”