For more than four decades, Rosemary Kijowski has dedicated herself to caring for others. She feels blessed in her life, and thus endeavors to give back and share her love of life. She prepared for her journey by earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from The College of New Jersey in 1970 and 1976, respectively. She also became a certified teacher of music for grades K-12 in New Jersey and a fitness nutritionist in California.
The majority of Ms. Kijowski’s career was spent developing talent as the vocal and music director of the Edison Board of Education in New Jersey. During her tenure with the district, which lasted from 1970 to 2005, she coached 16 state champions. Although Ms. Kijowski was exceptionally proud of all of her students, she was the proudest when she was able to go with her son to the world finals. Other roles within the school system, particularly Woodrow Wilson Middle School, included talent show advisor and peer leadership advisor. Further, she was an assistant coach of Odyssey of the Mind in Edison, N.J., from 1984 to 1990.
Despite retiring from academia in 2001, Ms. Kijowski remains active in her community. She has been the owner and general manager of the fitness center at The Body Shoppe for Women since 2003, and is engaged in a number of charitable activities. Notably, she volunteers to visit patients and their families in the ICU at the local hospital, is a lector at St. Mary of Mount Virgin, and supports the Castle of Dream local animal rescue. Additionally, Ms. Kijowski drives a sister from the church, who is legally blind, to visit homebound parishioners. She previously spent seven years as a Eucharistic minister at St. Peter’s Hospital.
Ms. Kijowski ensured she stayed on top of developments in her community by maintaining affiliation with the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners, the Edison Township Education Association, the New Jersey Education Association, and the Music Educators National Conference. She was also a member of the New Jersey Music Educators Association and the New Jersey Retired Educators Association.
In light of Ms. Kijowski’s success, she was honored to be included in numerous volumes of Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who of American Women, as well as one volume each of Who’s Who in Finance and Business and Who’s Who in the World.
