Rimas Kalvaitis

Garbės daktaras / Honorary Doctor (Suteiktas vardas 2013-06-12)

Professor Rimas Kalvaitis was born in Kaunas, grew up in Rumšiškės and Zapyškis (until 1944). As the front was retreating, he and his parents departed for Western Europe. He worked and lived in Germany, Belgium, Ireland, England and France. Later he moved to the USA, where he graduated, was awarded with a PhD in philosophy and raised five children with his wife. He was active participant and organizer of diaspora events.

In 1989 Prof. Kalvaitis was elected to the VMU Restoration Senate (until 1996) and upon return to Lithuania a year later, he contributed to the restoration of the country’s independence.

At Vytautas Magnus University, he was also a Senate member (1996–2000), a visiting professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management (1991–1997) and a lecturer of marketing, management and advertising.

Between 1992 and 1993, Prof. Kalvaitis worked as a foreign economics adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and also, in parallel, at the Southern New Hampshire University and the New England College (USA). Several VMU students were also invited to study intensive marketing courses at the New England College by Kalvaitis’ initiative.

While working in Lithuania, he also published three poetry collections and still maintains ties with VMU community.